Most Popular Google Searches for Hong Kong in 2019
Every year billions of users around the world religiously turn to Google Search for answers. Hong Kong is no exception — with 89% of its 7.46 million population using the internet on a regular basis.
Data released by Google reveals what keywords and queries Hong Kongers have typed into the search engine the most for last year.
So without further ado, let’s dive into the list of the most popular search trends and topics of 2019.
The Hottest Local Trends
- 連登
LIHKG is an online forum, similar to Reddit, for discussing topics in Hong Kong. This communication channel became popular with pro-democratic citizens in the country who wanted to share updates regarding the escalation of the situation. It became more difficult to create an account because of the recent incidents. Most posts on the forum are in Cantonese, and the website layout is Chinese. Newer members have limited ability when it comes to upvoting and posting.
2. 黃心穎
Jacqueline Wong made headlines in 2019 when she was caught in a scandalous incident with a married Hong Kong singer. She is also an actress that was widely looked up to for her success and beauty by many young, Hong Kong girls. Searches erupted over the month of April as we all turned to Google for the latest updates on the gossip.
3. 皓鑭傳
If you’re from Hong Kong, you know there’s nothing sweeter than climbing into bed after a long day at the office and watching a juicy drama on TVB Jade. One of the big series to air last year was The Legend of Hao Lan, which is based on the true story of the mother of China’s First Emperor. Spoiler alert — there’s no ending! The 63rd episode never made the release.
4. Thanos
The supervillain that bred thousands of memes with a single snap of his fingers. Thanos was the most formidable and intimidating opponent of the Avengers that caused half of all existence to disappear. Marvel fans around the world trembled in fear as they pretended the purple-faced titan was making them vanish too.
5. 許志安
“Siri, play me a Cantonese love song” — plays a video clip of Andy Hui whispering the lyrics of ‘我還能愛誰’ in Jacqueline Wong’s ear in the backseat of a taxi. Since the late ’80s, Andy Hui’s music has touched the hearts of many with pop songs in both Cantonese and Mandarin.
The hottest international trends
- 感恩節
Apparently, you don’t need to be an American-born Chinese to be interested in the feast of Thanksgiving. The popularity of this search term peaks once a year as people prepare to learn more about what it means to give thanks and where to find a restaurant serving roast Turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing. Before the gobble, there’s always Google (and OpenRice if you are very local la).
2. 柏林圍牆倒塌
2019 marked the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The destruction of this physical barrier ended the “East versus West” mentality and allowed Europe to move on from communism. Angela Merkel vowed during a memorial “that no wall will separate people ever again.”
3. G20
Around 20 industrial and threshold nations met in Osaka, Japan for the 2019 G20 summit. The debate centred around ensuring global sustainable development. The nations tackled important current and future themes, such as the ‘global economy’, environment and energy’, ‘employment’, ‘women’s empowerment’, and the price of avocados.
4. Oscar 2019
Did you spend the whole of Monday morning glued to your phone’s screen as the winners of the Oscars were announced? And then go home that weekend and watch ‘Green Book’ and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’? The Oscars 2019 had us all scouring the internet for highlights of the night, including the stunning performance of “Shallow” by Lady Gaga and that guy from Wedding Crashers.
5. 巴黎聖母院
If there’s one thing that Hong Kong people are more crazy about than standing in a queue, it’s France. They love everything about the country: Coco Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, and the French accent.
So naturally, the fire breaking out beneath the roof of the Notre Dame de Paris cathedral caused quite a stir. The Notre-Dame has stood tall above Paris since the 1200s. Currently, the restoration of the damaged building is underway.
Movie Trends
- Avengers 4: End Game | 復仇者聯盟 4：終局之戰
April 2019 saw the release of the final showdown in the Infinity Saga. People eagerly flocked to the cinema to see whether the Avengers would save the world and overcome the mighty Thanos. They did, but Tony Stark died. And I only know that cause Google told me. I love you 3000.
2. JOKER小丑
The movie didn’t fail in delivering the darker-is-deeper tradition associated with the D.C. villain. Phoenix’s portrayal of the comic book character, The Joker, was piercingly intense. The film quickly rose to popularity after its release on October 3rd in Hong Kong theatres. And later went on to win a Golden Lion, Golden Globe, and Academy Award.
3. Marvel 隊長
The first Marvel Studio film to be made around a female superhero. The Captain Marvel movie radiates entertainment and empowerment for audiences young and old. Whilst Rotten Tomatoes gives it a score of 78%. What are your thoughts?
4. Weathering with You (天氣之子)
Hailed as the “best anime film of 2019”, Makoto Shinkai’s Weathering With You lives up to all expectations. The story teaches us how people can do crazy things when they are in love. The film was released on July 19th, 2019 and received a 7.6/10 rating on IMDb. It is the highest-grossing film of 2019 for Japan.
5. Three Husbands (三夫)
Three Husbands is a 2018 Hong Kong film directed by Fruit Chan, starring Zeng Meihuizi and Chan Charm-man. It is the last instalment of his “prostitution trilogy” which Chan directed from 2000–2018. It’s an overt parody of today’s all-consuming times that’s relentless in its attempts to push the audience’s buttons.
Here’s an interesting graph showing search engine use in Hong Kong:
Note: Lists are based on search terms that had the highest spike this year when compared to the previous year.
