On the evening of June 28th, renowned songs of Beyond (a Hong Kong rock band formed in 1983) such as “Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies,” “Glorious Years,” and “No More Hesitation” reverberated through the bustling streets of Guangzhou, drawing countless attention of passersby. In commemoration of the 30th anniversary of Wong Ka Kui’s passing, grassroots singers of varying ages and professions united in a harmonious rendition of “I’m not afraid if someday there’s only you and me”, a classic lyric in “Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies,” conveying their heartfelt reminiscence of Wong Ka Kui through an impromptu performance, while simultaneously honoring their unwavering perseverance in life.
Except for the flash mob, a recent documentary series featuring the personal stories of Wong Ka Kui’s fans has garnered widespread acclaim. To mark the 30th anniversary of Wong Ka Kui’s passing, a studio from the Marketing Department of the Chinese social network Kwai collaborated with the post-millennial documentary creator “@Li Wawa” (“@李娃娃” in Chinese) on Kwai platform to produce the series ” I’m not afraid if someday there’s only you and me”. The documentary interviews four musicians who have been deeply influenced by Wong Ka Kui and have forged a bond through their involvement in the production.
Ye Xiaoyang, known as “@Construction Site Guitar God” (“@工地吉他男神” in Chinese) on Kwai platform, has been a post-70s fan of Wong Ka Kui for 33 years. Despite the daily grind of his construction job, he finds solace in performing his idol’s songs during his off-hours on Kwai livestream. A few years ago, his rendition of “Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies” suddenly garnered attention, amassing tens of thousands of likes.
Wang Weikai, a post-90s youth known as “@Swinging Boy” (“@摇摆小子” in Chinese) on Kwai platform, has worked various jobs, including delivery and manual labor. He gained attention due to his striking resemblance to Wong Ka Kui in appearance.
67-year-old Grandma Yang from Guangxi province sports a head of white hair and skillfully plays the drums. Influenced by her son’s admiration for Wong Ka Kui, she became enamored with the drums and began practicing Wong’s songs.
Lastly, there’s the post-2000s college band “@Nameless207” (“@没有名字的207” in Chinese) on Kwai platform. Although they were not yet born when Wong Ka Kui passed away, these young individuals share a collective passion for his music. Standing at the crossroads of graduation, they remain steadfast in their belief that they can achieve their dreams as a band.
Wong Ka Kui’s music has profoundly impacted generations. The director of this documentary, Li Wawa, is also a member of the post-2000s generation. As a girl from a rural village in Xuzhou, she rose from obscurity to create a compelling short video series titled “Experience One Hundred Lives.” Her latest work, “I’m not afraid if someday there’s only you and me” delves into the perspective of the post-2000s generation, capturing their fervent passion for life and unwavering devotion to their ideals, which have been embodied by four generations of Wong Ka Kui’s fans.
Video | A tribute to Ka Kui flash mob event landed on the streets of Guangzhou
On the evening of June 28, on the streets of Guangzhou, famous Beyond songs such as “Broad Sea and Sky”, “Glorious Years” and “No Hesitation” sounded, attracting countless pedestrians to stop. To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Huang Jiaju’s death, several grassroots singers of different ages and different occupations sang “I’m afraid that one day you will be with me”, expressing their nostalgia for Huang Jiaju with flash mob activities, and paying tribute to never giving up in life of myself.
In addition to this performance on the streets of Guangzhou, a group of documentaries about the stories of Huang Jiaju’s fans have recently been praised by netizens. It is understood that this is the 30th anniversary of Huang Jiaju’s death. Kuaishou Tie Studio and Kuaishou “post-00s” documentary creator @李娃娃 followed up and interviewed 4 music creators who followed Jiaju, and filmed a set of documentaries. One day only you and me”. The 4 music creators got to know each other because of Wong Ka Kui and the filming of this documentary.
“Post-70s” @工场吉琼男神, whose real name is Ye Xiaoyang, has been in love with Huang Jiaju for 33 years. He runs around on the construction site every day to make a living, and after get off work, he sings idol songs in the Kuaishou live broadcast room. A few years ago, his video of playing and singing “Broad Sea and Sky” suddenly attracted attention and received tens of thousands of likes.
“Post-90s” youth @摇摇小子王威唴, who has delivered couriers and worked as a worker, has attracted attention because of his resemblance to Huang Jiaju.
Grandma Yang, a 67-year-old from Guangxi, has gray hair and looks good when she plays the drums. Her son likes Huang Jiaju, and she was influenced by him to come into contact with the drum set, and began to practice Huang Jiaju’s songs while groping.
In addition, there is also the “post-00s” college student band @无名的207. When Huang Jiaju passed away, they were not yet born, but several young people had a common love for Huang Jiaju’s songs. Standing at the fork in the road of graduation, they still firmly believe that they can fulfill their dream of being a band.
Huang Jiaju’s music has influenced generations. The photographer of this documentary, Li Wawa, is also a “post-00s”. She is from the countryside of Xuzhou. After experiencing the trough that no one cares about, she created a series of short videos “Experience a Hundred Kinds of Life”. The new work “I’m afraid that one day it’s just you and me” starts from the perspective of “post-00s” and records the stories of four generations of horse fans who love life and stick to their ideals.
Text | Yangcheng Evening News all-media reporter Hu Guangxin
Video | Yangcheng Evening News all-media reporter Hu Guangxin Li Li
Translation | Chen Xuan
