Bye bye Paris Olympics, Chinese music fans head overseas for festivals, and more

Bye bye Paris Olympics, Chinese music fans head overseas for festivals, and more

It’s definitely Olympic hangover time, as we find ourselves with significantly less entertainment options than this time last week.

As the dust settles, it will be interesting to see which newly minted Chinese stars, from swimmer Pan Zhanle to tennis player Zheng Qinwen, became truly ubiquitous in media and advertisements. Somewhat lost in the wash of the final days of the Games was Liu Qingyi aka B-Girl 671’s 3rd place finish in the women’s breaking competition. The Henan-born athlete’s bronze medal proves what connoisseurs have known for a while: that her home province, often maligned as undeveloped and uncultured, is actually the most hip hop part of China. Shout out the God of Henan Rap!

Here’s what else was happening around China last week:

There’s something special about Chinese hurdlers. First Wu Yanni got attention with her “bad girl” image. Then Xu Zhuoyi was a hit at the Olympics, precisely because he looks like a nerd.

In an interesting echo of earlier communal screening culture, many young people in China’s biggest cities watched the Olympics at cinemas, instead of streaming it on their phones.

Intrigued? Keep scrolling, my friend.

For Chinese Fans, The Summer’s Coolest Music Festivals Are Overseas

At Fuji Rock, an annual rock festival in Japan, Jerry Hu marveled at the view of the small town of Yuzawa from the tram ascending to the peak of Mount Takenoko, where a stage was set up in the lush greenery. It was his first time attending the festival. From July 26 to 28, he averaged 25,000 steps per day, trekking from stage to stage in the rain and excruciating summer heat. It felt like military training. But when you are surrounded by music and cheers from fellow fans, you surrender yourself to the shared exhilaration. To come to Fuji Rock, Hu had to take five days off from his tech job in Shanghai.

Check out the full article by Xinrou Shu on our website.

Embodying Complexity: The Many Faces of Actress Joan Chen

If you have seen David Lynch’s Twin Peaks, you will definitely remember the mysterious mill owner played by Joan Chen. From Twin Peaks to The Last Emperor, she has left an indelible mark on both Hollywood and international cinema as one of the most iconic Asian actresses of all time. Since she got her start in acting at age of 14, she has moved fluidly between China and America, embodying a diverse range of characters with depth and authenticity.

It was reported this week that Hong Kong actor/director Corey Yuen passed away in 2022. As a director and choreographer, Yuen helped shape the frenetic pace of Hong Kong martial arts cinema.

China launched eighteen satellites as the first step of a government-backed project which could rival SpaceX’s Starlink.

Olympics aside, what’s the sport of the summer? In urban China, indoor skiing.

The SPÖKE FIKA you can actually eat!

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