Latest news with #Cantopop
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Keung To jibes reflect ‘double-edged sword' of social media: Hong Kong experts
A slew of both supportive and hateful online comments over Hong Kong pop singer Keung To's recent fall into the sea reflects divided public opinion and the social media pressures young stars face, a psychiatrist and a cultural commentator have said. Experts who spoke to the Post said social media was a 'double-edged sword' that allowed young celebrities to connect with their fans while increasing their direct exposure to hostility, a challenge not faced by stars in the pre-internet era. After Keung, a member of popular Cantopop boy band Mirror, fell into the waters off Sai Wan on Tuesday afternoon, fans flocked to his social media account to leave supportive comments wishing him a speedy recovery. But the 26-year-old singer was also on the receiving end of malicious comments from online users cursing him and mocking his mishap. Dr Chan Kai-tai, clinical professional consultant at the Chinese University of Hong Kong's department of psychiatry, said that with digitalisation, public opinion towards celebrities had become highly polarised, but noted the phenomenon was not unique to the city. In the past, Hong Kong's 'Four Heavenly Kings' – Andy Lau Tak-wah, Jacky Cheung Hok-yau, Leon Lai Ming and Aaron Kwok Fu-shing – who dominated the Cantopop world in the 1980s and 1990s, were more heavily protected from the public, with their companies and managers acting as a buffer, Chan said.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Who is Keung To, and what was the story behind his fall in Hong Kong's harbour?
Read more about this: Cantopop idol Keung To, a member of popular Hong Kong boy band Mirror, met fans at an event on June 24, 2025, after accidentally falling into the sea while jogging the day before. He later revealed that he had consumed alcohol and painkillers before his mishap. Fans at a Mong Kok event Keung attended following the mishap say they remain supportive of their idol.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Keung To's fall into sea: was it a cry for help for Hong Kong band Mirror?
Hong Kong Cantopop boy band Mirror is navigating a challenging landscape after its meteoric rise to fame a few years ago, with its members now forced to compete with all types of online entertainment and the local showbiz scene grappling with broader headwinds, market observers have said. Advertisement They also said that, despite immense public expectations, the band's human vulnerabilities, paired with a local industry that distinctively lacks the rigorous pre-debut training like that of K-pop idols, created unique challenges. They needed support to grow and expand beyond their initial amateur appeal and that might have been lacking, industry observers said. Formed through ViuTV's reality talent show in 2018 and swiftly hailed as Cantopop's saviours, Mirror quickly amassed a massive fan base along with loyal brand partnerships and advertisers. But the band now faces renewed public scrutiny after popular member Keung To was rescued following his fall into the sea on Tuesday. Advertisement The 26-year-old singer later revealed he had consumed alcohol and painkillers before the accident. Keung, along with other members such as Anson Lo Hon-ting, Edan Lui Cheuk-on and Ian Chan Cheuk-yin, blossomed into multitalented stars, excelling with their solo music careers, acting roles and variety shows, further cementing the band's collective and individual appeal.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong band Mirror's Keung To says he consumed alcohol, painkillers before fall
Cantopop idol Keung To, a member of popular Hong Kong boy band Mirror, has said that he had been drinking alcohol and took painkillers for a headache before he accidentally fell into the sea while jogging on Tuesday. Keung, 26, revealed more details about his fall into the harbour before flying to Paris on Wednesday night. Earlier, he and three other band members met fans at an event, which drew criticism over the organisers' decision to press ahead with it despite Keung's accident. Keung said at the airport that his fall was 'purely an accident' stemming from wanting to sit down during his jog to watch the sunset along the waterfront in Sai Wan. The star revealed that he had been feeling unwell before the run, but denied being downcast. 'I set a poor example. I stepped outside the fence, where some people go fishing or chill out there. I also wanted to have a relaxing time. When I tried to stand up and go back, I felt dizzy and fell,' Keung said. Keung To at Wednesday's event. Photo: Handout The star said he had taken painkillers for a headache and had drunk 'a small amount' of alcohol before the run. But he added that he had not been relying on alcohol to relieve stress, as he would turn to sports.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Fans throng Hong Kong boy band Mirror event to support Keung To after fall
More than 100 fans of Hong Kong's Cantopop boy band Mirror showed up at a stadium on Wednesday to support their idol, Keung To, who made his first public appearance a day after being rescued after falling into the sea off Sai Wan Advertisement Keung was one of four members of the popular band joining a scheduled five-hour fans' meeting about their trip to Seoul at MacPherson Stadium in Mong Kok. Many donned hats and bags from the brand 'To Zero', Keung's personal clothing brand. They also held neon signs with the word 'Keung' in the centre, and stickers of the singer on the margins and in the back. Fans interviewed by the Post expressed their support for Keung, who fell into the waters off the Western Wholesale Food Market on Tuesday afternoon. The 26-year-old star later said the fall was 'just a small accident' due to his own carelessness, while the band's management company MakerVille said Keung fell dizzy while jogging by the sea. Advertisement One of the fans, Iris Ho, said she thought the singer suffered from heatstroke when she heard about the news on Tuesday. 'I was mostly worried that he could've had a heatstroke, but he posted that he is all right, so I feel OK now,' she said.
