Life Style

By Park Jin-haiPark Hae-joon, once infamously known in South Korea as the “nation’s adulterer” for his portrayal of an unfaithful husband in the 2020 drama The World of the Married, is reclaiming his screen persona – this time as the “nation’s romantic lead”.In Netflix’s acclaimed series When Life Gives You Tangerines, Park delivers a heartfelt performance as Yang Gwan-sik, a devoted husband and selfless family man.Park shared that he laughed and cried along with viewers while experiencing the story of When Life Gives You Tangerines, adding that portraying the devoted Gwan-sik proved to be more challenging than his previous role as an adulterous husband.Kim Hee-ae and Park in a still from The World of the Married. The actor’s role in the series led to him becoming known in South Korea as t...

After a sudden cold snap at the end of March, spring finally looks to be on the way in Hong Kong. Regardless, these new cafes have something to offer coffee lovers whatever the weather.From new branches of well-loved chains to a coffee newcomer, pin these spots on your map for when a pick-me-up is needed.It is also worth mentioning that two coffee festivals will take place over consecutive weekends in April. The first is Coffee Mania Festival in Tsim Sha Tsui from April 12-13.For its 11th edition, the festival will take over Salisbury Garden near the Avenue of Stars. It will feature more than 50 Hong Kong and regional coffee brands as well as a market, workshops and talks.Latte art featuring internet meme Chill Guy, the mascot for the 2025 Coffee Hong Kong x Tokyo Coffee Festival. The fest...

Following news of Val Kilmer’s death at age 65, many fans have returned to one particular scene in the actor’s storied film career: his last one, opposite Tom Cruise, in the 2022 blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick.In a cameo role, Kilmer reprised his character of Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, whom he originated in 1986’s Top Gun.Kilmer’s Iceman, a former naval aviator risen to the rank of admiral, offers words of advice to his long-time friend and one-time rival pilot, Cruise’s older, but not necessarily wiser, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell.Those words, “It’s time to let go,” are now resonating with Kilmer fans.At Cruise’s insistence, the 2022 Top Gun sequel found a way to include Iceman in the story and to accommodate his friend Kilmer’s real-life struggles with throat cancer, which had significantly affe...

Artificial intelligence risks taking Japanese anime artists’ jobs but nothing can replicate Hayao Miyazaki, the creative lifeblood of the studio behind classics such as Spirited Away, his son says.Movies such as My Neighbor Totoro and Howl’s Moving Castle are famous for their lush nature and fantastical machinery, painstakingly drawn by hand.While the studio has not commented directly on the image trend, Goro Miyazaki, 58, predicted that artificial intelligence could one day replace animators.Studio Ghibli-style pictures created by ChatGPT, such as this one, are exciting fans of the animation studio, but also raising copyright concerns. Photo: X/lycfyi“It wouldn’t be surprising if, in two years’ time, there was a film made completely through AI,” he said in an interview last week....

The rich aroma of tofu hangs in the air in a back room at Hong Kong’s Kung Wo Beancurd Factory restaurant in the Kowloon neighbourhood of Sham Shui Po.At this Hong Kong institution, soy products are made daily using a time-honoured – and time-consuming – process.Every morning at 2am, a stone grinder whirls into action, crushing pre-soaked soybeans into soy milk that is then boiled in copper pots and stirred until smooth and velvety.“I think people would be shocked if they knew that a square of our tofu takes about 13 hours to make,” says Renee So, the owner and director of Kung Wo Beancurd Factory who, in 2013, gave up a career in finance to take over the business from her father, So Sung-lim.Tofu is cut into pieces at Kung Wo Beancurd Factory. Photo: Kylie KnottKung Wo’s history stretches...

Ching Ming Festival, also known as tomb-sweeping day, is celebrated 15 days after the spring equinox in the Chinese lunar calendar, and in 2025 falls on April 4. In mainland China and Hong Kong, the festival is a public holiday.What is the festival’s origin?Its name originates from the saying “plants start to revive and prosper at Ching Ming in a clean and bright way”, according to People’s Daily. The literal translation of the Chinese ching is “clean” or “pure”, while ming means “bright”. The festival was traditionally seen as marking both the beginning of warm spring weather and of farm work.The customs of the festival as we know it today originate from hanshi jie, or the Cold Food Festival.According to legend, in the 6th century BC in the Chinese state of Jin, an exiled duke called Wen ...

3/5 stars“This place makes no sense!” yells Natalie (Emma Myers) in A Minecraft Movie, the balmy new big-screen take on the hugely popular world-building video game.After watching it – assuming you’re not familiar with the 300-million selling sensation – you’ll probably agree. But that does not mean you will not have a good time.Jack Black, Jason Momoa and Jennifer Coolidge each bring their own brand of comic smarts to this crazed comedy from director Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite).The story takes place in the Overworld, a pixelated paradise occupied by Steve (Black), a kid who dreamed of building things and found his wish in this bizarre universe.After the discovery of something called the Orb of Dominance, Natalie and her brother Henry (Sebastian Hansen) are sucked through a portal into ...

Although we’ve said goodbye to March madness and its plethora of art and rugby parties, the city’s bars are keeping the drinks flowing. In fact, Hong Kong bars are upping the ante, with Zoku and Ozone respectively hosting CMYK, from Changsha, and Reka, from Kuala Lumpur, for not one, but two nights this weekend. Elsewhere, the Landmark kicks off its second Sake Walk with masterclasses and pairing menus galore, continuing through mid-May.Thursday, April 3Tommy Wong (CMYK) x ZokuChangsha cocktail bar CMYK; co-founder Tommy Wong is set to collaborate with Hong Kong’s Zoku. Photo: HandoutWhat: One of China’s best bars returns to Hong Kong for guest shifts at Zoku this weekend. Tommy Wong, one of the co-founders of CMYK, will be in town, representing his bar that was ranked 43rd in Asia’s 50 Be...

If, like us, you’re looking ahead to the long weekend – without art or rugby events to keep us busy – we’ve gathered the new menus and foodie happenings worth plotting into your calendar now that March madness is over.If you still haven’t read our 100 Top Tables Guide 2025, take a browse for more dining recommendations.Friday, April 4Roucou’s Old School Cheeseboard. Photo: HandoutHong Kong’s first cheese bar and omakase restaurant has opened, blending Japanese culinary traditions with eclectic cocktails and artisanal cheese – be it grilled, melted, baked, grated or sliced.Roucou’s exclusive eight-seat omakase experience will launch later in April, but that doesn’t mean you can’t grab a seat at the bar to try signatures like the melted open sandwich with fresh artichokes and roasted pine nu...

Ever since the second season of The Last of Us was announced, fans of HBO’s hit series have been on the edge of their seats in anticipation.The rapidly approaching April 13 premiere has many wondering what they can expect in the coming season.A first-look trailer of Season 2 of the post-apocalyptic drama series – adapted from the popular video game of the same name – dropped in September, giving a few clues, including Catherine O’Hara’s mysterious role and a quick look at Kaitlyn Dever as Abby.Here is a breakdown of everything we know so far about The Last of Us Season 2.Who is in the Season 2 cast?