This was the duality of the '97 magazine work. On one shelf, you had the glossy, high-society titles— Tatler , Jessica —preparing the elite for the transition, assuring them that business would continue as usual. On the other shelf, the counterculture zines screamed that the world was ending, urging readers to "Buy now, pay later" or to simply leave.
Local lifestyle and political magazines focused heavily on the psychological state of Hong Kong citizens. Work in publications like The Nineties (九十年代) explored the phenomenon of "handover immigration"—families securing foreign passports in Canada, the UK, or Australia before returning to work in Hong Kong. 3. Visual Defiance and Satire hong kong 97 magazine work
Working on a magazine staff during the handover required navigating intense logistical, ethical, and political hurdles. Logistics and Production Grinds This was the duality of the '97 magazine work
Satirical magazines and independent local zines used dark humor to process their anxieties. Cartoonists and layout designers faced the unique challenge of visually representing a future they could not predict, often using imagery of the Chinese dragon consuming the British lion, or the ticking digital countdown clock in Tiananmen Square. The Reality of the Newsroom: Challenges of 97 Magazine Work Local lifestyle and political magazines focused heavily on
In the media frenzy leading up to and following the handover, Hong Kong 97 was an unusual player. While over and major outlets from Time to the Wall Street Journal were covering the political and economic story, Hong Kong 97 offered a very different kind of content.
The game’s introduction sets the scene: it is July 1997, and the handover has occurred. The Chinese government faces a crisis as "bravados"—a torrent of undead citizens from the mainland—cross the border, causing crime to skyrocket. In desperation, the Hong Kong government hires Chin, a fictional relative of Bruce Lee (depicted using a pixelated still of actor Jackie Chan from the film Wheels on Meals ), to exterminate all 1.2 billion people on the mainland. Reflecting Real-World Fears
The media coverage of Chris Patten, the 28th and last Governor of Hong Kong, was a masterclass in political portraiture. Magazine covers frequently featured Patten in his trademark spectacles, often looking weary or melancholic. The visual narrative was clear: the end of an era.