Between stomach-churning political developments and an epidemic that’s brought the city to a virtual standstill, Hong Kong has seen a 2020 we didn’t quite sign up for.
But even in this whirlwind of a year, there are some things—like Coconuts‘ ever-reliable, always-quirky reporting—that you can always count on.
Here’s our round up of the stories you loved and shared the most in 2020.
Hang Seng bankers caught hiking on work-from-home day thanks to Instagram post
In February, just as the local COVID-19 outbreak began, a group of management trainees at Hang Seng Bank snuck out for a hike while working from home. They could’ve just left it at that—instead, the trainees unabashedly posted selfies of their day trip on Instagram. The photos went viral, and the ordeal was made funnier by the fact that in Cantonese, “hiking” (haang san) is a near-homonym for “Hang Seng” (hung suuhng).
Banker ‘sorry’ for social media spit stunt on MTR
Because one virus-related gaffe wasn’t enough for Hong Kong, a foreigner—later revealed to be a Hong Kong-based hedge fund manager—became the subject of a viral video after he wiped his own saliva on an MTR pole. He later apologized, explaining that he was attempting to show how easily fake news is shared.
Ocean Park’s pandas mate naturally for the first time after 10-year dry spell
Amid the deluge of rather depressing headlines, this love story between Ocean Park’s two resident’s pandas stole our hearts in April. Ying Ying and Le Le mated naturally for the first time after a 10-year dry spell, a success credited to the privacy that the park’s virus-induced shutdown afforded the couple.
She’s nuts!’ Cardboard cutout of Carrie Lam guest stars on Conan O’Brien talk show
In September, Chief Executive Carrie Lam made a surprise appearance on the talk show of popular American TV host, Conan O’Brien. Not as a guest though—Lam appeared in a cardboard iteration, alongside hundreds of cutouts filling the theater’s empty seats. Cardboard Carrie was lifted to O’Brien’s stage as the host joked that stone-faced Lam looked like she’s “here to pass a death sentence.”
Family of wild boars takes a dip in the fountain outside Bank of China Tower
This family of boars wanted to cool down on a late-summer day, and they did it in style: at a fountain outside one of Hong Kong’s most recognizable landmarks—the Bank of China tower—in Central. Videos showed the boars paddling in the fountain’s waters as a security looked on amused.
Hong Kong quarantine facility is ‘literal concentration camp,’ British Airways stewardess says
Around the world, Hong Kong has been lauded for its effective response to the epidemic. And then there’s this UK flight stewardess who, forced to quarantine in the city after a colleague tested positive for COVID-19, called Hong Kong’s government isolation facility a “concentration camp.” Ellie Freeman posted an expletive-ridden rant on Snapchat about her ordeal, inviting backlash as many criticized her for acting entitled.
Hong Kong’s Wan Chai market gets surprise screen time in ‘Borat 2’
This one was a surprise. Hong Kong got a few seconds of fame in hit comedy film “Borat 2,” in which the fictional Kazakh journalist visited a market in Wan Chai and dangled what appeared to be a dead goose by its neck. It’s not known when actor Sasha Baron Cohen graced Hong Kong with his pseudo-Soviet presence, but we’d be happy to welcome him back.
The Hong Kong-Singapore travel bubble was heralded as a milestone in both places’ success in conquering the virus. That is, until cases shot up in Hong Kong in November, and a balloon arch celebrating the now-thwarted return to travel was reduced to a sad pile of debris on the airport floor. Sorry to burst your bubble indeed.
Viral video shows Hong Kong elderly man appearing to snort drugs on MTR commute
In November, a video of a man appearing to snort drugs on the MTR was rapidly shared on social media. The clip showed the man crushing up a substance, rolling up a piece of paper, and inhaling through it for a good 30 seconds as the train neared Yau Ma Tei. Police said they did not receive reports of the incident.
Oops: Health Secretary Sophia Chan wears mask inside out at COVID-19 press conference
As the city’s health minister, Sophia Chan, announced tighter COVID-19 restrictions at a December press conference, some in the audience noticed something wasn’t quite right: Chan’s mask was inside out. Her mistake provided a moment of lightheartedness amid the worsening epidemic, and also served as a reminder to be extra vigilant the next time we put on a mask.
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