Is Hong Kong’s celebrity-driven ‘fan economy’ a game changer, or a bubble about to burst?

Freda Wong* was never a big fan of any celebrity until the day she watched Hong Kong Cantopop heartthrob Keung To perform on television in early 2020.

The Covid-19 pandemic had just begun to ravage the city and, listening to the singer from the 12-member boy band Mirror, the 51-year-old freelance community officer was simply blown away.