With prizes hidden across Hong Kong, host of viral Instagram scavenger hunt game is bringing fun to city’s youth
- The account, @life.in.debt, has garnered more than 78,000 followers since its owner began posting pictures of hidden HK$100 notes in November
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Participants line up for a pre-game challenge near Po Hong Park in Tseung Kwan O. Photo: Kelly Fung On a Friday afternoon in December, Kevin* hid nine cards at Po Hong Park in Tseung Kwan O. He took a video of the playground and shared it on Instagram. Within minutes, people began to show up.
Around 50 participants, many of them pupils in school uniforms, arrived at the rendezvous point. They were eager to embark on Kevin’s scavenger hunt.
Those who found the cards exchanged them for gifts, such as Hong Kong-themed keychains, a model of Star Wars’ Yoda, and the ultimate prize of HK$100.
“In recent years, Hong Kong hasn’t felt like a happy place. So, I thought of hosting this game,” said Kevin, who is in his 30s. “I want everyone to be happy.”
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Since November, the game host has been running this scavenger hunt every day, injecting creative energy into the city’s public spaces. The game’s Instagram account has become an overnight sensation among the city’s students, garnering more than 78,000 followers.
“There aren’t many games like this in Hong Kong,” he said. “I want to play these real-life games instead of ... in a virtual world.”
Though he spends over HK$3,000 every month and about four hours daily for the game, Kevin – who works full-time in digital marketing – has no regrets.
“For someone who has a job, that’s definitely affordable,” he said. “If you could make even one person happy, it’s worth the money.”
Game plan
A few months ago, Kevin came across a similar game in Singapore and decided to bring the concept to Hong Kong.
On the first day, Kevin hid a HK$100 note on a bench in Causeway Bay and posted about it on Instagram.
“Many people started asking if it was fake or if anyone actually found the money. So I suggested they stay and see for themselves,” he said.
On the fifth day of hiding money, Kevin stayed behind to watch. Seven minutes after revealing the location, he received a call from the winner.
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“There were people actually playing. I saw students, couples and others were even sweating from running around,” he said. “Even when they couldn’t find anything, they still expressed how much fun they had.”
In addition to now using cards that can be exchanged for gifts, Kevin has also introduced other challenges, for example, a game where players stop a timer as close as they can to 10 seconds.
These games seem simple, but the host said the devil was in the details: “You have to let them know it’s not hidden in the grass ... not to search for trash, and not to do anything dangerous.”
Need to relax and connect
While Kevin’s weekend scavenger hunts see more families taking part, secondary school students make up the majority of players on weekday afternoons.
Many young people on social media have expressed how his game has alleviated their academic stress.
Form Three student Lego Wong said the HK$100 prize was what initially drew her to Kevin’s scavenger hunt, but now, the game “is a much-needed break”.
“Otherwise, I stay home and study,” she said. “It feels different when you make an effort to earn a reward in real life compared to playing on the screen.”
Another participant, Angus Lee, a Year Two mathematics student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, said he did not join only for the money. “What matters to me is how the game has rekindled my competitive spirits,” he said.
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Kevin also recognises how his game affects its participants and does his best to offer support. He even worked with a human resources professional to hold a session for students to ask about careers.
“Many students have talked to me about academic concerns and future prospects ... They see my content every day, and when they meet me in person, they feel it is natural to ask for advice,” he said.
Kevin clarified the meaning of the game’s account name, “Life in Debt”, which is related to the obligations everyone has, such as “debts to their parents; there are school fees, and when you work, there are debts of obligations, even in relationships”.
The game host hopes his scavenger hunt can serve as a break from life’s obligations, bringing Hongkongers moments of joy, one card at a time.
*Full name withheld at interviewee’s request.
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