Japan’s “Empress of Pop” Ayumi Hamasaki stood alone on a brightly lit stage in Shanghai, her voice echoing through a stadium filled with empty seats. Hours before showtime, she was informed that her concert could not proceed with an audience for “an inevitable reason”. The vague explanation has become familiar to organisers of Japanese cultural…
Hong Kong police have said they will pursue Cantopop singer Tommy Yuen Man-on “to the end” after he failed to appear in court to face a shoplifting charge. The force on Thursday condemned Yuen’s “shameful act” of fleeing Hong Kong to avoid facing justice, calling it a blatant challenge to the rule of law. “All…
Grammy-winning R&B star Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty to one charge connected to his alleged beating of a music producer in a London nightclub in 2023. The “Kiss Kiss” singer, 36, appeared Friday in London’s Southwark Crown Court for his arraignment where he pleaded not guilty to one count of attempting to unlawfully and…
This is the 52nd instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades. For an acclaimed movie star whose accolades include best actress at the Venice Film Festival, Deanie Ip Tak-han has surprisingly little regard for fame and fortune. Known for standing up for her views even if it…