The 50th Hong Kong Rugby Sevens: A First Encounter with Sporting Majesty
By Zephyr Chan
The air is still, yet the spirit remains restless. Welcome to Zephyr’s Friday transmission. It is Friday, the 24th of April, and today I write not of cinematic scouting nor the architecture of narrative, but of spectacle in motion—rugby, music, and the shared pulse of a city celebrating its own.
On Friday, the 17th of April, my cousin Joanne Tang and I stepped into the cauldron of the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens’ 50th anniversary Opening Ceremony. Neither of us had ever attended a rugby match before, and yet, by the end of the night, we were converts—elated, proud, and already plotting our return.
The Prelude: Two Matches and a Lesson in Speed
The day began with the Men’s 10, Pool C: Australia versus Kenya. The clash was swift, brutal, and exhilarating, setting the tone for what was to follow. Then came the Melrose Women’s 1: Hong Kong versus Denmark—a contest that carried with it the weight of pride and possibility.
It was here that Joanne and I learned the defining feature of the Sevens: each match lasts no longer than seven minutes. That brevity is its brilliance. The game is distilled into pure adrenaline, a sprint rather than a marathon. Every second counts, every move is magnified. For newcomers like us, it was the perfect initiation—no time to drift, only time to feel.
The Ceremony: Lions, Lasers, and Song
After the women’s match, the stadium shifted from sport to spectacle. The Opening Ceremony unfolded like a carefully choreographed dream.
First came the lion dance—five lions bounding and weaving, their movements a fusion of tradition and celebration. It was Hong Kong embodied: ancient ritual alive in modern festivity.
Then, the laser show, beams of light dancing across the grass in intricate designs, painting the field with ephemeral art. The pitch itself became a canvas, the stadium a gallery of light.
Finally, the stage belonged to the KPop group Primrose and Filipina singer Gwyn Dorado. Together, they performed three songs from the Oscar-winning animated film KPop Demon Hunters: Takedown, Golden, and How It’s Done. Though our seats placed us opposite their stage, the sound carried beautifully across the pitch. I recognized Golden instantly, its melody a familiar friend, and felt a surge of joy hearing it live.
Their voices soared, blending English and Korean into a tapestry of rhythm and power. The stadium became a concert hall, the rugby pitch transformed into a stage.
The Match That Sealed the Night: Hong Kong versus China
After the ceremony, Joanne and I stayed for one more match: the Melrose Men’s 1, Hong Kong versus China. Here, the energy reached its zenith.
Hong Kong played with ferocity, precision, and pride. They thrashed the Chinese team 36 to 14, a victory that sent waves of elation through the crowd. For me, it was more than a scoreline. It was a moment of belonging, of standing shoulder to shoulder with my city, cheering as one.
I felt terribly proud to be a Hong Konger. The triumph was not just athletic—it was symbolic, a reminder of resilience and spirit.
For Joanne and me, this was the final match of our evening. With spirits high, we left the stadium and made our way to Kai Tak Mall 1, where we chose a Korean restaurant specializing in bibimbap. Joanne ordered a kimchi bibimbap, while I chose a pork belly bibimbap. The stone bowls arrived sizzling hot, rice crisping at the edges, flavors mingling with the spice of kimchi. It was a meal of warmth and comfort, the perfect coda to a night of spectacle and pride.
The Afterglow: A First Time, A Lasting Impression
As we walked out of Kai Tak Mall, full from dinner and still buzzing from the matches, we carried with us more than memories of sport and song. We carried the sensation of discovery. Rugby, once foreign, had become familiar. The Sevens, once an event we had only heard of, had become part of our story.
Our seats may not have been the best vantage point for the performances, but they were enough. We heard the songs, we felt the rhythm, we saw the lions, and we witnessed victory. That is more than enough for a first encounter.
We will return.
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The Lifestyle of Spectacle
What is lifestyle, if not the weaving of experiences into the fabric of identity? The Rugby Sevens was not merely a sporting event. It was a festival, a concert, a ritual, and a contest all at once. It was Hong Kong celebrating itself, and us, as newcomers, being welcomed into that celebration.
For me, it was also a reminder of the producer’s creed: spectacle must be intentional. Just as a film’s locations must carry narrative weight, so too must an event’s performances carry cultural resonance. Primrose and Gwyn Dorado did not simply sing; they sang songs from KPop Demon Hunters, a film that itself won an Oscar, a film that represents the fusion of global pop culture and Asian creativity. The lion dance did not simply entertain; it anchored the ceremony in tradition. The rugby matches did not simply play out; they embodied rivalry, pride, and triumph.
Every choice was deliberate. Every beat was meaningful. That is why it worked.
The Vow of the Spectator
As I continue my journey—whether as apprentice producer or as lifestyle chronicler—I vow to remain observant. To see not just what is presented, but why it is presented. To feel not just the thrill of victory, but the architecture of spectacle that makes such victory resonate.
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The Rugby Sevens taught me that even seven minutes can contain an epic. That even a single match can carry the weight of pride. That even a seat far from the stage can still hear the song.
And so, with Joanne by my side, I step forward into the next chapter of this journey. The fire within me burns steady, now kindled by sport as well as cinema. Hong Kong has given me another story to tell, another empire of images to build.
Until the wind shifts again.
— Zephyr Chan”
