BREAKING ART BOUNDARIES: The story of Young Soy Gallery

You are not the city’s cool, artsy kid until you have been to Young Soy Gallery.

Translated from “Ugly Gallery” in Cantonese, Young Soy Gallery originated as a lighthearted joke between its founders, Shivang Jhunjhnuwala and Alexander Glavatsky-Yeadon, with the idea to start a one night exhibition entitled “F.art Basil” with emerging artists in town during the pandemic in 2020.

Identified as third culture kids, Jhunjhnuwala and Glavatsky-Yeadon drawing from their own adventures, have their sights set on how cultural divergences bring distinct stories. Their vision for Young Soy transcends being just a gallery: it is a cultural melting pot that not only cultivates a spectrum of cultural influences but also acts as a launchpad for radical artists. Ultimately what matters For Jhunjhnuwala and Glavatsky-Yeadon is simple: that everyone finds it amusing, and everyone feels at home.

Young Soy persistently pushes the boundary of what defines an artist. The gallery collaborates with artists regardless of their backgrounds—be they newcomers to the art scene, self-taught, or untrained—as long as they have a burning desire to unveil their personal yet extraordinary story through artistic expression, Young Soy is all ears.

We’re sharing this story as a proud partner of @hknevernormal, an initiative dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary nature of our city. Follow @hknevernormal for more inspiring stories.

AGAINST ALL ODDS

In a city full of vibrant bars, COA stands out as a beacon of novelty and resilience. 🌟

COA defied all odds to make the city appreciate mezcal, transforming the perception of Mexican bars from “a place for tequila shots”, to a sophisticated spot to experience and savour one of the most terroir-driven spirits in the world.

When founder Jay Khan/ @jaykhan313 conceptualised the idea, mezcal was a lesser-known spirit in Hong Kong, and many doubted its ability to take off. Despite the scepticism, Jay remained firm and refused to compromise on his passion for mezcal – a spirit he fell in love with during a trip to Mexico.

“People advised us to play it safe and cater to familiar tastes. Maybe open a gin or whiskey bar? But I believed in the magic of mezcal,” Jay recalls.

COA’s first 18 months suffered financial losses and a lack of recognition. “Many suggested we introduce happy hours to attract more customers, but we resisted the temptation to dilute our brand with trends that didn’t align with our core values. I knew that if I trusted my gut and stayed consistent, it would work out in the end.”

Today, COA has grown from a local gem to global fame, and is consistently recognised as one of Asia’s and the world’s best bars– proving the power of perseverance and unwavering resilience.

Here’s a toast to COA, a true embodiment of Hong Kong’s ‘Never Normal’ spirit. 🥂✨

We’re sharing this story as a proud partner of @hknevernormal , an initiative dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary nature of our city. Follow @hknevernormal for more inspiring stories.

COA

Black Kite: The Pub at the Heart of News

High above the bustling city, precisely 18 floors up, lies the heart of the South China Morning Post. 

With over 265 journalists from 24 countries, the SCMP has reported on Hong Kong, Greater China, and Asia for more than 120 years, ensuring that it informs and provides perspective and insights to readers in our city, across the region, and around the world. 

Founded in Hong Kong in 1903, the SCMP has transformed into a state-of-the-art newsroom and an award-winning global news media company. Despite its advancements, some traditions persist, even from 18 floors up in Times Square. 

One of these cherished traditions is the English-style pub located in the middle of the newsroom. It features a special brew called “Post Hop,” which pays homage to the long-standing tradition of journalists gathering in bars to exchange their latest scoops and stories.

So, the next time you read an SCMP article, remember that it may have been given the finishing touches over some lively conversation at Black Kite!

SCMP

🇭🇰There’s NOTHING NORMAL about Hong Kong, but that’s what makes it so unique!

🇭🇰At The Lion Rock Press, we’re not your typical souvenir brand. As a Eurasian family business, we’re all about putting our own East-meets-West twist on the inspiration we get from our beloved muse: Hong Kong. That means whatever we design and create is NEVER NORMAL!

🇭🇰Of course, we love the big, iconic landmarks that everyone knows, but we’re more passionate about the little, often overlooked details that make this city unique and tell the true story of Hong Kong.

🇭🇰Whether it’s showcasing the stunning skyline on a glass bauble, crafting a Christmas decoration that looks just like an egg tart, or creating a wooden push-along toy shaped like a classic red taxi, our products are a celebration of the ordinary which, to us, are extraordinary.

🇭🇰Join us as we explore the vibrant, quirky, and sometimes surprising sides of this amazing place and let’s celebrate every corner of Hong Kong together. One thing’s for sure – it’s never normal! And that’s just how we like it.

🇭🇰We’re sharing this story as a proud partner of @hknevernormal, an initiative dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary nature of our city. 

Follow @hknevernormal for more inspiring stories.

The Lion Rock Press

化平凡為非凡

豉油醬醋在日常生活中是再平凡不過的調味品,但可以在香港這個已知的國際金融中心經營一家傳承三代的醬園,一點也不平凡。

悦和醬園始於一九四五年,一直堅持天然生曬釀造醬油及醬料,更是香港唯一自設蒸餾酒廠的醬園,出品多款自家釀製的酒醋產品,悦和甜醋更是香港人家傳戶曉的品牌。

傳統行業要在萬變的環境下生存,除了堅守真材實料的口碑外;更要保持不斷創新求變的精神,緊貼時代轉變,免被淘汰。

傳統不等於守舊,創新不可以忘本。

這就是我們不平凡的香港精神。

悦和醬園

A Ray of Hope

As a coastal city, Hong Kong has always had a unique bond with the ocean. 🏙️🌊⚓

To safeguard the oceans and combat the decline of marine biodiversity, breeding programmes for marine life have become essential under human care.

Recently, Ocean Park Hong Kong achieved a major breakthrough by recording the first live birth of a cownose ray pup via artificial insemination!

Over several weeks, Ocean Park’s dedicated teams trained the rays for voluntary examinations, allowing the artificial insemination procedure to be performed without sedation.

This remarkable success paves the way for the ex-situ conservation of this endangered species while providing insights into their behaviours and reproductive patterns!

Here are a few key learnings:

The gestation period of cownose rays is over a year (61 weeks and 2 days, to be precise)!

Successful artificial Insemination involves keeping the rays healthy and conducting regular pregnancy follow-ups.

Ocean Park can now apply Artificial Reproductive Techniques to other species, too!

Have you visited the baby ray yet?

Ocean Park

Why HongKongers Still Turn to Print

They say print is dead. 📰☠️🪦

At least, that’s the common belief. But in Hong Kong, print isn’t just surviving; it’s thriving.

PostMag, the Sunday magazine of the South China Morning Post, has been a shining example of this for decades.

For many Hong Kongers, reading it is a cherished Sunday ritual—a moment to pause amidst the bustling city.

As Lee Williamson, Executive Director of Specialist Publications, puts it, part of the magazine’s appeal lies in providing a rare moment of stillness in a hyperstimulated world.

“When you read a magazine, it gives you a moment to recentre, where you don’t get a push notification—isn’t that blissful?”

This appreciation for print reflects Hong Kong’s spirit, where the past is celebrated alongside the new.

In a world dominated by screens, do you still read print?

SCMP

In Hong Kong, ordinary isn’t in our DNA.

While everyone was talking about Hong Kong’s economic challenges, we saw opportunity.

Watch as our group president @evanauyang shares how a Hong Kong mobile gaming startup transformed into a global Web3 pioneer, and why we’re doubling down on our commitment to Hong Kong’s digital future.

We’re partnering with @hknevernormal  to celebrate the unique appeal of Hong Kong.

Animoca 

與香港人一起同「膚」同吸

香港一直以來都是一個歷史、文化、環境多樣化的地方,如此獨特的風貌吸引世界各地不同的人與物走進香港,造就多元文化的融合。這一個優勢令到香港一直能夠體驗到來自世界各地高水平的產品和服務。正正因為擁有豐富的外來資源下,孕育香港自己的品牌從來都不容易,甚至會被人覺得可有可無。

factiv始於香港的實驗室,一個始於香港的理念。

香港身為亞熱帶都市,處境非常獨特。氣溫與濕度高,而且污染多,敏感情況普遍,導致很多外國護膚品都未必完全適合;加上城市步伐急速,講求高效的配方之餘亦不忘尋找最佳的選擇。所以factiv於科學園設立實驗室做研發,並建立以香港人為基礎的皮膚數據庫,生產出適合這種大都市的護膚品。我們都很喜歡早前一個電車廣告的campaign slogan: Facts are bulletproof. 我們認為這個也是香港人生活的哲學:儘管我們靈活多變,適應力強,但對於「求真」的精神絕不馬虎,亦不妥協。因此我們認為產品需要有很好的透明度,讓消費者能夠充分理解產品背後的原理和真相,接着便能夠按自己的需求選擇適合自己的產品。

以香港人的身份,香港的品牌,為世界帶來一點改變,連繫你我,這就是factiv的核心價值。

香港品牌的意義就是將我們的生活哲學向全世界展現,繼而聯繫你我。香港的核心在於香港人,沒有香港人就沒有現在的香港,早年與香港香水品牌限定聯乘的護手霜,更加入了白蘭花、海港、煙燻等氣味元素,試圖為這個城市的回憶留下一點痕跡。

這個故事是@hknevernormal的合作企劃之一,旨在展現香港獨特而非凡的一面!想了解更多精彩且充滿香港精神的故事?立即追蹤@hknevernormal

Factiv

點心靈魂:精益求「蒸」嘅故事

食點心,你可能諗住叉燒包、蝦餃燒賣,咁有冇諗過蒸籠又喺邊度嚟?

對西營盤嘅德昌森記嚟講,呢啲竹蒸籠唔係平凡嘢,而係五代人傳落嚟嘅心血結晶!呢位「籠」的傳人林英鴻師傅每日碌竹咁企響度編織蒸籠,唔止用竹香加持你嘅點心,仲帶住啲點心勢如破竹衝出香港,送去世界每個角落。雖然時代飛快,蒸籠手藝同師傅嘅堅持一啲都冇老化。🌿✨

揭開蒸籠個蓋,啲熱氣騰升嗰刻,有無感受到香港嘅情懷撲面而來?🥹

德昌森記蒸籠