The popular streamer, who arrived in Hong Kong after visiting mainland China, also took part in 'villain-hitting' ritual in Causeway Bay. — SCMP
YouTube star IShowSpeed has begun his visit to Hong Kong, drawing crowds of fans as he made his way around the popular shopping neighbourhood of Causeway Bay before seeing the pandas at Ocean Park.
The 20-year-old American, dressed in a Hong Kong football team shirt, spent Friday morning taking part in a “villain-hitting” ritual in the district and eating breakfast from fast-food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Fans followed his every move during the short appearance in Causeway Bay, stopping him for autographs and photos, while some even handed over gifts.
“Why does everybody speak English here, everybody who I met spoke English,” he said during his ongoing live stream, adding it caught him off guard.
Up to 140,000 people were watching his YouTube live stream on Friday morning.
The streamer later visited Ocean Park, adding that he wanted to see a panda for the first time.
“Pandas don’t look real, how are they real animals,” he said, while viewing the city’s new baby panda cubs and their mother, Ying Ying, at the theme park.
Fans followed him as he walked through the park. At one point he offered to tie their shoelaces as a friendly gesture getting into a cable car.
IShowSpeed, sometimes just known as Speed, is known for his dramatic and exaggerated personality. He has over 37 million YouTube followers, who frequently tune into his live streams.
While initially focused on video game content, he has more recently taken his live streams global as he travels the world.
He is currently on a weeks-long trip to mainland China, Hong Kong and Mongolia. Before arriving in Hong Kong on Friday, he had travelled to Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Chongqing.
Highlights of his live streams so far include doing a backflip on the Great Wall of China, tasting spicy hotpot in Chengdu, learning kung fu with Shaolin monks and taking a night ferry tour showing off the futuristic Chongqing skyline.
The live streams have lasted for about six hours in each location, with the videos amassing a combined 36 million views.
His trip has been hailed by Beijing officials and state media as evidence of a growing desire for mutual understanding between Americans and Chinese amid escalating trade frictions.
The online star, who hails from the midwestern state of Ohio and whose real name is Darren Watkins Jnr, is seen in the lengthy productions praising the people who greeted him enthusiastically, as well as clean streets and Internet connectivity that remains fast and stable on subway rides. – South China Morning Post
