China Media and Entertainment Weekly News Bulletin – ISSUE 12 Week of 19 August 2024
(1) Cheers, Praise and Promises as Hong Kong Olympic Heroes Welcomed Home – As It Happened
Hong Kong’s Olympic heroes celebrated with a triumphant public parade after their impressive performance at the Paris 2024 Games, as the city’s leader pledged to boost sports development and infrastructure.
Dilraba Dilmurat, the Chinese superstar, stuns on the September cover of Harper’s Bazaar China, styled by DIOR, as she gears up for her lead role in the highly anticipated fantasy horror series “The Mysterious Land”.
Emperor Entertainment Group’s new concept store in Hong Kong captivates mainland Chinese fans with its trove of artist merchandise and coveted collectible cards, sparking nostalgic enthusiasm and surprise among fans and visitors..
(4) ‘What have you done?’ China Champion Skier Eileen Gu Hits Back at Critics, Cites 39 Medals
Dual citizen Chinese-American freestyle skiing star Eileen Gu has fired back at critics questioning her loyalty to China by citing her remarkable 39-medals acihevement for the country over the past five years, as she continues to face controversy over her decision to represent China instead of the United States.
(5) Mainland Funds Withdraw, Causing Two of Nicholas Tse’s Hong Kong Films to be Halted
Hong Kong film industry faces challenges as mainland Chinese companies pull back funding and distribution for Hong Kong-China co-productions including action and crime films, which came following a string of box office disappointments
Acclaimed Chinese actress Zhou Dongyu joins the prestigious Busan International Film Festival 2024 jury to recognize breakthrough directing talents with the coveted New Wave Award.
(7) NetEase’s music-streaming service goes down for 2 hours after ‘infrastructure failures’
Major Chinese music streaming service NetEase Cloud Music experiences widespread outage, leaving millions of users unable to access its platform for over 2 hours before service is restored.
(8) Mercedes Does AI Deal with ByteDance
Mercedes-Benz partners with ByteDance’s Volcano Engine to develop AI-powered smart services, including virtual assistants, for its vehicles in the Chinese market.
Veteran supermodel Gaile Lai makes her debut as a public yoga instructor in Hong Kong, focusing on her mental health and family as she embraces the next chapter of her life.
Josie Ho, daughter of late casino tycoon Stanley Ho, opens up about inheriting less from her father’s estate compared to her siblings, citing her focus on filmmaking rather than the family business.
(11) Chinese Tech Giant Debuts ‘World’s First AI Music Streaming Platform’
Chinese tech giant Kunlun unveils AI-powered music streaming and creation platforms, claiming Melodio as the ‘world’s first’ AI music service.
(12) adidas Originals & Edison Chen Release The CLOT August Collection
adidas Originals and CLOT’s Edison Chen unveil an updated CLOT Gazelle sneaker and debut the CLOT August Collection, blending luxury craftsmanship with global influences.
(1) Cheers, Praise and Promises as Hong Kong Olympic Heroes Welcomed Home – As It Happened
(Photo Credit: Elson Li)
Following Hong Kong’s remarkable achievement at the Paris 2024 Olympics where they secured two gold and two bronze medals, Chief Executive John Lee hailed the athletes as “heroes” who inspired the city. He promised to strengthen efforts in training local sports talent and advancing sports development, including upgrades to facilities such as the soon-to-open Kai Tak Sports Park next year.
On August 21, the Olympic team celebrated with a public parade that drew fans around the city despite the rain. They held an open-top bus parade that passed through notable locations, including Tai Wai station, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Central on Hong Kong Island, wrapping up with a session for local students. Athletes like fencer Vivian Kong and swimmer Siobhan Haughey waved flags from the bus as they cruised around the city. Notably, men’s foil gold medalist Edgar Cheung did not attend.
After the parade, athletes were greeted by lawmakers at the Legislative Council building, where President Andrew Leung thanked them for their dedication, followed by a luncheon hosted by the Chief Executive at the Government House.
(Photo Credit: BAZAAR)
As September approaches, Dilraba Dilmurat has graced the cover of the Chinese Harper’s Bazaar for “Golden September,” following other top stars. Her entire look was styled by DIOR, portraying her as a “Greek goddess” which garnered rave reviews from fans.
In addition to her magazine appearance, Dilraba is set to star in the fantasy horror series “The Mysterious Land,” alongside fellow actor Chen Xingxu. The anticipation for the show is high due to the attractive star pairing. Before the drama’s release, Dilraba released a series of stunning fashion photos that aligned with the magazine’s mythological theme, blending elements of the sea and golden backdrops to highlight her exotic charm.
Dilraba’s cover photos have seen an enthusiastic response, making her the first post-90s actress to appear on the Harper’s Bazaar “Golden September” cover. The magazine sold over 200,000 copies within half an hour of pre-sale, underscoring Dilraba’s influence in the entertainment and fashion worlds.
News Source: https://tw.nextapple.com/entertainment/20240820/81C7C28EB2705322F73EDCF693473559
(Photo Credit: HK01)
Recently, the Emperor Entertainment Group (EEG) has opened a limited-time concept store in Causeway Bay. The store features a large selection of the company’s artist merchandise and collectibles, including those of singers like Joey Yung, Twins, and Eason Chan. It also has a card machine where customers can win limited edition collectible cards, evoking nostalgic childhood memories for many.
Mainland Chinese netizens have even made special trips to Hong Kong to visit the concept store, take photos, and try their luck at winning the collectible cards. To their surprise, they found that the cards feature not just the company’s top idol artists, but also other renowned performers like Teresa Mo, Bobby Au-yeung, and Alex Fong. Even EEG’s chairman Dr. Albert Yeung and manager Mani Fok have their own limited edition cards.
The 3-story, 6,000 sq ft “0 e:ffect Concept Store” has many attractions like a Busking interactive zone, an exhibition of artists’ stage costumes, and of course the collectible card machine. Mainland fans have been sharing their “haul” of the rare cards on social media. While some were disappointed not to win cards of their favourite idols after spending hundreds of dollars, others were pleasantly surprised to get cards of EEG’s executives, with some saying they’ll hold onto them for good luck.
The card machine requires a HK$10 token per try. Some netizens have even asked others to help them exchange cards, since they couldn’t get the one they wanted. There were also interesting cases of people mistaking one artist’s card for another’s.
(4) ‘What have you done?’ China Champion Skier Eileen Gu Hits Back at Critics, Cites 39 Medals
(Photo Credit: SCMP composite/Weibo/EPA-EFE)
Champion skier Eileen Gu has addressed critics questioning her dedication to China by showcasing her achievement of winning 39 medals for the country over the past five years. Born in San Francisco, Gu became a Chinese citizen in 2019 and began representing China which sparked the ongoing controversy.
During the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Gu earned two golds and one silver, but has faced claims from some Chinese netizens accusing her of being “unpatriotic.” Recently, Gu was criticized for allegedly minimizing fellow skier Zhang Kexin’s accomplishments on social media, which led to further accusations of being “two-faced.”
In a recent Douyin video, Gu defended herself by highlighting her contributions to China and challenged her detractors to consider what they have done for the country. The video gained significant traction as it was trending on Weibo with nearly 90 million views, although reactions were mixed. Supporters hailed her as a role model, while others criticized her implication that only medal winners contribute to the nation. Some also pointed out the substantial endorsements she received from the Chinese market as a conflict with her “national loyalty”.
(5) Mainland Funds Withdraw, Causing Two of Nicholas Tse’s Hong Kong Films to be Halted
(Photo Credit: Dominik Bindl/Getty Images)
Recent reports indicate that the Hong Kong film industry is facing significant challenges in the Chinese mainland market. After producer Angus Chan Law-chiu revealed that some mainland film companies will temporarily suspend investment and distribution of Hong Kong films, several high-profile Hong Kong-China co-productions have been put on hold.
The main issue seems to be the declining box office performance of Hong Kong action and crime films in China. Even films starring major Hong Kong celebrities have struggled, with several big-budget co-productions failing to meet expectations. For example, the Nicholas Tse and Jacky Cheung-led “Customs Frontline” only grossed around half of its 200 million RMB budget. Similarly, Jackie Chan’s “A Legend” was considered a major box office disappointment, leading to substantial losses for the production company.
Faced with these back-to-back box office failures, mainland film companies appear to be growing increasingly wary of investing in Hong Kong-China co-productions, especially in the action/crime genre that was once a reliable draw. As a result, several planned films like Nicholas Tse’s “New Police Story 2” and his collaboration with William Chan have been abruptly shelved. Industry insiders suggest Tse may now focus more on concerts rather than directing films in the near future.
News Source: https://www.ntdtv.com/b5/2024/08/17/a103906113.html
(Photo Credit: On.cc)
The 29th Busan International Film Festival is set to take place from 2 to 11 October 2024. Among the highlights, actress Zhou Dongyu has been appointed as a judge for the “New Wave Award.”
The Busan International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Korea, where new films and first-time directors are often being introduced and take centre stage at this well-regarded festival.
In its upcoming 29th festival, the judging panel will include Korean director Lee Myung-se, Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof, Indian actress Kani Kusruti, and Dutch producer Vanja Kaludjercic. This award aims to recognize outstanding films from debut directors, with two selected works each receiving a cash prize of $30,000 (approximately HKD 233,000).
News Source: https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/entertainment/20240820/bkn-20240820184623762-0820_00862_001.html
(7) NetEase’s music-streaming service goes down for 2 hours after ‘infrastructure failures’
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
NetEase Cloud Music, a major Chinese music streaming service, experienced a widespread outage in the afternoon on 19 August that lasted over 2 hours. Starting around 3pm, users reported being unable to play music, and instead have been receiving error messages about data issues and a “502 bad gateway” on the platform’s web version.
NetEase attributed the outage to “infrastructure failures” within their systems. The service was fully restored by 6pm, and as compensation, NetEase is offering users a free 7-day membership that can be claimed on 20 August. The company did not provide further details on the specific cause of the outage.
NetEase Cloud Music is Hong Kong-listed and has over 200 million monthly active users, with 44.12 million paying subscribers as of late 2023. It reported its first full-year profit in 2023, earning 734 million yuan on RMB7.9 billion in revenue. This outage comes as the company prepares to report its H1 2024 earnings later this week, amidst competition from rival Tencent Music which has seen growth in its subscriber base.
(8) Mercedes Does AI Deal with ByteDance
(Photo Credits: Yahoo Finance)
Mercedes-Benz has partnered with Volcano Engine, a cloud platform owned by ByteDance, to develop AI-based smart services for its vehicles in China. The collaboration aims to enhance digital experiences through AI-powered features like virtual assistants, which are important for new car buyers.
The companies have signed a strategic cooperation agreement focusing on large models, generative AI, and big data by utilizing ByteDance’s large language models. This deal is expected to improve voice system responsiveness and expand functionalities in navigation and entertainment.
The partnership is built on an existing contract, and Mercedes-Benz has already incorporated Volcano Engine’s infotainment platform into its Chinese-made vehicles. Additionally, the automaker had recently gained approval for Level 4 autonomous driving tests in Beijing, marking it as the first international car manufacturer to do so in the capital.
News Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mercedes-does-ai-deal-bytedance-091251050.html
(Photo Credit: HK01)
43-year-old supermodel Gaile Lai recently attended a yoga event in Hong Kong, where she made her debut as a public yoga instructor. She expressed happiness at being back in Hong Kong to participate in health and wellness activities, saying she is enjoying her yoga work at this stage.
Gaile also discussed her young son’s progress in learning Cantonese. She humorously shared that while her son can now speak some simple Cantonese phrases, his level is not too different from her own. Gaile said she constantly practices Cantonese with her son to help improve his abilities. Regarding her upcoming birthday, Gaile’s wish is simply to be happy every day, and she plans to celebrate with her son.
When asked about acting again in the future, Gaile said her dream has already been fulfilled, and she is now primarily focused on her mental health. She does not believe she has any special talent for acting, so Gaile has no plans to return to the profession for now. Gaile also candidly shared that while she has met many people, she is very busy with her yoga teaching and does not currently have time for a romantic relationship.
(Photo Credit: HK01)
Josie Ho, the daughter of casino mogul Stanley Ho, recently visited Taiwan to promote the film “Tempting Devils” which she produced and starred in. During a television interview, the host directly asked Josie Ho about the distribution of her father’s estate after his passing in 2020 at the age of 98. Josie Ho acknowledged that she received less from the inheritance compared to her siblings, but she felt this was reasonable.
The host expressed sympathy for Josie, believing it was unfair that she received significantly less than her brother and sister who were more involved in the family business. Josie Ho laughed and explained that since she had been focusing on investing in filmmaking rather than the family operations, her siblings deserved a larger share. When pressed on whether she received HK$10 billion or even HK$20 billion, Josie Ho firmly denied these figures by stating that the actual amount was much lower.
Josie Ho also revealed that her sister Pansy Ho had previously criticized the profitability of the films she produced in front of actress Michelle Yeoh. Josie Ho acknowledged her sister’s perspective had merit, and that she needed to be more discerning in selecting her film projects going forward. This exchange highlights the differing views within the family regarding the distribution of Stanley Ho’s substantial estate.
(11) Chinese Tech Giant Debuts ‘World’s First AI Music Streaming Platform’
(Photo Credit: Kunlun Tech)
Chinese tech company Kunlun Tech has launched two new AI-powered music products. The first is Melodio, an AI-powered music streaming platform that allows users to generate personalized music playlists based on text prompts describing their mood or scenario. Kunlun claims this is the “world’s first AI-powered music streaming platform.”
The second product is Mureka, an AI music creation platform that enables both hobbyists and professionals to generate and monetize their own AI-composed music. Mureka gives users control over elements like lyrics, reference tracks, and musical styles.
Both Melodio and Mureka are powered by Kunlun’s proprietary SkyMusic 2.0 AI model, which the company says is the first “commercial-grade composing AI model in China.” SkyMusic 2.0 can process lengthy lyrics, produce 6-minute songs in various styles, and support 31 languages including Chinese, Japanese, Korean and French.
As a $4.8 billion tech conglomerate with a 400 million-strong user base, Kunlun has made significant investments in AI and music tech, including a $160 million acquisition of an AI company last year followed by a $400 million investment in its own division.
News Source: https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2024/08/15/chinese-tech-giant-ai-streaming-platform/
(12) adidas Originals & Edison Chen Release The CLOT August Collection
(Photo Credit: Adidas Originals)
adidas Originals and Edison Chen have announced the release of an updated CLOT Gazelle in linen khaki and blue, marking a significant step in their collaboration. This launch is complemented by the introduction of the first global apparel line, the CLOT August Collection, which embodies a lifestyle of exploration and escapism.
The CLOT Gazelle features luxurious construction, including a jute upper, premium nubuck accents, and an espadrille sole adorned with blue stripes. This design pays homage to traditional espadrille craftsmanship, incorporating intricate stitching and custom-engineered cotton tape. The midsole is tailored for optimal support, highlighting the innovative construction techniques used.
The CLOT August Collection consists of four distinct pieces: a crochet zip jacket, crochet shorts, a crochet polo, and a ribbed tee. Each piece emphasizes tailored fits and luxurious fabrics, drawing inspiration from the sophisticated resort style of Sardinia while maintaining a modern edge. The collection showcases Italian cobbler craftsmanship, featuring a mesh stitch, jacquard-engineered 3-stripes motif, and embroidered patches offering bold and unique designs.
Both the CLOT August Collection and the CLOT Gazelle aim to invite consumers into a cultural journey inspired by Chen’s extensive travels across Europe. These items will be available starting August 20th on the CONFIRMED app with the CLOT Gazelle launching widely on August 23rd.
