Arrived in HK in 1989 and lived there on and off until 1997, I visited every year until 2020 but by then as you say, things have really changed there. If China left HK to run as it always has, no one in HK would have had a problem, instead they have destroyed it. I will never forget my time there, especially in the 1990s, it was a great time to be alive.

I grew up in Hong Kong, and moved away at the age of 9 with my parents before the 1997 handover, partly because we feared what might happen when the CCP took over, but also partly because the education system and the work/life balance overseas was far better than what was available in Hong Kong. Until 2019, I still went back to Hong Kong regularly to visit. I still feel nostalgic towards Hong Kong and still desire to visit again some day, but it is vastly different now. The passing of the national security law has changed Hong Kong into what was once a bustling, free, thriving city into a place from which people are leaving in droves.

Read the full piece from Bloomberg Opinion's Matthew Brooker: www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-06-28/how-hong-kong-s-1997-dreams-sank-without-trace-when-china-ended-autonomy

Great video. Lived in Hong Kong for a year, first came in 2013 and got there in 2017. So many said that there was a feeling of optimism in the city even after the handover. That optimism is gone.

I started working at a shipyard in HK in 1988, was there for 2 and a half years. BEFORE June 4 1989, the young Chinese I worked with were very proud that we gweilo were going to be deposed in 1997 and the Chinese would be taking over. They would, good naturedly, gloat about it. That changed literally overnight after the Tianamen Square massacre.

I first came to Chung King mansions when I first when to HK. I think it was a cheaper dorm hostel that I spotted in one of those Lonely Planet books. Sleeping next door to Nathan Road was quite hard with no double glazing. It was cramped and I remember all the indians having curry houses there. It was a very exciting 'romantic' place for me and I met my HK husband on the coach on the way to Chung King mansions, he got on my bus after work. Then I got a job in the tourist association and had a few adventures with that job, even learned a bit of Cantonese. I haven't been back for 30 years, can't imagine it has been that long. A lot of my HK relatives are leaving to go to the UK, which is weird as I always remember them as 'over there'. They will be leaving their elderly mother, so many old people will be left there

I last lived in Hong Kong from 1991 to 1994 in Repulse Bay. I had first visited the place in the early 1960s when my family stayed in the Shamrock hotel at the far end of Nathan Road. From 1975 to 1977 I stayed in Kowloon Tong It was a magical and wonderful place. I have been back for a few days around 10 years ago - it had changed sadly. Great trip down memory lane. Thank you.

As a Hong Konger who was born in 2000, he lived longer in Hong Kong than me.

I've been living in Asia for the past 8 years. 1 year of that was living in Shenzhen. Travelling to HK I've always felt like I just missed the boat on all of the exciting transformation. Hong Kong has been quickly turning it into a stoic replica of what the mainland looks like. Devoid of character, hope and optimism.

Instead of asking what you can do for Hongkong, you are demanding what HongKong can do you?

I came to HK in 2009 for a 6 month assignment only to have stayed 12 years leaving in 2021. My family and I truly miss HK but it's no longer the same as it once was when I arrived back in 2009.

HK isn’t the same anymore. Welcome back motherland China . No more freedom.

I would love to visit Hong Kong for a holiday, but seeing the Chinese police there roughly treating demonstrators put paid to that idea. I've watched many Hong Kong people who emigrated to the UK after the handover, and they all agree the place is getting worse.

I ended up to this video because I was searching for “Hong Kong 1990’s”. I missed those times so much.I missed my childhood, I miss the city where I was born. It’s just different now (or 6 years ago when I left).

This American guy asked my dad's work mates where the red-light district was, and they sent him to an industrial suburb, that was like two hours away. Just a cement wasteland. Where did you go?

i left hong kong forever 1 month ago moved to spain after 21 years there, it's an awful place of fear now , terrible, sad communist cruelty

I lived in hong kong from 94 to 2004. Was an amazing place to live i wouldnt have stayed so long if it wasn't . Going back next week for the forst time in 20 years be interesting to see if its changed and byvthat i mean the atmosphere not the buildings etv which are always changing

Beautiful video.

Chungking Mansion is one of my haunts whenever in HK as there are many halal food options available, though most of it being Indian food.

Hong Kong was already a great, exciting, phenomenal city before the internet, iPhone, KZfaq age. Do you understand how great a city has to be if it was already praised and loved before and without all these KOL and youtubers and viral videos blowing it up??

I was looking for the game Hong Kong 97 💀💀

I know an intimate perspective of someone who "...was from across the river from Hong Kong, speaking Cantonese at home, access to the TV stations in Hong Kong due to those airwaves being in proximity. Guangdong, the capital of Guangzhou was already speaking majority Mandarin, even though historically, they spoke Cantonese. The evidence now is that Cantonese, a language hundreds of years older than Mandarin's PREDECESSOR language, is being squashed out, stamped out systematically. Hong Kong, where Cantonese was spoken everywhere and Mandarin was learned but secondary in use, has become much more prominent. The city of Hong Kong in the 90s was prosperous, a beacon of civilization to the survivalist mindsets of the ones just across the river who, if adult, likely survived Mao's Great Leap 'Forward', and if child, is being raised by a parent with a lethal self-centricism that allowed their own survival. It had wealth, it attracted foreign business. It was a cultural center, then niche things like anime figurines and legal dubs of anime could even be found there, unlike what was left of the cultural deletion and book burning of Mao's China right across the river. The result of that cultural deletion and fervent political dogma? I'm sure you can google "Mainland Chinese tourist" and find all sorts of example outcomes for that. There was one goal: It was wealth. Politics was something people scorned to care about. If you cared, you were committing suicide of sorts, and your family is likely to join you for associating with you, unless you dogmatically agreed with the communist party. You must not criticize. You must not speak publicly. In imperial China, if you rebelled against your Emperor, your immediate relatives, up to several degrees of relations were executed with you. It was his Mandate by Heaven to lord over YOU. Today, it is the modern version of this, just not as many degrees of relations in terms of reach. This is all tacitly understood. Freedom is some foreign illusion, the goal was food on the table. Rights? Just keep your head low. And try not to buy that dyed watermelon at the market thinking its a sweet deal." I personally do not view Hong Kongers who desire British or other nationality as suckers who desire to be a second class citizen. No matter the formal title, skin color, or whether you swam there for dear life or flew there in first class, in a free society, you will be a higher class of human than the ones who live under the will of Maomao's ghost, forever surrendering the thinking ability that crowned humans above all other animals on this planet as the true King of the "Jungle".

He experienced HK under British Rule while the young protesters back in 2019 weren't born or were young during that time.

Just take a look at all these giant shopping centres in Hong Kong , only scaffoldings with covering protection remains.

During the period of riots in 2019, I saw on KZfaq where there were these two British trying to cross a police security line. They were arguing with a couple of police officers who stopped them. A senior officer walked over and told them to “get out!”. This was the second time they were told to get out since 1997.

In the 2023 UBS report on world wealth, the per-adult wealth is $551K which is the same as the USA.

Wow, Hong Kong's freedom is dead. 😱

Sad to see him leave. But I understand that those in the journalism/media industry have no choice. They are being hunted down basically. Hopefully this will change in the future.

I am typing this comment in Hong Kong. COVID has had a significant impact here, as it has had everywhere else. But other than that, it’s pretty clear to me that it’s the West, that has done everything possible to damage Hong Kong, not the Chinese Government. Hong Kong is as free as most places; and is far (far) safer to live in than almost anywhere else. I could live anywhere I want to. I live in Hong Kong. I am so tired of people pushing the line that Hong Kong is ‘dead,’ when it is actually one of the best places to live, and to work, in the world.

Lifestyles in the UK is not going to be rosy and cosy unless you are super wealthy and have the right contact.

i left HK in 2016 after almost 20 years here. Didnt think I would return. Now back since 2020 and enjoying it. It's different yes and has good and bad. But so does UK. My only concern is taiwan issue. status quo pls.

A Nice country which has gone down the barrel...Feeling bad to see such a place go down so quick

The comments are from 50 cent

This makes me sad.

Sadly, the same could be said from alot of Californians moving to Southern states.

Wow the CCP Bot really reacted fast with this video. Happy 25th anniversary to you all. People living there must be happier than ever. All praise to Xi Jinping.

Good people.

RIP Hong King RIP Digital Rev videos

All expatriates are basically opportunist, they prosper along the boom, enjoy the ride but seriously, his POV only represents the western ideaology or the way they like to keep HK as the way it was where they can continue to exploit and live the way they wanted it. I was born and grew up in HK, have lived overseas as well as mainland china for many years, I personally do not feel what he feels and certainly do not see what he sees. Change is the only constant and HK needs to change too, for an even better future!

Sad. CCP only brings sadness and despair.

Good riddance. HK has never felt freer when British left in 1997. And of course HK has never enjoyed democracy under British rule and that is a fact

When you are old enough to be fired OR to retire, just go home and please don't make a fuss about the peace we enjoy here in Hong Kong. Best wishes.

younger generation retired Hong Kong freedom? They finished the freedom faster than 2047. What does this mean to Hong Kong? no more entertainment. no more cantonese songs. Normal things happen in Hong Kong. All Good things must come to end. This means. All the happiness was the past. Now, it silence. eeehmmmm

If you love than you gonna missed it big time,West is not as glamorous as it was 30 years ago .

Go home, don't interfere in other people's business

Hong Kong was a free society! Really? Under the British, they were demoncratic? 😂

Hong Kong GDP: 177.4 billion USD in 1997 346.6 billion USD in 2020 increased by 195% USA GDP: 8.578 trillion USD in 1997 20.94 trillion USD in 2020 increased by 244% China GDP: 0.9616 trillion USD in 1997 14.72 trillion USD in 2020 increased by 1,531% the above is to prove that Hongkong GDP growth after 1997 less than those before 1997 was caused by too relying on the USA. USA Money Supply M2: 3,834.6 billions USD up to 1997 19,124.8 billions USD up to 2020 increased by 498.7% but almost no substantial improvement and poor maintenance in infrastructure, where was money gone? more terrible fact is the money supply growth is twice as fast as GDP growth, i.e., U.S. GDP is almost entirely dependent on an astonishingly skyrocketing money supply, while the number of economic transactions (i.e. dynamism) shrinked conversely the USA national debt: 5,413.15 billion USD up to 1997 26,945.39 billion USD up to 2020 increased by 497.7% that can be read in conjunction with the increase in money supply M2 by 498.7% to realize that the USA money supply increase from 1997 to 2020 was almost totally relying on debt only instead of organic growth of economic transaction and activities. The past increase in public funding was neither contributing to any multiplier effect for boosting economic activity nor infrastructure investment for future GDP growth. Alternatively to say that the USA GDP was almost relying on debt only, almost no solid growth driven by new investment over the past two decades in the USA. the USA household credit market debt: 3.62 trillion USD in 1990 16 trillion USD in 2019 increased by 442% the USA personal saving: 357.9 billion USD in 1990 1208.4 billion USD in 2019 increased by 337% household debt increased more than personal saving reflects the USA household did not enjoy the advantage of increased money supply but suffer more burdening of living expenses. the question is who did earn the increased money supply over the past two decades?

Sorry to disappoint those who wish chaos in Hong Kong. We are doing fine.

Will HK miss you??

Goodbye haha

No one is indispensable, good riddance

The Anglo Saxon has no more power in Hong Kong, that's why he is leaving.

bye bye

Journalist? Bye

I get it from his perspective but it doesn’t represent the majority.

Good riddance. Anglo Saxons Raus.

just move on and go elsewhere. in hong kong unless you got $$$ life is pretty rough.

If a bomb dropped on HK by accident, by any country... I shall not cry... and nor shall my ancestors as well... And plus also.. I never knew that, HK was also taken over and ran over by so many migrants into the city as well.... (While I was not looking.. my hometown was robbed... both politically and economically as well... ) ..... Capitalism made a small selection of people very rich.. and they got rich because they harassed the rest of the locals.. into submission... and why did that happen? Cos the previous generation of merchants ran off with the money... so then consolidation happened.... (and those who made and gave the money back into the city.. their ancestors.. aren't even seeing their future either)..... and those who flooded into the city... The sons and the daughters of the second and third and firth mistresses also dominate the city today. Even just over the border from Shenzen as well.... kzfaq.info/get/bejne/oLyAZ6mC3p6onYk.html - This happened around even just 12 year ago. Sending staff to copy another store's actual competition.. and then gazump them.. and this inline... created a rise in those stocks and shares..... (Where was ICAC ? Oh yeh.. the police was in collusion as well with the Chief Police.) kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pq2ln8yAudu0pHk.html - This is one of those in hindsight, bad videos.. cos you don't know who was snooping. His ancestors also "gave back" even though they were administrators.. MY grandfather's generation, were working on those ships and merchants as well.. and even pre-dated back even a little bit further than the 1940s... I think it is a little bit beyond as well. Somebody posted online about or around the 1890s.. period... It's weird.. how I used to support the likes of Three and Hutchinson's... and even now.. the kids today in HK... they just let that door open.. and actually doesn't even treat these actual benefactors any decencies. One thing is true and true. He who holds power. Holds power over you. That is how it goes...