2023/01/05

Before you know it, 2022 will be 2023!

So many things have happened to me this year. I was able to have so many experiences that I can't write them all here, and I think it was a very intense year, for better or worse.

The coronavirus pandemic in Hong Kong had reached its peak, and to be honest, I, who was supposed to be light on my feet, was starting to feel a little sluggish. But the day when my long-held dream came true and all that heaviness was instantly lifted had finally arrived.

I think the Hong Kong film industry was very lively last year. As I wrote earlier, movie theaters were closed for several months due to the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, and there were limitations on the enjoyment of going to the cinema.

I still remember how excited I was watching the postponed film festival on TV when the much talked about films and actors won awards. There also seemed to have been a change in the box office results, and I think that many unique films that incorporated the everyday "Hong Kong feel" were released, rather than the hard content that is usually associated with Hong Kong films.

So, without further ado, it was an unusually hot and humid summer night.

Just when I was tired and about to go to sleep, a friend sent me a photo. I woke up as soon as I saw it.

The text read, "After watching the film "Infernal Affairs," if you go out, you'll find "Inspector Wong" right in front of you."

A friend sent me a text saying, "Inspector Huang is right in front of me..."?!

It was Anthony Wong, also known as "Detective Wong." What was going on? I couldn't understand the situation at all. But no matter how many times I looked, it was Anthony Wong. Apparently, at that time, many Hong Kong celebrities had come to watch the premiere screening of the movie "The Legend of Tomorrow," which was the number one box office hit of 2022.

There were many people there, including not only the cast but also people I often see on TV, so I thought maybe I'll be able to meet them after the show is over.

This is no time to sleep.

If I have the chance to meet my favorite Hong Kong stars, there's no way I'm not going.

I hurriedly put on the only T-shirt I had of a movie he had appeared in and headed to the venue.

When I arrived at the venue and met up with my friend, I was still excited and looked around, and there were quite a few people waiting for us to come out (lol).I talked to a few people and they said that they go there almost every time a celebrity comes. They showed me a lot of examples of how they take selfies with celebrities when they come out (laughs). This is professionalism.

So I told him I was looking for Huang Qiu Sheng, and he kindly agreed to help me take a photo with him.

Wow, it's real!

The autograph became a family heirloom. It was later framed.

The moment came. One by one, Myojo came out, and that alone was enough to send me into a frenzy (I won't go into detail here), but when he finally appeared, I nearly fainted.

When I told him in my poor Cantonese that I'd always loved the T-shirts he made, he replied "Thank you!" in Japanese, shook my hand and gave me an autograph, and I was so happy that I cried.

Finally, we took a photo together and headed home excited about having created a treasured item that would last a lifetime.

I couldn't sleep until the morning that day.

*The T-shirt I wore on this occasion was from the work "Eight Immortals Restaurant's Meat Buns."

Andy Lau and Andrew Lau also appeared unexpectedly.

2022 also marks the 20th anniversary of "Infernal Affairs." Just the other day, a XNUMXK remaster was shown again. I was able to have the rare experience of watching it on a large IMAX screen, and on the day, Andy Lau and other people involved in the film appeared on stage to greet me with a wonderful souvenir. As everyone knows, the film is amazing.

After actually visiting the filming locations, I watched the movie and it gained even more depth.

Souvenir posters and postcards.

For me, movies are an oasis for my soul, and Hong Kong movies are special. Now that I understand Cantonese, my world has expanded.

I hope we can see many wonderful works in 2023.

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wm_Journal

I first visited Hong Kong before the handover in 1996. A few years ago, I fell in love with Hong Kong, and in 2020, I decided to move there alone. Even in the midst of COVID-XNUMX, I'm enjoying my time here with my self-satisfied level of Cantonese and a cheerful attitude, with the motto of "act immediately when you think of something." My hobbies are watching Hong Kong movies from start to finish, traveling, and taking buses to the last stop. I post my daily Hong Kong updates on Instagram.

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