Brendon Hong

Black magic

I Had the Leader of ISIS Cursed by a Hong Kong Sorceress, and It Almost Worked

"Villain hitting" is a uniquely Hong Kong combination of political defiance and local superstition.
Brendon Hong
5.1.17
News

Is Occupy Hong Kong Coming to an End?

If somebody doesn't step up to readjust Occupy Hong Kong's paradigm—and soon—the movement will surely flatline.
Brendon Hong
12.2.14
News

Does Thailand Secretly Think Its Dictator Is an Idiot?

Prayuth Chan-ocha, who recently seized power, is known for a series of gaffes that go beyond being harmless slips of the tongue and instead come off as borderline insane.
Brendon Hong
11.3.14
News

How Do Hongkongers Feel About Their Chief Executive Saying the Poor Shouldn't Control Elections?

C.Y. Leung told international media outlets that direct elections would give too much power to those below the poverty line.
Brendon Hong
10.24.14
Travel

Shopping for Camel Meat Outside Cairo

When I visited the camel market in Birqash recently, I could hear sticks as they whipped through the air and cracked on strained, burdened flesh.
Brendon Hong
10.10.14
Food

The Cheapest Michelin-Starred Restaurant in the World Is Also One of the Best

Tim Ho Wan is a dim sum room that will look familiar if you already love dim sum. But this Hong Kong hole-in-the-wall just happens to crank out some of the world's best food.
Brendon Hong
9.24.14
Travel

I Had the Leader of ISIS Cursed by a Hong Kong Sorceress, and It Almost Worked

"Villain hitting" is a uniquely Hong Kong combination of political defiance and local superstition. I'm not invested in local politics, so the villain I put a curse on was Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, possibly the most vile man alive. When I woke up the next...
Brendon Hong
9.10.14
News

Voyeurs in China Are Getting off to Girls Doing Meth on Camera

Jingjing said she was eventually fired for “not looking pretty enough.” Even though her boss was the culprit who introduced her to meth, he blamed her for losing weight and not keeping up with her appearance. “What man would want you?” he asked.
Brendon Hong
9.2.14
News

Televised Confessions Are China's New Favorite Reality TV

After the trial of a despised criminal turned out to be ratings gold for CCTV, China started turning televised confessions into mass entertainment. The schadenfreude that viewers express online is torrential.
Brendon Hong
8.26.14