The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current, April 03, 2023, Page 14, Image 14

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    Page 14 n THE ASIAN REPORTER
A.C.E.
April 3, 2023
Pop icon Leslie Cheung’s legacy endures 20 years after death
By Kanis Leung
The Associated Press
ONG KONG — Fans of late Canto-pop icon
Leslie Cheung, one of the first singers to come out
as gay in Hong Kong, have flocked to the city to
commemorate their idol’s death 20 years ago — revisiting
his legacy of pioneering work made during a socially
conservative time.
Cheung, who was 46 when he died, was a superstar
known for his singing, dancing, and acting during the
heyday of Hong Kong’s entertainment industry in the
1980s and ’90s. His supporters, who span across Asia,
fondly remembered his norm-breaking works and called
him “ahead of time.”
The recent 20th anniversary of Cheung’s death drew
crowds of both local fans and supporters from mainland
China to visit exhibitions about him in Hong Kong. Even
the government included concerts and film screenings
about him in the city’s first pop culture festival, which is
slated to officially kick off in three weeks.
The local reminiscences of Cheung prove the late
celebrity remains a popular icon across generations of
Hong Kongers and reflects the desire for reviving the
city’s cultural influence, said Anthony Fung, professor of
the school of journalism and communication at the
Chinese University of Hong Kong.
“After so many years, we hardly find any new icons, new
superstars who could reach that level of importance,” he
said.
Cheung, who was affectionately known as Gor Gor —
“big brother” in Cantonese — produced many hits that
even non-Cantonese speaking music lovers in other parts
of Asia could sing along to. Those include “Monica,”
“Sleepless Nights Restless Heart,” and “Chase.” He also
starred in classic films including John Woo’s A Better
Tomorrow, Wong Kar-wai’s Happy Together, Stanley
Kwan’s Rouge, and Chen Kaige’s Farewell My Concubine.
But behind all of his success, Cheung suffered from
H
depression. He jumped to his death from the Mandarin
Oriental Hotel in central Hong Kong on April 1 in 2003,
sending shockwaves across the city. His death came as his
hometown was battling the SARS epidemic, which
ultimately killed hundreds and crippled the local
economy.
Hong Kong fan Connie Leung, a retiree now in her 60s,
recalled her disbelief when she first heard about the news
NORM-BREAKING ENTERTAINER. The vinyl record of For
Your Heart Only, top photo, is seen at an exhibition commemorating the
20th anniversary of the death of Canto-pop singer Leslie Cheung in Hong
Kong on March 29, 2023. In the bottom photo, visitors at the exhibition
take photographs of the red high heels worn by Leslie Cheung at a con-
cert in 1997. (AP Photos/Louise Delmotte)
of his death from a former colleague. “I said, ‘don’t make
such a joke on April Fools’ Day,’” she said.
She said Cheung’s songs never became outdated and his
fashion tastes, including his iconic long hair, were modern
— even by today’s standards.
Chris Choi, Cheung’s concert choreographer in the
2000s, said the late superstar broke through many gender
boundaries by introducing “unisex” ideas, some of which
were risky at the time. Among his stage costumes, for
example, were seashell culottes and red high heels.
“It told people art has no boundaries,” he said.
Cheung also broke through the city’s cultural status quo
by boldly revealing his gay relationship in a conservative
local society at that time — a decision that could have
ruined his career but has earned him a lot of respect from
the gay community, Fung said. The breakthrough was
about the plurality of culture that he celebrated, he said.
“He actually crossed through the boundary, made a
noise and influence on the culture of Hong Kong,” Fung
said.
Cheung’s work not only inspired older generations of
fans but also those who were just toddlers when he died.
University student Justin Jiang said he was only 3
years old when Cheung died, but he later became a fan in
high school after learning more about Cheung’s
personality and charisma from his legacy of works. The
now 22-year-old, who lives in neighboring Guangzhou,
visited Hong Kong with a friend to pay tribute to his idol.
He praised Cheung’s boldness in expressing his views
and breaking through a society strongly influenced by
gender stereotypes years ago.
“Gor Gor is very courageous and this is worth learning
for us,” he said.
Q&A: K-pop star KANGDANIEL is on the pursuit of happiness
K-POP’S KANGDANIEL. KANGDANIEL poses for a portrait on
March 2, 2023 in New York. The K-pop star’s path to superstardom
began in 2017 after winning the second season of the talent competition
series “Produce 101,” which led to the formation of the K-Pop boy band
Wanna One. He went solo two years later. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/
AP)
AP: You’re considered as one of South Korea’s most
influential celebrities. What does that mean to you?
KANGDANIEL: One thing I felt for sure, even if I want
it or not, I think I have more responsibility.
South Korea is my home country and there are many
stars from the country ... it’s a responsibility because they
recognize me as one of the celebrities. So, everything I do,
and all the music I make, I feel like I have to do more and
be more creative.
By Gary Gerard Hamilton
The Associated Press
ew York — KANGDANIEL is one of K-pop’s
brightest stars, but at just 26 years old, he’s
already learned there’s more to life than bright
lights and fancy restaurants.
“I like to pursue happiness because in the end, time is
not eternal ... we have to maximize our happiness and it’s
almost imprinted in my brain,” explained the “Paranoia”
and “Nirvana” singer. “There are times when I had to do
something that I didn’t want to and I didn’t have no
money, and there was no outcome that I expected. I was
shocked because money didn’t give me happiness.”
KANGDANIEL, chosen by Forbes Korea as one of its top
40 celebrities for 2022, has wrapped up his first North
American tour with the final stop in Los Angeles.
KANGDANIEL’S path to superstardom began in 2017
after winning the second season of the reality TV talent
series “Produce 101,” which led to the formation of the
K-pop boy band Wanna One. He went solo two years later.
He released his debut album, The Story, last year.
KANGDANIEL, who publicly struggled with
depression and panic disorder in 2019, says the pursuit of
happiness is not a fanciful wish but a way of life.
“A lot of people say, ‘Oh, without money you are not
happy.’ For me, those two things are separate,” said
KANGDANIEL, who grew up listening to an eclectic mix
of Green Day, Nirvana, Michael Jackson, and Usher.
“That’s why I pursue happiness above everything.”
In an interview, the avid Star Wars fan talked about
N
reaching the American audience, pursuing film roles, and
the pressures of fame.
Remarks have been edited for brevity and clarity.
AP: This is your first tour in the U.S. K-pop is so huge all
over the world. Does crossing over to American fans
matter?
KANGDANIEL: K-pop fans are all over the world but
America is very special because of the Billboard chart. It
has a long history, and everyone in the world has heard of
it before. It’s really well known and to be included in the
chart, it would be my honor. And I believe the American
audience has good ears for good music. So, if I have more
fans in the U.S., they would give me more motivation to
work harder.
AP: Would you ever reunite with Wanna One, even if it
was just for one special project or song?
KANGDANIEL: It’s not something I can just (plan)
overnight. But of course, I’m very open to it. So, if there’s a
good chance, I’d probably do it. And a little (while) ago,
there was an awards ceremony. We performed together as
a group, and I really enjoyed it. It was so much fun, and I
was able to learn a lot.
AP: You recently made your acting debut in the Disney+
series “Rookie Cops.” How was your experience as an
actor?
KANGDANIEL: It was really fun ... it was a little bit
different from what I expected, but then the learning
process was very interesting and I enjoyed it.
I love working on a TV series, but next time, if there is
an opportunity, I’d like to make a film because I’ve always
loved films. So yup, next time, if there’s a chance (to film a
movie), I’d like to do it.
AP: What was different about filming the TV show than
you expected?
KANGDANIEL: The schedule! (laughs)
AP: K-pop is a global phenomenon and most of the
artists are very young. How have you personally dealt
with the fame?
KANGDANIEL: We can say it is true that K-pop stars
are relatively young compared to other artists in different
scenes and different countries ... but honestly speaking,
age doesn’t really define the artist. It doesn’t really make a
difference because in Korea, we say there is no age (limit)
when learning things in education.
I don’t really enjoy doing a lot of social media accounts,
although I have one, and I don’t look at my phone for hours
... I want to communicate and get inspired by others, but
not too much information — just right amount because I
want to understand on my own, rather than comparing
myself with others.