Latest news with #BruceLeeClub
The Mainichi
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
H.K.'s tribute museum to Bruce Lee closes amid financial strain
HONG KONG (Kyodo) -- A Hong Kong museum dedicated to martial arts legend Bruce Lee set up by his fans shut its doors earlier this week, citing financial difficulties. Considered a must-see by Lee's overseas admirers visiting the territory, the Bruce Lee Club had put on display items from its collection of over 2,000 artifacts, including sculptures, decades-old magazines and precious film stills from the late star's early career. But the club earlier said on Facebook that accumulated expenses had forced them to "rethink how to most effectively utilize our resources to sustain the flame of Bruce Lee's spirit." The club's operators had expected a recovery after revenue was hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, but "reality fell short," the Facebook post said. It is not known whether the museum will reopen. The fan club was founded by Lee's family to "share our knowledge and closest memories" of the late superstar, who died in July 1973 at the age of 32. The itinerant archive first opened in a different location in Hong Kong in 2000, before reopening in 2019 after a years-long hiatus. A Hong Kong-American, Lee is known for bringing Chinese martial arts, or kung fu, to Hollywood, and for developing a new school known as Jeet Kune Do. In 2019, pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong were seen following the advice of "Be water, my friend" from the 1971 TV drama series Longstreet featuring Lee as a reminder to stay flexible and constantly shift their tactics in the face of a police crackdown. The museum's last day Tuesday attracted scores of visitors, including Andy Tong, 46, a Jeet Kune Do instructor, and his son Andre, 13, who hailed Lee as a "god." "Things related to him or his deeds in Hong Kong are getting harder and harder to come by," Tong said.
Kyodo News
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Kyodo News
H.K.'s tribute museum to Bruce Lee closes amid financial strain
HONG KONG - A Hong Kong museum dedicated to martial arts legend Bruce Lee set up by his fans shut its doors earlier this week, citing financial difficulties. Considered a must-see by Lee's overseas admirers visiting the territory, the Bruce Lee Club had put on display items from its collection of over 2,000 artifacts, including sculptures, decades-old magazines and precious film stills from the late star's early career. But the club earlier said on Facebook that accumulated expenses had forced them to "rethink how to most effectively utilize our resources to sustain the flame of Bruce Lee's spirit." The club's operators had expected a recovery after revenue was hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, but "reality fell short," the Facebook post said. It is not known whether the museum will reopen. The fan club was founded by Lee's family to "share our knowledge and closest memories" of the late superstar, who died in July 1973 at the age of 32. The itinerant archive first opened in a different location in Hong Kong in 2000, before reopening in 2019 after a years-long hiatus. A Hong Kong-American, Lee is known for bringing Chinese martial arts, or kung fu, to Hollywood, and for developing a new school known as Jeet Kune Do. In 2019, pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong were seen following the advice of "Be water, my friend" from the 1971 TV drama series Longstreet featuring Lee as a reminder to stay flexible and constantly shift their tactics in the face of a police crackdown. The museum's last day Tuesday attracted scores of visitors, including Andy Tong, 46, a Jeet Kune Do instructor, and his son Andre, 13, who hailed Lee as a "god." "Things related to him or his deeds in Hong Kong are getting harder and harder to come by," Tong said.
Japan Today
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
Bruce Lee Club closes archive doors citing operating costs
At least temporarily, all the assorted ephemera related to Bruce Lee will be boxed up and stored Bruce Lee aficionados gathered at a Hong Kong mini-museum dedicated to the legendary martial artist to bid farewell to the site on Tuesday, as operating expenses forced the itinerant archive to close once again. The Bruce Lee Club, which was founded by the Lee family, had put a collection of about 2,000 artefacts, including decades-old magazines and a large sculpture showing the superstar's iconic moves, on display in the bustling Yau Ma Tei neighbourhood in 2001. But a rent increase shut the project in 2016. Three years and a move to industrial Kwun Tong later, the club began welcoming visitors to see the collection again just before democracy protests roiled the city, dampening tourism. In a statement, the club wrote that the social movement followed by the Covid-19 pandemic had "severely disrupted" plans for the archive. "We anticipated a recovery, yet reality fell short," it said. "The accumulated expenses over these six years have compelled us to rethink how to most effectively utilise our resources to sustain the flame of Bruce Lee's spirit." It added that it will "explore new ways" to engage with the public, but for now, ahead of what would have been Lee's 85th birthday, it is shutting shop. At least temporarily, all the assorted ephemera related to the Hong Kong icon will be boxed up and stored. Born in San Francisco in 1940, Bruce Lee was raised in British-run Hong Kong and had an early brush with fame as a child actor. He later became one of the first Asian men to achieve Hollywood stardom before his death at the age of 32. At the unassuming Kwun Tong archive on Tuesday, visitor and martial arts coach Andy Tong called it a "great pity" to lose the place. "(Lee) helped build the image of the Chinese and overseas Chinese in the Western world," Tong, 46, said. While the superstar is widely beloved and celebrated in the city, with frequent retrospectives and exhibitions staged, fans have struggled to ensure organised and systematic preservation. In 2004, petitioners successfully managed to get a bronze statue of Lee installed on Hong Kong's famed harbourfront, but a campaign to revitalise his former residence failed to spare it from demolition in 2019. Bruce Lee Club's chairman W Wong said the Hong Kong government lacks long-term and continuous planning for preserving Lee's legacy. But he added the Club "will never give up" their dedication to championing Lee's spirit. "Although Bruce has passed away, his spirit continues to inspire people of all kinds," Lee's 76-year-old brother Robert Lee told AFP. "I believe, rather than hope, the spirit of Bruce Lee will forever remain here (in Hong Kong)." © 2025 AFP
HKFP
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- HKFP
Bruce Lee Club closes archive doors citing operating costs
Bruce Lee aficionados gathered at a Hong Kong mini-museum dedicated to the legendary martial artist to bid farewell to the site on Tuesday, as operating expenses forced the itinerant archive to close once again. The Bruce Lee Club, which was founded by the Lee family, had put a collection of about 2,000 artefacts, including decades-old magazines and a large sculpture showing the superstar's iconic moves, on display in the bustling Yau Ma Tei neighbourhood in 2001. But a rent increase shut the project in 2016. Three years and a move to industrial Kwun Tong later, the club began welcoming visitors to see the collection again just before democracy protests roiled the city, dampening tourism. In a statement, the club wrote that the social movement followed by the Covid-19 pandemic had 'severely disrupted' plans for the archive. 'We anticipated a recovery, yet reality fell short,' it said. 'The accumulated expenses over these six years have compelled us to rethink how to most effectively utilise our resources to sustain the flame of Bruce Lee's spirit.' It added that it will 'explore new ways' to engage with the public, but for now, ahead of what would have been Lee's 85th birthday, it is shutting shop. At least temporarily, all the assorted ephemera related to the Hong Kong icon will be boxed up and stored. Born in San Francisco in 1940, Bruce Lee was raised in British-run Hong Kong and had an early brush with fame as a child actor. He later became one of the first Asian men to achieve Hollywood stardom before his death at the age of 32. 'Never give up' At the unassuming Kwun Tong archive on Tuesday, visitor and martial arts coach Andy Tong called it a 'great pity' to lose the place. '(Lee) helped build the image of the Chinese and overseas Chinese in the Western world,' Tong, 46, said. While the superstar is widely beloved and celebrated in the city, with frequent retrospectives and exhibitions staged, fans have struggled to ensure organised and systematic preservation. In 2004, petitioners successfully managed to get a bronze statue of Lee installed on Hong Kong's famed harbourfront, but a campaign to revitalise his former residence failed to spare it from demolition in 2019. Bruce Lee Club's chairman W Wong said the Hong Kong government lacks long-term and continuous planning for preserving Lee's legacy. But he added the Club 'will never give up' their dedication to championing Lee's spirit. 'Although Bruce has passed away, his spirit continues to inspire people of all kinds,' Lee's 76-year-old brother Robert Lee told AFP. 'I believe, rather than hope, the spirit of Bruce Lee will forever remain here (in Hong Kong).'
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bruce Lee Club closes archive doors citing operating costs
Bruce Lee aficionados gathered at a Hong Kong mini-museum dedicated to the legendary martial artist to bid farewell to the site on Tuesday, as operating expenses forced the itinerant archive to close once again. The Bruce Lee Club, which was founded by the Lee family, had put a collection of about 2,000 artefacts, including decades-old magazines and a large sculpture showing the superstar's iconic moves, on display in the bustling Yau Ma Tei neighbourhood in 2001. But a rent increase shut the project in 2016. Three years and a move to industrial Kwun Tong later, the club began welcoming visitors to see the collection again just before democracy protests roiled the city, dampening tourism. In a statement, the club wrote that the social movement followed by the Covid-19 pandemic had "severely disrupted" plans for the archive. "We anticipated a recovery, yet reality fell short," it said. "The accumulated expenses over these six years have compelled us to rethink how to most effectively utilise our resources to sustain the flame of Bruce Lee's spirit." It added that it will "explore new ways" to engage with the public, but for now, ahead of what would have been Lee's 85th birthday, it is shutting shop. At least temporarily, all the assorted ephemera related to the Hong Kong icon will be boxed up and stored. Born in San Francisco in 1940, Bruce Lee was raised in British-run Hong Kong and had an early brush with fame as a child actor. He later became one of the first Asian men to achieve Hollywood stardom before his death at the age of 32. - 'Never give up' - At the unassuming Kwun Tong archive on Tuesday, visitor and martial arts coach Andy Tong called it a "great pity" to lose the place. "(Lee) helped build the image of the Chinese and overseas Chinese in the Western world," Tong, 46, said. While the superstar is widely beloved and celebrated in the city, with frequent retrospectives and exhibitions staged, fans have struggled to ensure organised and systematic preservation. In 2004, petitioners successfully managed to get a bronze statue of Lee installed on Hong Kong's famed harbourfront, but a campaign to revitalise his former residence failed to spare it from demolition in 2019. Bruce Lee Club's chairman W Wong said the Hong Kong government lacks long-term and continuous planning for preserving Lee's legacy. But he added the Club "will never give up" their dedication to championing Lee's spirit. "Although Bruce has passed away, his spirit continues to inspire people of all kinds," Lee's 76-year-old brother Robert Lee told AFP. "I believe, rather than hope, the spirit of Bruce Lee will forever remain here (in Hong Kong)." twa/lb/rsc
