Local Definition

Zain Syed exposes fragmented aspects of Hong Kong’s diverse and complex society by exploring the city’s cultural tropes

By Aaina Bhargava.

Zain Syed is asking Hongkongers to give him a minute. His YouTube channel, GiveZainamin, is quintessentially Hong Kong, the title a playful nod to the impatience characteristic of many of the city’s inhabitants. The content, too, is reflective of the city and its people. Syed started the channel three years ago, and the initial 10,000 subscribers quickly multiplied to 77,200. He uploads rap singles, music videos and long-form commentary on local pop culture trends and observations. His most watched video, with approximately 393,000 views, is titled 口不對心, which translates to “You don’t say what you mean” or “double speak”, and sees Syed making fun of trending TikTok and Douyin videos. While the words he speaks are relatively polite, the subtitles reflect much harsher language conveying his real thoughts. He uses…

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Tatler Hong Kong (Digital) - 1 Issue, August 2022

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