https://www.scmp.com/rss/322296/feed en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak This is the 86th instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades. Few figures are as synonymous with Hong Kong horror films as Helena Law Lan, who has been a household name for over half a century. Unlike the typical “scream queens” who gain popularity playing damsels in distress, 91-year-old Law has been the city’s on-screen spirit medium for over three decades and for years served as Hong Kong theme park Ocean Park’s Halloween... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3368350/how-91-year-old-helena-law-lan-became-hong-kong-cinemas-grand-dame-horror?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3368350/how-91-year-old-helena-law-lan-became-hong-kong-cinemas-grand-dame-horror?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 04:15:06 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh Few cinematic stories are as life-affirming or tug as effectively at our heartstrings as those exploring the bond between humans and dogs. The unwavering loyalty and adoration of a faithful pup can melt even the hardest of hearts, making it little wonder that filmmakers continually return to the subject. This week sees the release of David Ayer’s Heart of the Beast, starring Brad Pitt as a retired US Special Forces officer stranded in the Alaskan wilderness alongside his loyal dog, Odin –... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3368251/loved-heart-beast-10-best-dog-movies-where-canine-takes-lead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3368251/loved-heart-beast-10-best-dog-movies-where-canine-takes-lead?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 13:15:05 +0000 Quentin Parker Quentin Parker More than three years ago, I articulated concerns regarding the existential threat of artificial intelligence in a piece entitled “How Hong Kong can play a role in preventing AI Armageddon”. There is an increasing number of articles about exactly this. Here I concentrate on a more insidious encroachment on our humanity – how AI is capturing our creative expression and replacing us in a way that is making it harder to discern what is creatively human. As a scientist, my inclination is to filter... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3368408/dont-let-ai-take-over-our-human-creative-expression?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3368408/dont-let-ai-take-over-our-human-creative-expression?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:30:14 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak A short film depicting an unexpected friendship between a Pakistani tailor and a Hong Kong florist has scooped the top Hong Kong prize at this year’s Inspiring Asia Micro Film Festival. Between the Unsaid, produced by Kaneeta Arshad and directed by Qasim Khan, champions integration and how different communities in the city should work and learn together. “We see this very commonly in Hong Kong with our parents or someone who comes from outside Hong Kong,” Khan says. “There’s a communication... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368512/pakistani-made-micro-film-scoops-top-prize-asian-festivals-hong-kong-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368512/pakistani-made-micro-film-scoops-top-prize-asian-festivals-hong-kong-final?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 13:15:05 +0000 Zabrina Lo Zabrina Lo Mongolia and heavy metal are rarely mentioned in the same sentence, but folk metal band Uuhai are here to prove the music genre fuses surprisingly well with the nomadic culture’s distinctive vocal and instrumental traditions. Founded in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar in 2020 by drummer and producer Otgonbaatar “Ombo” Damba, the band’s current line-up features Damba, Khurtsgerel Damiranjav (horsehead fiddler and vocalist), Zorigoo Battsooj (horsehead fiddler and throat singer), Saruul... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368469/metal-meets-mongolian-throat-singing-and-instruments-uuhais-hong-kong-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3368469/metal-meets-mongolian-throat-singing-and-instruments-uuhais-hong-kong-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 10:15:06 +0000 Matt Glasby Matt Glasby 4/5 stars American writer-director David Ayer has built a career on tough-guy films featuring unlikely team-ups – from mismatched policemen Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke in Training Day (2001) to Will Smith and an orc in Bright (2017) to Jason Statham and some bees in The Beekeeper (2024). However, Heart of the Beast, a soulful survival drama scripted by Cameron Alexander, represents Ayer’s best combination yet. A grizzled Brad Pitt stars as retired special forces officer James Belmont, who... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367938/heart-beast-review-brad-pitt-and-his-loyal-combat-dog-brave-alaskan-wilderness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367938/heart-beast-review-brad-pitt-and-his-loyal-combat-dog-brave-alaskan-wilderness?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 13:00:07 +0000 Zabrina Lo Zabrina Lo While mass-produced Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns of every size, shape and style can be bought with a single click these days, a dedicated few in Hong Kong are defying the fast consumerism trend by keeping the objects’ traditional craftsmanship alive. Among them is Hong Kong fashion designer and lantern artisan Wan Wong, 52, who spends hours every year crafting traditional bamboo, wire and cellophane lanterns by hand. Lanterns remain a cherished centrepiece of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a Southeast... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3368319/how-mid-autumn-festival-lanterns-are-traditionally-made-and-artisan-defending-craft?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3368319/how-mid-autumn-festival-lanterns-are-traditionally-made-and-artisan-defending-craft?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:15:04 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service George Lucas and Mellody Hobson want their massive spaceship of a museum to be an experience. Across 300,000 sq ft (27,000 sq metres) and 11 acres (4.5 hectares) of park space, there is a lot to take in. Staring up at the 90-foot (27.4 metre) oculus four storeys above the entrance plaza makes one feel like a speck in the galaxy. Instead of trying to conquer everything at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on the first visit – there are more than 1,300 works – maybe focus on some of the highlights... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3367839/7-best-attractions-lucas-museum-narrative-art-star-wars-banksy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3367839/7-best-attractions-lucas-museum-narrative-art-star-wars-banksy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 04:45:04 +0000 Lisa Cam,Ashlyn Chak Lisa Cam,Ashlyn Chak In the first instalment of a four-part Health Matters series on traditional Chinese medicine, Lisa Cam and Ashlyn Chak explore how a new generation of health-conscious youth is discovering century-old leung cha and helping neighbourhood tea shop owners safeguard a dying trade. Long before modern chain pharmacies and over-the-counter painkillers were readily available in Hong Kong, there were leung cha: intensely bitter herbal “cooling teas” brewed in massive brass cauldrons in traditional... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3367808/guide-hong-kongs-bitter-herbal-teas-and-how-gen-z-reviving-health-tradition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3367808/guide-hong-kongs-bitter-herbal-teas-and-how-gen-z-reviving-health-tradition?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Sep 2026 11:00:07 +0000 Matt Glasby Matt Glasby Oliver Stone is no stranger to controversy. Whether exploring conspiracy theories in JFK, attacking the media in Natural Born Killers or cosying up to authoritarian leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Hugo Chavez for his documentaries, he has never been afraid to fight to get his voice heard. This makes him the perfect candidate to tell the story of whistle-blower Edward Snowden in the narrative film Snowden, which turns 10 this month. Snowden (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is the former US... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367576/why-oliver-stones-snowden-film-remains-terrifying-surveillance-warning-10-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367576/why-oliver-stones-snowden-film-remains-terrifying-surveillance-warning-10-years?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Sep 2026 11:15:04 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press In an episode of his new CNN travel series, chef David Chang is driving down the highway to Las Vegas before stopping at a transport cafe off Interstate 15. The town is Hesperia, California, and the producers wanted Chang to try an Indian restaurant near a windscreen repair store. But Chang spots a Mexican cantina that looks promising. He chooses to eat at both, freaking out his camera crew. “I just wanted to taste things. When I see something, I’m like, ‘Oh, that looks interesting. I would like... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3367989/momofukus-david-chang-takes-detours-culinary-road-trip-across-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3367989/momofukus-david-chang-takes-detours-culinary-road-trip-across-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Sep 2026 08:15:04 +0000 Chang Zi Qian Chang Zi Qian A friend who is three years into her doctoral programme in the San Francisco Bay Area texted me the other day to say she had finally figured out what was different about living in the US. “I don’t need to perform any more. I am allowed to just … exist.” Naturally, I asked for elaboration. She said that back home in China, every decision she made came with an interview she did not sign up for. Every Chinese New Year, some relative would probe into her personal life with forensic precision. In... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3367701/unspoken-reason-my-chinese-friends-choose-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3367701/unspoken-reason-my-chinese-friends-choose-america?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran 4/5 stars Lead cast: Son Ye-jin, Ji Chang-wook, Nana Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Dangerous Liaisons), an 18th century novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, is an erotically charged tale of aristocrats indulging in illicit games of seduction that may not seem like an ideal fit for a Joseon-era Korean adaptation at first. The period’s patriarchal nature, however, makes it the perfect backdrop for The Scandal, Netflix’s glossy adaptation of the novel starring Son Ye-jin (No Other Choice), Ji... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3367939/netflix-k-drama-scandal-review-son-ye-jin-nana-anchor-dangerous-liaisons-adaptation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3367939/netflix-k-drama-scandal-review-son-ye-jin-nana-anchor-dangerous-liaisons-adaptation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 15:00:07 +0000 Richard James Havis Richard James Havis For decades, Hong Kong’s film industry has cultivated an extraordinary roster of female screen warriors, defying the city’s historically conservative gender roles. From 1960s icon Cheng Pei-pei – known as the “Queen of Swords” – to the globally recognised Michelle Yeoh, the city’s male-dominated studios have consistently given women the chance to fight just as hard as the men in their fabled martial arts films. This offers an interesting comparison to Hollywood. The United States has produced... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367658/cheng-pei-pei-michelle-yeoh-hong-kong-cinemas-history-action-heroines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367658/cheng-pei-pei-michelle-yeoh-hong-kong-cinemas-history-action-heroines?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 04:15:05 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Lead cast: Seo Kang-joon, Ahn Eun-jin, Jo Aram, Lee Joo-ahn Latest Nielsen rating: 2.8 per cent Romantic comedies have long been the bread and butter of the Korean drama industry, full of meet-cutes, misunderstandings and the promise of falling in love with a forever partner. While these remain the gold standard, recent years have witnessed a steady rise in romantic dramas that follow long-term couples navigating their evolving relationships. Some series, such as the smash hit Queen of Tears,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3367835/prime-video-k-drama-love-other-yours-seo-kang-joon-ahn-eun-jin-face-10-year-itch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3367835/prime-video-k-drama-love-other-yours-seo-kang-joon-ahn-eun-jin-face-10-year-itch?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 10:15:04 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven Lifestyle stories from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Leslie Cheung would have been 70 this year. An exhibition celebrates the star For those too young to have attended a live concert by Hong Kong Cantopop icon Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing, who died on April 1, 2003, appreciation often relies on recordings of his performances and exhibitions dedicated to his career and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3367838/tribute-exhibit-leslie-cheung-hong-kongs-gen-z-coffee-boss-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3367838/tribute-exhibit-leslie-cheung-hong-kongs-gen-z-coffee-boss-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 07:30:07 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Few figures in Qing dynasty (1644-1912) history embody the tragedy of shifting tides quite like Duanfang, a Manchu statesman born in 1861. Duanfang rose through the imperial ranks, earned distinction for his service during the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901) and went on to hold major regional posts, such as governor of China’s Hubei province and viceroy of the Liangjiang region. His career took a bizarre turn when he was stripped of his viceroyalty in 1909 for supposedly showing disrespect by... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3367584/tragic-qing-dynasty-politician-whose-legacy-lives-descendants-new-novel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3367584/tragic-qing-dynasty-politician-whose-legacy-lives-descendants-new-novel?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2026 23:15:04 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Lead cast: Lee Joon-hyuk, Seo Hyun-woo, Oh Dae-hwan Latest Nielsen rating: 3.9 per cent In a refreshing departure from the recent slew of workplace romantic comedies, The Ordinary Jackpot brings the focus back to the office dynamics of Seoul’s salary workers, but with a twist: what if you had enough money to never fear getting fired again? Lee Joon-hyuk, who appeared in last year’s office romcom Love Scout, leads the series as Gong Eun-tae, the hard-working head of sales team five at Hongseong... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3367661/hbo-max-k-drama-ordinary-jackpot-lee-joon-hyuk-hides-lottery-win-workplace-drama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3367661/hbo-max-k-drama-ordinary-jackpot-lee-joon-hyuk-hides-lottery-win-workplace-drama?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:15:05 +0000 Jimmy Shiu Jimmy Shiu What advantage does a left-handed conductor have? Before answering that, it is worth looking at another of Holly Hyun Choe’s strengths. In keeping with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta’s tradition, the guest conductor opened the concert with an introductory speech, immediately establishing herself as an excellent communicator. She recalled her excitement upon discovering that the orchestra had long been led by a female music director. Enthusiastic applause followed when Choe acknowledged music director... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367526/benjamin-grosvenor-joins-hong-kong-sinfonietta-memorable-night?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367526/benjamin-grosvenor-joins-hong-kong-sinfonietta-memorable-night?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2026 13:15:06 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Widow’s Bay stormed the Emmy Awards on September 14, breaking a record for a comedy series with 14 awards, including best comedy series and three acting wins. The first season of the horror comedy created by Katie Dippold – about a New England island community reckoning with a centuries-old curse – spoiled the going-away party for Hacks, which had received the most comedy nominations of any show in its fifth and final season. It broke the comedy record set last year by The Studio, also on Apple... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367543/who-won-emmys-widows-bay-scores-14-awards-pitt-takes-best-drama-series?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367543/who-won-emmys-widows-bay-scores-14-awards-pitt-takes-best-drama-series?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2026 05:30:19 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram The 83rd Venice International Film Festival was defined by surprises. While this year’s line-up lacked major Hollywood studio fare, the jury – led by American actress-director Maggie Gyllenhaal and including veteran Hong Kong filmmaker Johnnie To Kei-fung – still had plenty to chew over. Labour issues emerged as a prominent theme, while the festival looked controversially to the future with the selection of Be Brave, a documentary about Diesel founder Renzo Rosso that was partly completed using... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367444/venice-2026-10-festivals-best-movies-woman-unknown-possible-love-and-musk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367444/venice-2026-10-festivals-best-movies-woman-unknown-possible-love-and-musk?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:15:05 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 4/5 stars Shaun the Sheep turns mad scientist in his mischievous third big-screen outing, unleashing a hirsute horror that terrorises the sleepy farm community after an unconventional attempt to grow pumpkins. Realised in Aardman’s signature stop-motion and devoid of any spoken dialogue, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom – the feature debut of veteran series directors Steve Cox and Matthew Walker – is a hilarious, horror-infused celebration of slapstick, sight gags and sly film... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366716/shaun-sheep-beast-mossy-bottom-movie-review-aardmans-hilarious-horror-spoof?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366716/shaun-sheep-beast-mossy-bottom-movie-review-aardmans-hilarious-horror-spoof?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Sep 2026 11:00:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Celine Dion wept tears of joy on Saturday as she fulfilled her dream of returning to the stage after years battling a rare neurological disorder, with a sell-out concert in Paris. The 58-year-old French-Canadian singer appeared visibly moved as she opened her first full concert in six years with her 1990s French-language ballad “On ne change pas” (“One Doesn’t Change”), singing to a crowd of 30,000 enthralled fans that one newspaper said included US former first lady Michelle Obama. “These are,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3367327/celine-dion-makes-long-awaited-return-stage-paris?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3367327/celine-dion-makes-long-awaited-return-stage-paris?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Sep 2026 22:05:19 +0000 Reuters Reuters Danish filmmaker May el-Toukhy’s post-war drama Woman Unknown ⁠won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday, with its star Mathilde Arcel also taking best actress honours in a rare double victory. El-Toukhy was the only woman directing a feature film in the main, 21-strong film line-up, a disparity that drew criticism during the festival and prompted renewed scrutiny of the barriers facing women in cinema. Set in the aftermath of World War II, Woman Unknown follows a housemaid... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3367326/woman-unknown-wins-gold-lion-venice-film-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3367326/woman-unknown-wins-gold-lion-venice-film-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Sep 2026 20:05:28 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram 3.5/5 stars Filmmaker Lav Diaz takes audiences into the jungles of the Philippines with Let Us Through, Dear Ancestors, a harrowing historical drama premiering out of competition at this year’s Venice International Film Festival. The premise here loosely evokes Henri-Georges Clouzot’s The Wages of Fear (1953), replacing the volatile nitroglycerine of that film with massive blocks of limestone. Set in the early 17th century, approximately a century after the events of Diaz’s 2025 film Magellan –... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367320/venice-2026-let-us-through-dear-ancestors-movie-review-lav-diazs-brutal-colonial-epic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367320/venice-2026-let-us-through-dear-ancestors-movie-review-lav-diazs-brutal-colonial-epic?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Sep 2026 14:25:09 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Following her head-turning role in Climax earlier this year, K-pop idol turned actress Nana is back on screens this month in the hotly anticipated Netflix period drama The Scandal. A new adaptation of the famed French novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, the series sees Nana share the screen alongside Son Ye-jin and Ji Chang-wook. A native of Cheongju in central South Korea, Nana was born in 1991 and first came to national prominence in 2009, when she stepped onto the stage as a model and debuted in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3367157/who-nana-k-pop-idol-and-star-netflix-k-dramas-scandal-and-mask-girl?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3367157/who-nana-k-pop-idol-and-star-netflix-k-dramas-scandal-and-mask-girl?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Sep 2026 10:15:05 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui There has been much hyperventilating over two recent controversies at M+, Hong Kong’s museum of visual culture. The first was a series of mahjong social nights charging museum members and patrons up to HK$2,500 (US$319) for a package including an exhibition tour, a meal and social tile-shuffling in the members’ lounge. Mahjong may have had a Chinamaxxing makeover in the West, but in Hong Kong, the game is still considered a tad unwholesome for a museum even when no money changed hands. Frankly,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3366824/hong-kongs-contemporary-artists-deserve-bigger-stage-its-museums?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3366824/hong-kongs-contemporary-artists-deserve-bigger-stage-its-museums?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Sep 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls Given their proportions and lack of upright agility on their hind paws, the very notion of giant pandas dancing a waltz sounds, dare I say, absurd. So going by its title alone, any chance of a cheeky lilt in 3/4 time or a nostalgic nod to the Strauss clan in Yao Chen’s panda-themed Waltz of the Rolling Giants, the opening piece in the Hong Kong Philharmonic’s “Chengdu Pre-Tour Concert: Eric Lu Plays Chopin”, seemed slim. Thankfully, though, Chen’s waltz – an HK Phil world premiere written... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367131/pianist-eric-lu-brilliantly-reflects-chopins-genius-hk-phil-concert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3367131/pianist-eric-lu-brilliantly-reflects-chopins-genius-hk-phil-concert?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Sep 2026 08:15:06 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak Women are vastly under-represented in ancient Chinese literature. The few who appear, often in myth or semi-fiction, serve primarily to reflect that era’s moral expectations for women. From filial warriors to patriotic seductresses and femmes fatales, these women have one thing in common – they all trade personal autonomy for survival in a man’s world. Here are three fictional women in Chinese history and what makes their names live on to this day. 1. Hua Mulan The only historical record of Hua... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3366929/famous-chinese-women-folklore-hua-mulan-consort-who-brought-down-dynasty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3366929/famous-chinese-women-folklore-hua-mulan-consort-who-brought-down-dynasty?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Sep 2026 23:15:04 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram 3/5 stars Set against the backdrop of recent protests and looming war, Ali Asgari’s on-the-nose drama illuminates the grim reality of everyday life in modern Iran. Receiving its world premiere in competition at the Venice International Film Festival, A Bit of Light is Asgari’s sixth feature film and comes after 2025’s Divine Comedy. He co-wrote the screenplay of his latest film with Shadmehr Rastin, who previously collaborated with Jafar Panahi on the Cannes-winning It Was Just an Accident. Set... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367179/venice-2026-bit-light-movie-review-iranian-drama-strikes-melancholic-chord?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3367179/venice-2026-bit-light-movie-review-iranian-drama-strikes-melancholic-chord?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Sep 2026 15:15:05 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung This is the 85th instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades. For lovers of Cantopop music, Wyman Wong Wai-man is a pre-eminent architect of modern Hong Kong’s emotional landscape. Through the classic songs he has written for top singers from Eason Chan Yick-shun to Miriam Yeung Chin-wah, the 57-year-old has chronicled the loves and heartbreaks of a generation. Yet to define him strictly as a lyricist is to ignore a sprawling, multi-hyphenate... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366866/how-cantopop-lyricist-wyman-wong-pushed-hong-kongs-lgbtq-style-and-emotional-boundaries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366866/how-cantopop-lyricist-wyman-wong-pushed-hong-kongs-lgbtq-style-and-emotional-boundaries?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Sep 2026 10:15:06 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Lead cast: Hyun Bin, Jung Woo-sung, Woo Do-hwan Over the past several years, the allure of South Korea’s dark modern history – particularly the men who stalked the corridors of power – has become one of the country’s most reliable sources of prestige entertainment and commercial success. This September, viewers can flock to cinemas to catch the big-budget period thriller The Assassin(s), which chronicles the 1974 attempt on South Korean president Park Chung-hee that killed his wife, first lady... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3367052/disney-k-drama-made-korea-season-2-hyun-bin-returns-dark-1980s-political-thriller?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3367052/disney-k-drama-made-korea-season-2-hyun-bin-returns-dark-1980s-political-thriller?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Sep 2026 13:15:05 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven Lifestyle stories from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. The wild days of Hong Kong’s Category III era: when sex and gore went mainstream The adults-only, Category III rating was introduced in 1988, making stars of actresses including Shu Qi and Amy Yip 2. Sugar’s link to dementia may begin earlier than we thought, new study finds The seeds of dementia may be sown long... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3366986/when-hong-kong-cinema-embraced-sex-and-gore-sugars-link-dementia-7-lifestyle-stories?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3366986/when-hong-kong-cinema-embraced-sex-and-gore-sugars-link-dementia-7-lifestyle-stories?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Sep 2026 07:15:05 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 3.5/5 stars Writer-director Wen Muye’s bombastic anti-war drama Once Upon a Time in the Middle East arrives in Hong Kong having already grossed a whopping 2 billion yuan (US$298 million) at the mainland box office, delivering a message of peace and diplomacy through the appreciation of authentic Chinese cooking. Lambasting both sides of an unnamed Middle Eastern conflict – the United States’ 2003 invasion of Iraq in everything but name – this latest effort by the Dying to Survive filmmaker... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366846/once-upon-time-middle-east-movie-review-shen-teng-leads-bombastic-anti-war-drama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366846/once-upon-time-middle-east-movie-review-shen-teng-leads-bombastic-anti-war-drama?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2026 08:15:05 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram 2/5 stars Whether Practical Magic 2 was genuinely conjured into existence by fan demand – as its PR campaign claims – or is simply the result of Hollywood scraping the intellectual-property barrel and mining anything with a vague following, this long-delayed sequel to 1998’s Practical Magic is a disappointment. Ultimately, this reunion with the magically inclined Owens family from Massachusetts is anything but spellbinding. Once again, we meet the central coven of witches: Sally (Sandra... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366584/practical-magic-2-movie-review-sandra-bullock-and-nicole-kidman-reunite-dull-sequel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366584/practical-magic-2-movie-review-sandra-bullock-and-nicole-kidman-reunite-dull-sequel?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2026 16:00:08 +0000 Zabrina Lo Zabrina Lo When Hong Kong Ballet’s resident choreographer Ricky Hu Songwei and his wife, fellow choreographer Mai Jingwen, were assigned to create a new production inspired by Dunhuang for the company, they had what they describe as “an immediate headache”. Dunhuang, in northwestern China, is known for the Mogao Caves, a Unesco World Heritage site on the ancient Silk Road featuring more than 1,000 years of Buddhist rock art. Over the years, its murals and statues have inspired numerous dance productions... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3366747/hong-kong-ballet-takes-chinas-mogao-caves-dunhuang-search-light?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3366747/hong-kong-ballet-takes-chinas-mogao-caves-dunhuang-search-light?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2026 11:15:07 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh With a budget reported to be closing in on 100 billion won (US$74.3 million), Hope, a white-knuckle action spectacular from South Korean genre specialist Na Hong-jin, is the most expensive Korean feature ever produced. The filmmaker first came to prominence with 2008’s serial killer thriller The Chaser and later cemented his reputation as one of his homeland’s most significant auteurs with crime drama The Yellow Sea (2010) and horror sensation The Wailing (2016), which, like Hope, also premiered... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3366596/making-hope-na-hong-jins-sci-fi-spectacular-and-most-expensive-korean-film-ever?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3366596/making-hope-na-hong-jins-sci-fi-spectacular-and-most-expensive-korean-film-ever?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2026 08:15:06 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram 2/5 stars Premiering out of competition at this year’s Venice International Film Festival, this latest effort from Japanese writer-director Sabu, in which a Taipei detective battles amnesia, is an underwhelming twist on the police procedural that never truly feels like it knows, or even cares, what it wants to be. Taiwanese actor Ethan Ruan Ching-tien (The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon) stars as Detective Lee, a formidable policeman who oversees a loyal crew of men with nicknames like “Wolf”,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366218/venice-2026-arrested-memory-movie-review-ethan-ruan-leads-sabus-muddled-crime-thriller?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366218/venice-2026-arrested-memory-movie-review-ethan-ruan-leads-sabus-muddled-crime-thriller?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Sep 2026 20:00:07 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram 4/5 stars Unveiled in competition at the Venice International Film Festival just three months after he took the somewhat disappointing Sheep in the Box to Cannes, Hirokazu Koreeda’s Look Back – in which a childhood friendship shapes an artistic dream – is an elegant work that once again underlines the Japanese director’s preternatural skills at working with young actors. The film is full of surprises and beautifully rendered, much like the manga at the heart of the story. Adapted from Tatsuki... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366614/venice-2026-look-back-movie-review-hirokazu-koreeda-explores-childhood-manga-dreams?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366614/venice-2026-look-back-movie-review-hirokazu-koreeda-explores-childhood-manga-dreams?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Sep 2026 15:00:09 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram 3/5 stars The latest entry in the journalism movie category that includes the likes of Network, Nightcrawler, Shattered Glass and Spotlight, Lance Oppenheim’s Primetime turns the lens on Dateline NBC, the US news magazine show, and in particular the work of Chris Hansen, the presenter of To Catch a Predator – a disturbing segment that began in 2004. The show aimed to sniff out and expose internet paedophiles who attempted to lure underage children into meeting them. Played with oil-slick... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366594/venice-2026-primetime-movie-review-robert-pattinson-catches-predators-blunted-satire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366594/venice-2026-primetime-movie-review-robert-pattinson-catches-predators-blunted-satire?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Sep 2026 04:52:28 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram 4.5/5 stars “Thou shalt not covet,” reads a title card at the beginning of Lee Chang-dong’s much-anticipated new film, Possible Love – alluding to the title of the 10th part of Krzysztof Kieślowski’s epic Dekalog. But covet what exactly? While Lee’s complex, nuanced drama features a modicum of sexual tension and a soupçon of envy, it goes much deeper. Issues of class and wealth bounce around like frenzied atoms in the Korean filmmaker’s first feature since his award-winning 2018 psychological... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3366373/venice-2026-possible-love-movie-review-lee-chang-dong-explores-class-masterful-drama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3366373/venice-2026-possible-love-movie-review-lee-chang-dong-explores-class-masterful-drama?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Sep 2026 14:30:07 +0000 Matt Glasby Matt Glasby As the idealistic 1960s bled into the cynical 70s, Hollywood thrillers became increasingly paranoid. But before post-Watergate efforts such as The Parallax View and The Conversation (both 1974) came The Chairman, a globe-trotting 1969 oddity starring Gregory Peck. Instead of the enemy within, the film rattled with anxieties about communist China’s scientific capabilities. It was hardly the sexiest of subjects for a spy thriller – which was reflected in its poor box office showing – but it... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366097/how-bizarre-1969-spy-thriller-chairman-pitted-gregory-peck-against-mao-over-ping-pong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366097/how-bizarre-1969-spy-thriller-chairman-pitted-gregory-peck-against-mao-over-ping-pong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Sep 2026 11:15:05 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Netflix has confirmed the casts for two major new series, while top actors circle fresh romantic and courtroom dramas. Here is our latest round-up of Korean drama casting news. The Shooter Netflix has announced the cast for The Shooter, the latest action series from A Shop for Killers director Lee Kwon. The show will be led by Parasite actress Lee Jung-eun and Kim Mu-yeol, who is basking in the global popularity of the Netflix hit Teach You a Lesson. Lee will play Jeong Suk-ja, an elderly woman... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3366295/k-drama-casting-news-about-jung-hae-kim-mu-yeol-shin-se-kyung-kim-nam-gil-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3366295/k-drama-casting-news-about-jung-hae-kim-mu-yeol-shin-se-kyung-kim-nam-gil-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Sep 2026 07:15:05 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram 4/5 stars “We were taught to treat Asians like they were less than human,” says Allen Nelson in Mr. Nelson, Did You Kill People?, a true-life drama about a former US Marine faced with a reckoning. Screening in competition at this year’s Venice International Film Festival, this often powerful work is based on Nelson’s memoir of the same name. Somewhat surprisingly, Shinya Tsukamoto, the cult Japanese director behind Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989) and Bullet Ballet (1998), adapted it in what is only... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366337/venice-2026-mr-nelson-did-you-kill-people-haunting-vietnam-war-drama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366337/venice-2026-mr-nelson-did-you-kill-people-haunting-vietnam-war-drama?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Sep 2026 17:15:05 +0000 Richard James Havis Richard James Havis While Western exploitation films of the 1960s and 70s – gory, sex-crazed shockers such as Herschell Gordon Lewis’ Blood Feast (1963) and Russ Meyer’s Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965) – were largely confined to low-rent drive-in cinemas, Hong Kong took a decidedly different approach. The introduction of the Category III rating in 1988 gave rise to an adults-only genre that did not just lurk in the underground – it conquered the mainstream. Although local martial arts films had been marketed... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3365830/how-hong-kongs-category-iii-adult-films-made-sex-and-gore-mainstream-1990s?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3365830/how-hong-kongs-category-iii-adult-films-made-sex-and-gore-mainstream-1990s?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Sep 2026 23:15:06 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram 4/5 stars With Wild Horse Nine, the fifth film of his much-heralded career, Martin McDonagh returns to the joys of his first. The director’s 2008 debut, In Bruges, was a sublimely written tale of two hitmen arguing in the picture-postcard town of the title. Similarly, his latest introduces us to two CIA operatives bickering as they head to the remote Chilean territory of Easter Island in 1973. That is not to say Wild Horse Nine – screening in competition at the Venice International Film Festival... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366219/venice-2026-wild-horse-nine-movie-review-martin-mcdonagh-returns-jet-black-comedy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366219/venice-2026-wild-horse-nine-movie-review-martin-mcdonagh-returns-jet-black-comedy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Sep 2026 17:30:08 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung Lau Siu-ming, the veteran Hong Kong actor who played some of the most unforgettable villains in Chinese-language film history, has died at the age of 94. His story – from war refugee to classically trained dancer, and from stage to silver screen – is all the more remarkable because his career was built not on youthful leading-man looks but on artistry, physical precision and a mentoring spirit that shaped generations of actors who followed. Lau’s artistic journey is one of reinvention, shaped by... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3366209/remembering-lau-siu-ming-pioneering-hong-kong-dancer-and-revered-actor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3366209/remembering-lau-siu-ming-pioneering-hong-kong-dancer-and-revered-actor?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Sep 2026 08:15:05 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven Lifestyle stories from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. ‘Who cares if you’re bulky?’ Hong Kong-born weightlifter on power and femininity Fresh off the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, Hong Kong-born Tammy Wong is still buzzing – and not just from the adrenaline. The 30-year-old weightlifter, who represented England in the women’s 48kg category, finished with a combined total... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3366210/hong-kong-weightlifters-journey-history-five-kernel-mooncakes-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3366210/hong-kong-weightlifters-journey-history-five-kernel-mooncakes-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Sep 2026 07:30:06 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram 3.5/5 stars Set in a seedy 1960s world of smoky pubs and grimy snooker halls, where deals are done on napkins, Danny Boyle’s Ink is a stark reminder of how British media changed forever with the creation of The Sun. Opening this year’s Venice International Film Festival, this latest venture from Slumdog Millionaire director Boyle comes adapted by James Graham from his own play. Not that you would know it; there is nothing theatrical about Boyle’s staging here. Initially taking centre stage in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366175/venice-2026-ink-movie-review-danny-boyle-charts-gritty-birth-sun-newspaper?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3366175/venice-2026-ink-movie-review-danny-boyle-charts-gritty-birth-sun-newspaper?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Sep 2026 03:30:23 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh Autumn is one of the most bountiful seasons on the moviegoing calendar, as a growing crop of potential awards contenders emerges alongside a mouthwatering array of holiday entertainment and bona fide blockbusters. This year is no exception, with many of Hollywood’s biggest stars unveiling their latest works, and some of the most formidable franchises in recent memory returning to the big screen. Here are 14 of the most tantalising prospects to arrive between now and Christmas (opening dates are... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3365915/14-new-hollywood-movies-watch-autumn-2026-digger-avengers-doomsday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3365915/14-new-hollywood-movies-watch-autumn-2026-digger-avengers-doomsday?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2026 23:15:05 +0000