Hong Kong New Year Countdown

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) hosted the New Year Countdown at the Chater Road Pedestrian Precinct in Central for the first time. The event featured a mix of live music and a light show, bringing locals, visitors and global audiences together to welcome 2026.

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Air Supply and local artists Jay Fung and Cloud Wang performed to entertain the large crowds.

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A themed “New Hopes, New Beginnings” three-minute light show was staged on the façades of eight buildings featuring giant countdown clocks and dazzling light patterns to welcome the New Year.

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If we’re being honest, the event was kinda pathetic compared to New Year’s Eve countdowns across the world. An oppourtunity to promote Hong Kong to the world, while entertaining HongKongers, sadly wasted.

Hong Kong New Year Countdown
Date: Midnight, 31 December, 2025
Venue: Chater Street, Hong Kong
Tickets: Free

photos: HKTB

Happy Birthday bc

Happy Birthday to us!

Thirty-one, yes 31, years ago today, bc magazine debuted on the streets of Hong Kong.

Much has changed over the last 30+ years, especially since Covid… Lan Kwai Fong and Wanchai are now (sadly) unrecognisable from the vibrant social melting pots of years past.

What does the future hold? It seems unlikely the “work hard, party harder” culture will return. And that feels sad, maybe something new will replace it but ‘connecting’ via social media is vastly different than meeting in person… And yes the world has moved online, but personal connections are still where it matters.

A lot of people – staff, friends, advertisers and readers have been involved over the years, thank you for your continued support and strength.

Carpe Diem!

M2M Live @ Queen Elizabeth Stadium – 29 April, 2025

The enduring love and popularity of live music was on full display last night at Queen Elizabeth Stadium as many of the predominantly female audience for Norwegian duo M2M‘s concert were younger than 25… ie born after the duo’s albums were released and the songs first became hits.

Truth be said it didn’t feel like 25 years ago that we were first listening to Don’t Say You Love Me, Everything You DoPretty Boy, Mirror, Mirror… the songs sounded as fresh today as they did when first released – perhaps it was just me who felt a tad ‘old’ when Marion and Marit were talking about how long ago the songs were released.

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It was fun to hear the hits live, but perhaps the most emotional part of the concert was to hear Marion sing It’s All Coming Back to Me Now – her duet with Meatloaf. There’s a great live version of Meatloaf singing and chatting with the audience and recounting a story about him and Marion (can’t find a link, but here’s a link to the music video). Great to hear the other side.

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Click on any picture for the full gallery of images

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Set list:

The Day You Went Away
Everything You Do
The Minute
I Don’t Wanna Talk About It
Love Left For Me
Pretty Boy
Here I Am
Don’t
Under The Surface
If A Song
What You Do About Me
Driving
Don’t Save Me
It’s All Coming Back To Me Now
Mirror Mirror
Everything
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Don’t Mess With My Love
Don’t Say You Love Me

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M2M – The Better Endings Tour
Date: 8pm, 29 April 2025
Venue: Queen Elizabeth Stadium
Tickets: $2,088, $1,288, $888, $688 from Urbtix

Hong Kong New Year Countdown 2024-25

The Hong Kong New Year Countdown fireworks display, organised by the HKTB, welcomed in New Year with a “Symphony of Happiness” theme that offered blessings for 2025 by revealing the myriad states and stages of the five natural elements – metal, wood, water, fire and earth – over Victoria Harbour.

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New Year’s Eve Fireworks
Date: Midnight, 31 December, 2024
Venue: Victoria Harbour
Tickets: Free

photos: HKTB

30th Anniversary, bc magazine

Happy Birthday to us!

Thirty, yes 30, years ago today, bc magazine debuted on the streets of Hong Kong.

Much has changed over the last 30 years, especially in the last couple Lan Kwai Fong and Wanchai are now unrecognisable from the vibrant social melting pots of the past.

And while you can’t fight change. It does feel a bit sad that many people today seem to care more about a ‘like’ from an invisible unknown digital stranger than engaging with the real people around them.

The melting pot of people around us is after all what makes/made Hong Kong ‘Asia’s World City.’ A place of magic where hard work and a bit of luck (or meeting the right person in a bar) anyone could achieve almost anything.

After all, I could never have imagined when asking two complete strangers in McDonalds if they wanted a job starting a magazine that it’d still be around 30 years later.

A lot of people – staff, friends, advertisers and readers have been involved over the years, thank you for your continued support and strength.

Carpe Diem!

Riize Live in Hong Kong – 1 June 2024

South Korean boy band Riize visited Hong Kong for the first time for a “RIIZING DAY” at AsiaWorld-Expo on 1 June 2024.

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As can be seen, the fans loved the show.

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Riize 2024 Hong Kong Set List

Breeze and Storm
Siren
One Thing
Happy! Happy! Happy!
White Christmas
Love119
Lost Tape
Honestly
Talk Saxy
Get A Guitar
Joy
9days
Impossible

Encore

One Kiss

Encore (Short)

Memories
Memories Inst

Roh Tae Hyun – Hong Kong Fan Meeting, 5 November, 2023

Roh Tae Hyun hosted a fan meeting at KITEC on 5 November, and Hong Kong fans got to meet, talk and hear their idols in person.

Honestly, we’d have preferred a full concert – but a fan meet is better than nothing…

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Click on any image for the full gallery

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Roh Tae Hyun – Hong Kong Fan Meeting
Date: 7pm, 5 November, 2023
Venue: Kitec, Music Zone @E-Max
Tickets: $1,399, $1,299, $799 from HK Ticketing

Images courtesy of Freez