Hong Kong Back Then is a half hourly TV Drama series
produced by Television Broadcasts Limited, commonly known as TVB, in 2011 and
has been divided into two series. Its genre can be categorized as information
and documentary series. Wong He and Sammi Cheung were the presenter of series 1
while Jason Chan and Whitney Hui were the host of series 2. Hong Kong Back Then
won the TVB Most Valued Award in 2011. Two series show you how things like
medicine, soy sauce, and candy are made the old-fashion way. This TVB series
traces the origins of the many daily activities. Unfortunately, many
professions in which they highlight are dying out, as their craft is no longer
in demand or profitable today.
Over the past century, Hong Kong has developed from a
small fishing village into a cosmopolitan, with many successful industries
namely in trading, finance, real estate, and industrial manufacturing. Hong
Kong has come a long way with its booming economy. Super Malls and Hyper
markets crowd for space in tiny Hong Kong. Now, before these old shops, master
craftsmen, production tools and mold become things of the past, the presenters
would like to show you around this city to witness the afterglow of these
sunset industries.
Hong Kong people have been challenged of their
self-identities after the economic invasion of mainlanders. Local people
started to distinguish oneself apart from ordinary Chinese and as the result,
the identity of Hong Kong Chinese is developed. However, cultural identities do
not only grounded by the past, but more contributed by the consumption and
reproduction of one identity. Therefore, this TV documentary succeeds to
promote unique local Hong Kong identities by representing shared collective
memory. By projecting and sustaining the life of old Hong Kong, mainly
grass-rooted working class, either old or new generation can experience the
same patriotic feeling.
I appreciate and
credit the efforts that the producer put in the documentary series. It recalls individual
memory of people toward different traditional stuffs. Despite individual share
independent and nostalgia feeling based on separate experience, however, collective
memory still existed by grouping up pieces of memory. By developing a sense of
collective memory, local Hong Kong people get a sense of belonging and further
built up local cultural identities. Furthermore, Hong Kong Back Then Series can
play a role of reproduction function. Most of the traditional handicrafts and products
are becoming extinct, those experiences are valued and worth to be retained for
the sake of prolonging Chinese traditional customs. New generations seldom get
in touch with these cultural products but after the broadcast of this documentary,
they can learn more about it and get involve with it.
Lam Tik Long, Joseph (10419061)
The review has tried to situate the programme in a larger cultural and economic context, and to outline the development of Hong Kong society across different time periods. The discussion on “sunset industries” and Chinese traditional customs is quite well formulated.
ReplyDeleteSome concrete examples should be included to illustrate the ways that the programme mediate and represent the so-called “collective experience” of Hong Kong people. For example, you can focus on one or two episodes and examine the kind of fading values as reflected by the decline of the particular trade/industry.