HONG KONG (AP) – Fans of late Canto-pop icon Leslie Cheung flocked to the city this week 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 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 professor of the school of journalism and communication Anthony Fung 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 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 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She said Cheung’s songs never became outdated and his fashion tastes, including his iconic long hair, were modern – even by today’s standards.
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 three 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. This week, the 22-year-old, who lives in neighbouring Guangzhou, visited Hong Kong with a friend to pay tribute to his idol. He praised Cheung’s boldness in expressing his views. “Gor Gor is very courageous and this is worth learning for us,” he said.
