Author: Ma Ho Kong

Cat Links 2024 Blog, Final Video Essay

[Field-Homework 3] Contrasting City: Aldrich Bay Park, Sai Wan Ho, Hong Kong Island

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  Youtube link: https://youtu.be/T0JKp85vquo?si=gncx0_x_D9w5GXpi The theme of this video is contrasting city. Hong Kong is a place where west and east, past and future, modernity and traditions, concrete and greenery co-exists. All of these elements are very contrasting, but yet harmonious, creating a unique city landscape that no other place can match.  In this film, I want to highlight the contrast between old and new, and also concrete and greenery. In one end of this spectrum, the fishing vessel and sampans that echoes the old fishing village theme, the use concrete at the entrance and also the use of bamboo

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Cat Links 2024 Blog, Lecture 7: Monsters, Materials & Skyscrapers

[Reading response 2] Oh No, There Goes Tokyo

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In the paper “Oh No, There Goes Tokyo”, the author uses Tokyo’s frequent appearance in “apocalypse pop culture” as an inspiration to explore why these pop cultures appear so often, how they reflected different state of the Japan’s society in the past few decades, and their impact to the Japan’ society. The part I like the most is the changing styles and topics of apocalyptic films with relation to the social events that is happening in Japan, because I never realised when I was watching these films that they have so much connection. From post atomic bomb film like Karumen

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Cat Links 2024 Blog, Fieldwork

[FIELDWORK REPORT] Vanishing City — Man Wag Building, by Ma Ho Kong, Qiu Xiaoyuan

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https://youtu.be/YXyIox0s2Ik?si=JL4KtKEGZ35LnmI7 Transcript A: Hong Kong is renowned for its use of land at maximum efficiency. With the rise of 24-hour self-service laundry shops, the traditional laundry industry is facing decline.  I am Henry, and  here with me is Hazel. Can you discuss why this decline is occurring? (compare) And how can we tell the industry is headed toward extinction? (data) B: [Yes.] The traditional laundry industry is facing major challenges that are causing it to vanish over time.  [First of all,]  Young people are unwilling to join the industry due to low wages and demanding work. The existing aging workforce

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Cat Links 2024 Blog, Lecture 4: Everyday Spaces as Narrative

[Reading response] Cuts Through Hong Kong by Eunice Seng (2020)

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In the paper “Cuts through Hong Kong”, the author discussed Wong Kar-Wai’s 2000 film In the Mood for Love, which masterfully captures a moment of transition in 1960s Hong Kong through its intricate spatial and temporal collage structure. What captured my attention is the film’s reflection on the inevitability of change. I think setting the background of the movie in the 1960s is very important because it showcases how much Hong Kong has changed since that time period. Landscape, economy, politics – none of these escape the fate of transformation. In my view, change in most scenarios is a good

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