Bruce Lee Club Closes Archive Doors Citing Operating Costs
The Bruce Lee Club, which was founded by the Lee family, had put a collection of about 2,000 artefacts, including decades-old magazines and a large sculpture showing the superstar's iconic moves, on display in the bustling Yau Ma Tei neighbourhood in 2001. But a rent increase shut the project in 2016.
Three years and a move to industrial Kwun Tong later, the club began welcoming visitors to see the collection again just before democracy protests roiled the city, dampening tourism.
In a statement, the club wrote that the social movement followed by the Covid-19 pandemic had "severely disrupted" plans for the archive.
"We anticipated a recovery, yet reality fell short," it said. "The accumulated expenses over these six years have compelled us to rethink how to most effectively utilise our resources to sustain the flame of Bruce Lee's spirit."
It added that it will "explore new ways" to engage with the public, but for now, ahead of what would have been Lee's 85th birthday, it is shutting shop.
At least temporarily, all the assorted ephemera related to the Hong Kong icon will be boxed up and stored.
Born in San Francisco in 1940, Bruce Lee was raised in British-run Hong Kong and had an early brush with fame as a child actor. He later became one of the first Asian men to achieve Hollywood stardom before his death at the age of 32.
At the unassuming Kwun Tong archive on Tuesday, visitor and martial arts coach Andy Tong called it a "great pity" to lose the place.
"(Lee) helped build the image of the Chinese and overseas Chinese in the Western world," Tong, 46, said.
While the superstar is widely beloved and celebrated in the city, with frequent retrospectives and exhibitions staged, fans have struggled to ensure organised and systematic preservation.
In 2004, petitioners successfully managed to get a bronze statue of Lee installed on Hong Kong's famed harbourfront, but a campaign to revitalise his former residence failed to spare it from demolition in 2019.
Bruce Lee Club's chairman W Wong said the Hong Kong government lacks long-term and continuous planning for preserving Lee's legacy.
But he added the Club "will never give up" their dedication to championing Lee's spirit.
"Although Bruce has passed away, his spirit continues to inspire people of all kinds," Lee's 76-year-old brother Robert Lee told AFP.
"I believe, rather than hope, the spirit of Bruce Lee will forever remain here (in Hong Kong)." Robert Lee, the star's sibling, said his brother's spirit 'continues to inspire people of all kinds' AFP While Bruce Lee is widely beloved and celebrated in Hong Kong, fans have struggled to ensure organised and systematic preservation AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Int'l Business Times
4 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
Family And Football Unite To Bid Diogo Jota Farewell
Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota and his brother were laid to rest on Saturday in their hometown, just days after the pair died in a car crash that shocked the football world. Jota, 28, and Andre Silva, 25, were killed on Thursday after their vehicle veered off a motorway in northwestern Spain and became engulfed in flames, a week after the Portugal forward had got married. Just hours before the accident, Jota had posted a video of his June 22 wedding to partner Rute Cardoso, with whom he shared three children. Football stars joined family and friends at the funeral in his hometown of Gondomar, near Porto and conducted by the bishop of Porto. A number of teammates from the national side, including Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Danilo Pereira and Joao Felix, as well as coach Roberto Martinez attended, though national skipper Cristiano Ronaldo was not present. Liverpool Virgil van Dijk bore a garlanded wreath of red flowers in the form of a Liverpool shirt bearing Jota's number 20. Friday evening had seen Van Dijk, several players including Liverpool's Uruguay international Darwin Nunez and Liverpool coach Arne Slot meet with Jota's family and attend a wake for the deceased brothers. Among those who came to offer their condolences were a childhood friend, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, Jota's agent Jorge Mendes and Porto club president Andre Villas-Boas. Jota formerly played with Porto. "Football is truly in mourning. Diogo was an icon of the talent Portuguese football represents," said football federation chief Pedro Proenca. Close family and friends including the parents paid their respects at Friday's wake first, with the grandfather aided by two others to help him enter the chapel. Friday night, British rock band Oasis played their song "Live Forever" in tribute to Jota at a concert in Cardiff marking a return to touring after 16 years. Mourners arrived carrying wreaths of flowers, some sobbing audibly, before the wake was opened to members of the public. The death of the Portugal international and his brother has triggered an outpouring of emotion in football, and beyond. Liverpool opened a book of condolences and lowered flags to half-mast, with dozens of supporters laying a sea of flowers, balloons, Jota shirts, and scarves with the message "Rest in peace Diogo Jota", outside Anfield. At the Diogo Jota football academy, close to Gondomar SC where the ex-Porto and Atletico Madrid player took his first steps in the game, well-wishers created a memorial with flowers, scarves, candles and shirts. "Thank you, Diogo Jota," read a child's handwritten message. Pedro Neves, who was friends with Jota at school in Gondomar, said he "will remember him as someone who was very friendly, very courteous, who loved everyone, who always had a smile on his face". "He left us too young, it's not fair. But that's how life is sometimes," Neves, 31, told AFP. Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who brought Jota to the Reds in 2020, has said he was "heartbroken" while the club spoke of an "unimaginable loss". Slot, who succeeded Klopp last year at Anfield, said everyone associated with the club owed it to Jota to "stand together and be there for one another". Jota was remembered at the Club World Cup in the United States on Friday, with a one-minute silence held at the quarter-final between Brazil's Fluminense and Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal in Orlando. A minute's silence was similarly held at women's Euro 25 matches. Liverpool's Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah said the death of his teammate had left him "frightened" to return to the club as the Premier League champions postponed the return of some players for pre-season training. Mourners paying their respects to Diogo Jota and his brother at Friday's wake AFP A tribute to Diogo Jota at the football academy he set up in Gondomar AFP Diogo Jota's wife Rute Cardoso follows his coffin following the ceremony at the Mother Church of Gondomar, outside Porto AFP Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk reacts after the funeral attended by a clutch of teammates from the club and the Portugal squad AFP
Int'l Business Times
10 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
China's First Legoland Opens To Tourists In Shanghai
Thousands of local tourists poured into China's first-ever Legoland as it opened its gates in Shanghai on Saturday, the latest theme park hoping to capitalise on a domestic tourism boom. The Chinese branch of the British-owned theme park franchise is the biggest Legoland in the world. It drew in early customers who flocked to attractions including a miniature train ride and a dragon-themed rollercoaster. "I personally love to play with Lego blocks and we have many sets at home... so I wanted to come to Legoland at the earliest opportunity," said Shi, a 35-year-old resident of nearby city Hangzhou, who was visiting the park with his wife and child. Despite the Chinese economy's sluggish growth in recent years, domestic tourist spending grew 18.6 percent in the first quarter of this year compared to the previous year, according to statistics. "Ever since the pandemic, I've made very few trips abroad," said Shi, adding his family now travels to theme parks around China "many times a year". Eager Lego fans rushed into the park as soon as it opened, wearing themed shirts and waving branded flags as they enjoyed the 318,000-square-metre (78.5-acre) compound in scorching temperatures. Beijing has announced subsidies intended to make travelling within the country more affordable for Chinese citizens, and is pushing local governments to heavily market their attractions on social media. Companies have taken note of the wider local tourism boom and stepped up their plans in China. A new "Spider-Man" attraction at Shanghai Disneyland broke ground in May, while Warner Brothers is set to open a Harry Potter experience in Shanghai by 2027. Toy giant Hasbro said this week its giant Peppa Pig park in the city was now "in the phase of creative design". Chinese collectable toy maker Pop Mart has also opened an attraction in Beijing featuring life-sized versions of its popular Labubu toys. "The various provinces are putting a lot of effort into expanding their tourism industries, and all of them have special attractions," said Xu, a 34-year-old parent visiting Legoland on Saturday with his children. But profitability remains a problem, especially for local companies with less brand recognition. As of late 2024, around 40 percent of parks were still failing to turn a profit, according to state media reports. Yet analysts point to a growing population of retirees and job market changes as key factors pushing more locals to visit domestic attractions. "The labour market is turning more flexible," said Ernan Cui, China consumer analyst at Gavekal Research. "More people have leisure time to travel around."
Int'l Business Times
a day ago
- Int'l Business Times
UK Rock Legends Oasis Kick Off 'Historic' Comeback Tour
British pop legends Oasis kicked off a hotly anticipated worldwide reunion tour in Cardiff on Friday, commencing an unlikely comeback few thought possible nearly 16 years after last performing together. "Manchester vibes in the area," Liam Gallagher, frontman for the band from the northern English city, told a 74,000-strong crowd in the Welsh capital after coming on stage, reporters inside said. The 1990s Britpop outfit, who split acrimoniously in 2009, then launched into their first track of the night, the 1995 hit "Hello", followed by "Acquiesce". A string of hits followed, including "Roll With It" -- a duet by the once-warring Liam Gallagher and his brother Noel -- "Cigarettes And Alcohol", "Stand By Me" and "Supersonic". "Yes beautiful people! It's been too long," Liam reportedly yelled to the audience early on, with photographs showing him hand-in-hand with his brother Noel at one point. Oasis play two nights in Cardiff's Principality Stadium to start 41 concerts around the world. The Gallaghers have put aside their differences for the Oasis Live '25 tour, which includes five hometown gigs in Manchester starting July 11. Further sold-out British and Irish concerts will follow at London's Wembley Stadium, Edinburgh's Murrayfield and Dublin's Croke Park, before visiting other countries. The band's 1990s gigs are the stuff of legend but the chance to see them perform again was long seen as a remote prospect, following one of music's bitterest break-ups. Fans began packing Cardiff's stadium from late afternoon, thrilled at the end of that long hiatus. "It's gonna be life-changing," Omar Llamas, 39, who flew in from Mexico for the event, told AFP as he headed inside after the stadium gates opened. "It's just incredible to be here," added 30-year-old compatriot Cynthia Flores. "I'm struggling to find the words! Fans travelled from across the Americas and various European countries to witness what many were calling a "historic moment". "We've come just for this," said American Mark Cassidy, 31, who flew with a friend from New York for the opening concert. "We're super excited -- it's a perfect day for it," he added as they basked in summer sunshine. A carnival-like atmosphere built in Cardiff, with hordes of fans in Oasis t-shirts filling the streets as the sound of the band's various hits drifted through the air. Crowds packed pubs and outdoor terraces also bellowed out the band's anthems, while merchandise stands did a brisk trade. "I literally can't wait -- I'm so excited!" Kira, a 25-year-old operations manager from Dundee in Scotland, said after splashing out GBP130 ($177) at the official shop on an Oasis hoodie, poster and t-shirt. She recounted snagging her two opening night tickets in the frenzied online scramble last year. "We were so chuffed," added her friend Kayla. "We also thought hopefully there was less chance of them splitting up by the first night!" Oasis announced the comeback tour last August, days before the 30th anniversary of their debut album "Definitely Maybe". The brothers maintained a war of words about each other for more than a decade, performing individually over those years but never together. The chaotic clamour for tickets after their surprise reunion announcement devolved into outrage over sudden price hikes that saw Britain's competition watchdog threaten legal action. Resale tickets costing thousands of pounds have surfaced, while fans have also been targeted by online scams. Liam appeared to make light of the furore Friday, reportedly telling fans: "Are you having a good time? Was it worth the GBP40,000 you paid for the ticket." Oasis are being supported in the UK by Richard Ashcroft, frontman of British rock band The Verve, as well as 1990s indie band Cast. Starting his debut tour performance, Ashcroft said he was "proud to be here on this historic night", joking that he felt like he was in Oasis. He then launched into "Sonnet", the 1997 hit song he released as frontman of The Verve. The Principality Stadium has its roof closed for both nights. The band has welcomed several new members for the tour, including a keyboard player and drummer. The reunion announcement sparked a frenzy for tickets and merchandise AFP The tour is expected to be a boon for the struggling UK economy, with fans spending on tickets, transport and accommodation AFP Oasis last performed together nearly 16 years ago and their reunion has been hotly anticipated AFP
