He called himself the King of Kowloon and, for almost half a century, he used his misshapen Chinese characters to wage a calligraphic campaign claiming his dominion over Hong Kong. Journalist Louisa Lim grew up in Hong Kong, surrounded by traces of the king, who was first known as a crank, then an artist and finally a most unlikely icon. As she followed his trail, she uncovered a legacy of resistance, she found her city anew. Then she lost it forever.
Latest episodes
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30 min ↗
02 | The King of Kowloon — Transition
As Hong Kong hurtles towards the transition from British colony to Chinese territory, the king becomes an unlikely celebrity artist. Governor Chris Patten prepares to hand back Hon…
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26 min ↗
01 | The King of Kowloon — Disappearance
The King's calligraphy once covered Hong Kong, but now it has all but disappeared. Louisa searches for traces of the King, and for any truth to his claims of dominion over Kowloon.…
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3 min ↗
INTRODUCING — The King of Kowloon: A Most Unlikely Icon
He called himself the King of Kowloon and, for almost half a century, he used his misshapen Chinese characters to wage a calligraphic campaign claiming his dominion over Hong Kong.…
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40 min ↗
04 | Face Value Empowerment or exploitation?
The decision to get cosmetic enhancement is complicated. It could be triggered by childhood bullying, influenced by social media, or stem from a belief that you’re not good enough.…
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40 min ↗
03 | Face Value — Killer curves and harsh realities
Cosmetic enhancement comes with plenty of risks. Botched surgeries, safety breaches, and in the worst-case scenario, fatal results. They've been reported for decades. Horror storie…
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42 min ↗
02 | Face Value — Ethnic ambiguity and the Kardashian effect
For the longest time, Western beauty has been celebrated. The desire and pressure to look more 'Western' has led to skin whitening products, nose jobs and double eyelid surgery. Bu…
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40 min ↗
01 | Face Value — Beauty boom in the age of Zoom
COVID-19 has changed the way we do things. We're relying on video platforms to work and to connect. And it turns out that seeing our faces on-screen everyday has triggered more peo…
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3 min ↗
INTRODUCING — Face Value
The cosmetic enhancement industry is booming. Injectables and surgical procedures promise age-defying beauty. But they come with real risks. From anti-wrinkle injections and filler…
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5 min ↗
Presenting-Stuff The British Stole
Have you ever wandered around a museum and thought “How on Earth did all of this stuff get here?” You’re not alone. Throughout its reign, the British Empire stole a lot of stuff. T…
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39 min ↗
04 | This Much Is True — Getting Out
By some estimates, 15 per cent of Americans believe in QAnon, the conspiracy movement connected to the storming of the US Capitol in January this year. QAnon can be all-consuming,…
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39 min ↗
03 | This Much Is True — Cults, QAnon and those left behind
Alex's bible classes started taking over his life — then he discovered who was really running them. Emma's mum went from crystals to a clique that believes in aliens and past lives…
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40 min ↗
02 | This Much is True — Dream weavers
Why do people spread information that isn't true on social media? Especially when they know that's what they're doing?
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40 min ↗
02 | This Much is True — Dream weavers
Why do people spread information that isn't true on social media? Especially when they know that's what they're doing?
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38 min ↗
01 | This Much Is True — Tradwife rabbit hole
Equality is for ugly losers. Feminism is cancer. #submissivehousewife. Welcome to the world of tradwives, a movement with two distinct subcultures: one wholesome, one harmful. For…
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5 min ↗
INTRODUCING — This Much Is True
What do you believe? There’s some very weird stuff out there. From fringe ideas to full-blown conspiracy theories, we dive into the rabbit hole to find out why it’s so human to fal…
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44 min ↗
08 | Patient Zero: First Outbreak
In 1789, a disease tore through Aboriginal communities around Sydney Cove, or Warrane, leaving dead bodies floating in the harbour, and scattered along the shorelines. Some think t…
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41 min ↗
07 | Patient Zero: Back From The Brink
A six-year old boy in Papua New Guinea wakes up one day and is suddenly unable to stand by himself. Less than a year later, children in three other Asia Pacific nations are experie…
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41 min ↗
07 | Patient Zero: Back From The Brink
A six-year old boy in Papua New Guinea wakes up one day and is suddenly unable to stand by himself. Less than a year later, children in three other Asia Pacific nations are experie…
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41 min ↗
06 | Patient Zero: Ticking Time Bomb
You’re a doctor faced with a dilemma: your patient isn’t responding to treatment. In fact, they’re getting worse. You run through a list of what might be wrong, but nothing seems t…
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41 min ↗
05 | Patient Zero: Spillover In Suburbia
A sleepy suburb in Brisbane is the scene of a gruesome disease outbreak, where the streets literally run with blood.