China Media and Entertainment Weekly News Bulletin – ISSUE 13 Week of 26 August 2024
(1) National Team Visits Hong Kong: Over a Hundred Fans Await Outside Hotel as Excitement Ensues
The Chinese national team for the Paris Olympics arrived in Hong Kong, attracting fans to greet them at the Harbour Plaza Metropolis Hotel as they began a three-day schedule of events and interactions.
(2) China Claims Another Victory In Esports as EDG Team Wins Valorant World Championship
China’s Edward Gaming made history by becoming the first Chinese team to win the Valorant Champions 2024 in its victory over Spain’s Team Heretics.
(3) Jackie Chan Carries Torch Ahead of Paralympics in Paris, Fans Say He Should’ve Been Torchbearer at Olympics.
Jackie Chan served as a torchbearer for the 2024 Paris Paralympics, carrying the flame through Paris ahead of the opening ceremony.
(4) Multi-Talented Singer-Songwriter Khalil Fong Makes a Comeback, Release Date of New Album Revealed
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Khalil Fong is set to make a musical comeback after years of maintaining a relatively low profile due to health issues. He is scheduled to release a new single for October and has announced an upcoming album titled “The Dreamer”.
(5) Tencent Wins Gamescom’s 2024 Sustainability Award
Tencent was awarded the 2024 sustainability award at Gamescom, with President Brent Irvin acknowledging the company’s commitment to sustainable practices and its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030.
(6) 67-year-old Acting Legend Ray Lui Proudly Showcases Brotherly Love When Receiving an Award, This Megastar Made a Surprise Appearance to Present Him a Cake
67-year-old actor Ray Lui won the Best Actor award at the 4th Macau Asian International Youth Film Festival for his film “Retaliate,” and was joyfully celebrated by friend Donnie Yen, reflecting their strong brotherly bond.
(7) TikTok Owner ByteDance Launches New Video Search Tool, Eyeing Baidu’s Dominance
ByteDance launched Douyin Search, a new app for finding short video content on Douyin as it intensifies competition with Baidu in China’s search market.
(8) Tony Leung Donates HK$3 Million and a Famous Painting to Support Young People with Chronic Diseases and Special Educational Needs
Tony Leung has donated HK$3 million and a Zao Wou-Ki painting to support the Hong Kong Paediatric Society’s scholarship with nearly 200 young individuals facing chronic illnesses or financial challenges.
(9) Former Miss Hong Kong Michelle Reis, 54, Spotted with Family in London
Former Miss Hong Kong Michelle Reis was recently seen dining with her family at a Michelin-starred restaurant in London while managing her son Jayden’s study abroad arrangements at a prestigious private school.
(10) Singing the Theme Song for the Animated Series ‘Wild Robots’, Joey Yung: Watched it and Cried, Eyes All Swollen
DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming film “The Wild Robot,” praised as the “Best Animated Film of the Year” in Western media, will premiere on October 1st, featuring Cantopop star Joey Yung as the voice of the lead character Roz in the Cantonese version of the film.
(1) National Team Visits Hong Kong: Over a Hundred Fans Await Outside Hotel as Excitement Ensues
(Photo Credit: HK01)
The Chinese national team for the upcoming Paris Olympics have arrived in Hong Kong, drawing enthusiastic fans to the Harbour Plaza Metropolis Hotel. As the athletes arrived, the crowd cheered loudly while capturing the moment on their devices. Diver Quan Hongchan, in particular, received a warm welcome, though she appeared fatigued from her travels.
The team landed at Hong Kong International Airport around noon and was greeted with a welcome ceremony before heading to the hotel with heightened security to manage the large gathering. Fans displayed their handmade banners as they showed their support to athletes like table tennis champions Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha.
This visit marks the start of a three-day schedule for the national team which offer them opportunities to engage with local supporters and participate in various events leading up to the Olympics.
(2) China Claims Another Victory In Esports as EDG Team Wins Valorant World Championship
(Photo Credit: Riot Games)
China’s Edward Gaming (EDG) made history by winning the Valorant Champions 2024 as they become the first Chinese team to secure a world championship title in the tournament’s three-year history. They defeated Spain’s Team Heretics with the score of 3:2 in a closely contested final.
This victory highlights China’s rapid rise in global esports, following EDG’s previous win in “League of Legends” in 2021. Founded in 2013, EDG competes in seven esports titles and will share a US$1 million prize for their Valorant success. Zheng Yongkang, the team’s sniper, was named most valuable player. The video gaming and esports community in China was greatly enthused following the victory. On Sunday night, the phrase “EDG winning championship” quickly became trending news on Weibo, attracting millions of views on the topic.
(Photo Credit: X)
The legendary Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan carried the Paralympic flame through the streets of Paris as a prelude to the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paralympic Games on 28 August evening.
The official X account for the Paris 2024 Paralympics posted a photo of him, dressed in a white jersey and glasses and surrounded by enthusiastic crowds. The caption celebrated his presence with the phrase “Jackie Flamme!” and included fire and karate gi emojis, highlighting his connection to the event.
The Paralympics’ torch was divided into 12 Paralympic flames and carried by 1,000 torchbearers across about 50 towns before converging in Paris.
In this year’s Paralympics, 23 athletes from Hong Kong will compete in eight sports, including archery, swimming, and wheelchair fencing. The 2024 Paralympic officially kicked off on 29 August 2024.
(4) Multi-Talented Singer-Songwriter Khalil Fong Makes a Comeback, Release Date of New Album Revealed
(Photo Credit: EBC News)
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Khalil Fong, known as the “King of Hit Songs”, has kept a low profile in the music industry since being hospitalized for pneumothorax (collapsed lung) in 2010. However, Khalil has recently surprised his fans by releasing a new single “Only 23” and announced plans to release a new album shortly.
Khalil is renowned for his soulful, R&B and blues-influenced music. He has written and recorded numerous chart-topping hits such as “Love, Love, Love”, “Love Song”, “South Sound” and “Little Bug”. In addition to being a prolific singer-songwriter, Khalil is also an accomplished music producer who has composed and arranged songs for many established Mandopop artists. He is considered a musical genius in the Asian music industry. After an extensive concert tour across Asia, North America and Australia in 2009-2010, Khalil’s health deteriorated and he was repeatedly hospitalized for pneumothorax. This took a toll on his music career and he gradually withdrew from the limelight. Although he performed at the Taipei Arena in 2019, it has been 8 years since his last studio album “JTW Journey to the West”. Khalil recently shared on Facebook that he has recovered and is ready to make his musical comeback with a new album “The Dreamer” slated for release in October. He has also dropped the lead single “Only 23”, which has delighted his eager fans.
News Source: https://today.line.me/tw/v2/article/5yjp2XK
(5) Tencent Wins Gamescom’s 2024 Sustainability Award
(Photo Credit: Tencent)
Tencent has won the 2024 sustainability award at Gamescom, the world’s largest video-game trade fair, with the President of Tencent Americas Brent Irvin accepting the honour. The award recognizes organizations committed to sustainable practices and transparent carbon accounting,
Irvin expressed gratitude for the recognition by highlighting Tencent Games’ dedication to sustainability across its global studios. He also stated that the company aims for carbon neutrality by 2030, and thanked its partners and the gaming community for their support. Sam Barratt, co-founder of Playing for the Planet, commended Tencent’s leadership in reducing carbon emissions and expressed enthusiasm for future collaborations to enhance sustainability efforts in the gaming industry.
News Source: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/tencent-wins-gamescoms-2024-sustainability-award
(Photo Credit: HK01)
67-year-old “ageless god” actor Ray Lui is renowned for his outstanding acting skills, having gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of the character “Ding Li” in the 1980s TV series “Shanghai Beach”. In 1991, his superb performance in the gangster biopic “Tragic Hero” cemented his status as a cinematic icon. Despite being a veteran in the industry, Ray continues to command respect and adulation from his peers.
Last month, Ray was crowned the winner of the Best Actor Award at the 4th Macau Asian International Youth Film Festival for his new film “Retaliate”. Recently, he was spotted meeting up with “the universe’s strongest” Donnie Yen, who presented him with a birthday cake to celebrate. The two appeared to have an excellent relationship as they posed for photos with their arms around each other. Ray posted on social media about this brotherly bond, expressing his heartfelt support for Donnie Yen and sharing his joy at finally being able to meet up with his “brother” despite their busy schedules. He noted that Donnie’s success made him even happier than his own achievements, and emphasized that their youthful spirit and love would never fade.
(7) TikTok Owner ByteDance Launches New Video Search Tool, Eyeing Baidu’s Dominance
(Photo Credit: Reuters)
ByteDance has introduced Douyin Search, a new standalone app in China designed to search short video content on Douyin – the Chinese version of TikTok. This development expands ByteDance’s search engines business as it competes with Baidu, the leading Internet search engine in the country. The app is currently available for download on various Android app stores but is not found on the Apple App Store.
Douyin Search features a search bar on its homepage and showcases trending topics, such as popular video game scenes and significant sales events. The app promotes itself as offering “real and reliable” content by utilizing ByteDance’s AI-based recommendation system for enhanced search capabilities and accurate suggestions. Users can also swipe through curated short videos, similar to the experience on Douyin or TikTok. This launch marks ByteDance’s fifth attempt at creating a search app following previous efforts that have mostly been discontinued. The move aligns with a broader trend in the tech industry, where companies aim to challenge Baidu’s stronghold on the search market, currently 52% share, as of July. Other tech giants like Tencent and Alibaba have also made attempts to enhance their search functionalities to compete with Baidu.
(Photo Credit: Getty Image)
Tony Leung has made a significant contribution to the Hong Kong Paediatric Society’s HKPS Bright Future Scholarship by donating HK$3 million and a painting by renowned artist Zao Wou-Ki. This generous act aims to support nearly 200 young individuals with chronic illnesses, special educational needs, or from low-income families. The announcement was made during a ceremony on 25 August at the Renaissance Hong Kong Harbour View Hotel.
During the event, Leung expressed his admiration for the resilience and gratitude of the scholarship recipients, and encouraged them to continue pursuing their dreams with courage and determination. He emphasized the importance of raising awareness about the challenges faced by these young people and hopes his role as spokesperson will help shed light on their needs. In addition to his financial support, the Zao Wou-Ki painting will be auctioned off with the proceeds going toward next year’s scholarship fund to further enhance opportunities for future recipients.
News Source: https://www.tatlerasia.com/lifestyle/arts/carina-lau-dayo-wong-the-truth-about-lying-play-hong-kong
(9) Former Miss Hong Kong Michelle Reis, 54, Spotted with Family in London
(Photo Credit: SingTao Headline)
Michelle Reis, the 54-year-old former Miss Hong Kong pageant winner, has kept a low profile since marrying businessman Julian Hui. Recently, Michelle Reis and her family have been busy handling their 13-year-old son Jayden’s study abroad arrangements.
A social media user recently shared a photo of Michelle Reis spotted dining at a Michelin-starred Spanish restaurant on London’s Regent Street. The user commented that Michelle Reis looked effortlessly beautiful, tall and slim, as she was ordering at the restaurant with her husband and son. Earlier, Michelle Reis and her husband were seen attending a new student orientation event at the prestigious Wellington College, where Jayden will be attending boarding school. Jayden will be classmates with the daughter of former England footballer Sol Campbell. After retiring from show business, Michelle Reis has focused on family life. She has been actively preparing for her son Jayden’s overseas study as she travelled around Europe with her husband and son. Despite her low-profile lifestyle, the 54-year-old former beauty queen continues to be praised for her stunning looks and graceful demeanor.
(Photo Credit: am 730)
DreamWorks Animation’s new film “The Wild Robot” has earned high praises from Western media, being hailed as the “Best Animated Film of the Year”. The film is set to premiere on 1st October with advance screenings during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and will feature renowned Cantopop singer Joey Yung voicing in the Cantonese version of the film as the lead robot character Roz, a character exploring the theme of a mother’s profound love.
Voicing an animated robot was a significant challenge for Joey, as she had to maintain a robotic tone without too much emotion, while also allowing the character to gradually become more expressive over the course of the story. Joey shared that she often connects well with voice acting roles that resonate with her own personality, and this was the case with Roz, allowing her to imbue the performance with genuine emotion.
The film’s production team was impressed by Joey’s strong investment in the Roz character, both during the voiceover recording and the promotional activities, highlighting Joey’s ability to truly embody the role through her voice and presence.
