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Nancy Wang

Renowned Hong Kong lyricist Peter Lai Bei-dak is trending on Chinese social media platform Weibo after he disclosed that he helped his 37-year-old son – with whom he has a strained relationship – pay off credit card debt worth hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong dollars.
Many comments shared on Weibo expressed empathy for the 75-year-old single father, with many users lamenting his situation.
Lai also shared with local media platform HK01 that he is currently looking for a soulmate, which sparked discussion in both Hong Kong and mainland China.
He seemed unfazed by the reaction and claimed that if Hong Kong singer and actor Lee Lung-kay could find love at the age of 74, why couldn’t he?
Renowned for crafting the lyrics for classic songs in Hong Kong including “Monica” (sung by Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing) and “Drifter’s Song” (sung by Sam Hui Koon-kit), the outspoken Lai has also long been familiar to mainland audiences thanks to his role as a comedic private tutor in Stephen Chow Sing-chi’s 1993 movie Flirting Scholar.


Although his fame peaked during the 1970s and ’80s, his lyrics continue to resonate deeply among Chinese pop-culture circles.
Here’s what you need to know about him.
Who is Peter Lai?
Born in 1950 in Hong Kong, Lai lost his father at just nine years old. Facing poverty, he was forced to drop out of school not long after.
While most children his age were in school, 12-year-old Lai began working as a paper boy to support himself. In one interview, he stated that this childhood experience broadened his world view, which later manifested in the philosophical insights reflected in his powerful song lyrics.

His passion for literature and word creation stems from the influences of Cantonese opera and wuxia fiction. He has said that reading Cantonese opera scripts by masters like Tong Tik-sang and Ng Yat-siu in his uncle’s troupe allowed him to gain an initial understanding of literary artistry, while the vivid descriptions in wuxia novels enriched his vocabulary and means of expression.
He dedicated himself to studying lyrical composition through the rhythm dictionary Feng Yun.
How did he enter the entertainment industry?
After renowned music producer Sam Hui came across columns Lai wrote for Hong Kong Teen Weekly, he was so impressed by Lai’s writing talent that they collaborated on 12 songs for the comedy film The Private Eyes (1976), including the well-known singles “Private Eyes” and “Drifter’s Song”. This was the start of Lai’s journey as a lyricist.
Lai has likened his relationship with Hui to a “beggar and a prince” – the popular Hui treated him, a newcomer, as an old friend and nurtured him both in their friendship and partnership.

After gaining some recognition, Lai began writing lyrics for superstars such as Anita Mui Yim-fong and Leslie Cheung around the 1980s.
Lai’s collaboration with Hui lasted for seven years and Lai has said he is grateful to his friend and teacher.
What are his iconic works?
In 1984, Leslie Cheung broke Alan Tam Wing-lun’s dominance in the Hong Kong music scene with the song “Monica”. The iconic line “Thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, Monica. Who can replace you in my heart?” immediately captured listeners.
Interestingly, the woman referenced in this song is a pseudonym for Lai’s greatest love. He integrated all the regrets from their break-up through his lyrics.

Lai’s lyrical talent was at the fore again in another hit, “Break the Iceberg”, a male-female duet by Cantopop diva Anita Mui Yim-fong and Andy Hui Chi-on. The lyrics “I’m going to change that iceberg (Don’t suppress your love)” became an anthem for women wishing to break from constraints and embrace freedom.
Lai’s unique style and over 200 compositions earned him the title “The Lyrical Maverick”. Songs like “Song of the Students” and “Tower above the Clouds” remain popular among younger generations.
How’s life treating him?
Lai recently regained public attention through hosting the YouTube talk show Jiu Xi Mi Ji, in which he shares anecdotes and stories from the entertainment industry.
Before starting the talk show, he was employed as a screenwriter, film producer and actor for Hong Kong broadcaster TVB, playing some minor roles in situation comedies.
In 2022, he temporarily ceased activities to undergo percutaneous coronary intervention surgery.
To help his son pay off his debt while dealing with his own health issues, he relied on his friends and Hong Kong entrepreneur Joseph Lau Luen-hung.
In March this year, he was hospitalised again due to lung problems caused by influenza.


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Who is Peter Lai? Renowned Hong Kong lyricist is trending on Chinese social media

Peter Lai is seen in a still from the YouTube talk show Jiu Xi Mi Ji, which he is currently hosting. The show goes out every Thursday and is organised by Hong Kong entertainment company WSM Music HK. Photo: YouTube/WSM Music HK

Lai has written the lyrics for more than 200 songs, helping earn him the title “The Lyrical Maverick”. Photo: HK01

In 2019, Lai (left) played Uncle Bao, a member of a hip hop group, in the TVB sitcom Come Home Love: Lo and Behold. Photo: YouTube/TVB

Lai was hospitalised in March this year due to lung problems caused by influenza. Photo: HK01

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Crow, played by Roy Cheung, performs his iconic greeting in a still from Young and Dangerous 3 (1996). Photo: YouTube/hmvod

(From left) Jordan Chan Siu-chun, Michael Tse Tin-wah, Ekin Cheng Yee-kin, Jason Chu Wing-tong and Jerry Lamb Hiu-fung in a still from Young and Dangerous (1996). Photo: Golden Harvest

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Entertainment

Known for his lyrics for songs including Leslie Cheung’s ‘Monica’ and Sam Hui’s ‘Drifter’s Song’, Lai is currently a hot topic on Weibo


Known for his lyrics for songs including Leslie Cheung’s ‘Monica’ and Sam Hui’s ‘Drifter’s Song’, Lai is currently a hot topic on Weibo.


Who is Peter Lai? Renowned Hong Kong lyricist is trending on Chinese social media

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Known for his lyrics for songs including Leslie Cheung’s ‘Monica’ and Sam Hui’s ‘Drifter’s Song’, Lai is currently a hot topic on Weibo

Known for his lyrics for songs including Leslie Cheung’s ‘Monica’ and Sam Hui’s ‘Drifter’s Song’, Lai is currently a hot topic on Weibo