Hong Kong’s Last Squatter Cafe

Surrounded by modern high-rises, Ngau Chi Wan is one of the last shantytowns left in urban Hong Kong. But it could soon be demolished as the government plans to redevelop the area in the next decade.
Po Fook Cafe is one of the few remaining stores in Ngau Chi Wan, having served its residents cheap and hearty breakfasts for over 50 years. The owner, Chou Chiu-soon, is sad to see it go but also acknowledges the changes that have happened around his neighborhood.
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Producer: Andersen Xia
Script: Weiyu Qian
Narration: Gavin Huang
Editor: Nicholas Ko
Mastering: Joel Roche
Music: Audio Network

[@corinaleong1689]

This is the heart of a community. I hope they can come to an agreement, regenerate the place so they can keep the community alive. There is nothing worst than having having a centre/town that is cloned with ubiquitous Starbucks, Gap etc like any high streets.

[@sofaking3113]

Community and comprise don’t mix

[@kylin3197]

he's such a chill and optimistic guy

[@pandabear153]

It's great to hear Cantonese these days. At least it sounds familiar to our dialect Hoisan va.

[@njcdailo8934]

Slowly Cantonese is disappearing sadly.

[@vcghosty9752]

@@njcdailo8934 wdym guangdong and guangxi and hong kong still speak it

[@njcdailo8934]

@@vcghosty9752 true true.

[@ken431256]

In Malaysia it's spoken a lot too

[@CCP_zhongguo_sai_B]

Cantonese is a language not dialect.

[@Kwijiboi]

Love it. Thank you for making this video! Stay safe in HK!

[@LeSomeGuy]

Why is his place referred to as "squatter cafe"? It seems he legally owns the location and it is a place of business opened to the public?

[@beanie741]

I dont quite understand the legalities but the village was originally/is a squatter village. Some of the homes (and maybe his shop) were informally purchased from other squatters if I understand correctly.

[@MrBoliao98]

It probably ain't illegal, it's just the village land ownership is not as clear cut, they dont follow the same British system or the torrens system of record.

[@keepitprivate3856]

@@MrBoliao98 yeah, its not illegal, there were a mass development of squatter village back in 70s or earlier when there was no one claim the ownership basically its a slump until a fire burnt down most of the buildings, public housing then built by govt to solve this problem as well as most of the village in that area as they mentioned when the MTR was built most people were moved out, this is what they left

[@MrBoliao98]

@@keepitprivate3856 呢啲地契都係嗰啲英國人接受先至咁亂。有牌有名，唔係亂黎

[@herbw3841]

Here we have a similar situation in Kuala Lumpur. Right in the heart of the city, just across from the iconic Petronas Twin Towers Kuala Lumpur City Centre & and surrounded by many high rise modern sky scrapers, condominiums is an area similar to this village in Hong Kong. The place is Kampung Baru and like its counterpart in HK the city underground rapid transit runs through that area with a stop there, also called "Kampong Baru". You can look it up for more details. 🇲🇾 🇲🇾 🇲🇾

[@MrBoliao98]

Sekarang bukan Kampung Baru, jadi Kampung Lama

[@s3kemo]

He might not feel sad about change but I do. I'll sorely miss places like these when they're all gone. For now, introduce my daughter to the real HK like this and help her build lifelong memories of her own.

[@idiobox]

I hope this district remains. It's a piece of history and shouldn't be abandoned for the sake of "progress". It's like a step back in time.

[@luia3911]

Love listening to the Cantonese speaking language , it sounds soothing👍doesn’t sound aggressive like Mandarin.

[@worldcitizeng6507]

I missed visiting HK, I used to crossed the border from Senzchen during 2013-14 to "renew" my tourist visa every 30 days since the school I was teaching was too cheap to apply a work visa on my behalf. I enjoyed every visit- shop, eat, sight seeing etc. Shopping was the best, the street vendors stayed open until midnight, and my motel was in the same neighborhood, so I can shop till midnight.

[@Peizxcv]

The new development needs to include a hawker center like they do in Singapore so local shops can continue to serve the locals

[@somethinglee2394]

oh wow 2:14-2:16 is a beautiful shot

[@64kdawg]

Love the old cantonese culture. South China is so beautiful but dying now due to china mandarin only government

[@yudo2639]

I didn't understand the language but it feels like home. I want to visit the uncle❤️, the place ,the people, the uncle, everyone feels so connected❤️❤️

[@rebeckyc1401]

Hard working, earnest family values that is missing in today’s society . I love hearing his comfortable folksy Cantonese. ❤️

[@trex1448]

Great stuff.

[@mimireuser5383]

I love Cantonese... it is so hard for me to learn for some reason, so I studied Mandarin. I might try Cantonese.

[@holkn]

mandarin is easier to learn. There are only 4 tones in mandarin but 9 in cantonese.

[@bigsweet6472]

Next time I go to HK I definitely want to visit this place

[@ligmanuzz2824]

He seems like a wise man

[@gerardyoung6050]

man kind cant conquer time, just fade away. the sadness in the old man eye reflect every-one of the same passage.

[@et3naltwilight]

Do these businesses get regulars from outside the village?

[@user-vp5iy8ec9q]

after consulting locals, i would keep some of these old hk, & helps keeping healthy & clean

[@yongxianghe1432]

3：09 that guy is a tvb actor（or used to？）😅

[@joyjoyoo]

我还挺喜欢香港茶餐厅的。很有感觉

[@FredFox985]

Interesting how everyone says "Made in China" when referring to poorly made items. Look at these guys, with roofs that last over decades. I know of multi-million dollar apartments here in Hawaii that were built not five years ago, but have cracks developing in the walls of the apartments already.

[@CBs-Home-Vids]

it's nice that the development is coming right when he's about ready to retire and there's no love lost in his case. Fortunate for him at least.

[@crazymonkeyvk714]

shout out to Cantonese!

[@Obscurai]

Nice, a video I can understand without subtitles. 😊

[@NicknameBasis]

I was about to say too...finally my Cantonese can be of use lol

[@RasPutintheGreat]

Kind of place I want to eat, drink coffee and past the time.

[@sekarayu8600]

Hongkong .😁👍👍👍👍👍

[@longlivehumanity3664]

Hongkong goverment should build high rise buildings and accommodate as more people as it can to cope with the vast housing crises in hongkong. I have watched so many videos of people living in cage homes in hongkong so they should make optimal utilization of the limited land.

[@abeu]

There is certain charm about HK Cafe food, instant coffee, instant noodles with fried egg. Cheap, nasty and hits the spot.

[@veermistartmkwinstagramvee7067]

Nasty???

[@ANTSEMUT1]

@@veermistartmkwinstagramvee7067 unhealthy.

[@slerk9]

Before watching I thought people were actually squatting without seats

[@verdellellis4043]

The economy is Vastly changing with no more than how it use to be.

[@Phlegethon]

This guy is actually a multi millionaire any time he wants to be.

[@mr.kaboom8729]

Damn i like to travel cuz I'm a traveller like my spiritual leader Jinggis Khann. We must come to this wonderful place with our hordes and drink good traditional coffee.

[@josephgarza5265]

Such a sad shame that progress destroys our past.

[@ZhongliAcross7NationsOfTeyvat]

I think we need this kind of area in every country. To keep a part of the past, the traditions alive. Like a living museum on how people of a nation or ethnic used to live. So our future sons and daughters can learn from them.

[@xiaogeju2011]

For foreigners it is very romantic but for the people living there it is very unsanitary and unhealthy. I hope they will find the way out. But ofcourse - that what is done by own hand is more valuable....

[@asoka4048]

They are not squatters they own the place lol

[@mrpopenfresh]

Are villages like this threatened by gentrification? Seems like the most hipster place to be.

[@mwjw14]

this vid should be titled a man made peace with time and himself

[@tinavien3769]

Thanks for ya ya doing honey honey bye bye ya dear dear mom bye ya dear honey bye honey ya ya how’s your mom doing how’s your doing ya how’s your mom doing doing honey honey ya ya honey how’s your mom doing doing ya how’s your mom doing how’s your day today

[@timotl36]

"Po Fook" cafe? Puh-lease. You can't come up with a better bad pun than Po Fook...?

[@ElementEvilTeam]

poor f**k ?

[@yingchao9286]

I can’t believe that’s Hong Kong; that looks so poor and nasty.

[@thiefrules]

A lot of the areas were very poor until they were redeveloped to look nicer so up until recently, this type of place was very common. In the 60's and 70's, you saw these types of villages everywhere, or you lived in government housing with shared bathrooms and showers, kitchens, and 6 to 7 people living in one room. Because it was high traffic, low income, and not a lot of time, stuff was thrown together since they couldn't afford proper builders or they didn't have time to do it themselves, so it was usually dilapidated and worn. You have to remember, Hong Kong has extreme wealth inequality. A majority of the population lives in poverty.

[@tjones7638]

I bet you yourself are poor and based on your comment, you definitely have a nasty personality 🤢

[@jimmytan2208]

Ying needs to go out more.

[@cb250nighthawk3]

It looks quaint and cute and nostalgic to me. It's rich with culture and homeliness. Happiness is its essence. Peace is its beauty.

[@st3v3nzzz1]

nah i have nostalgic feeling in that place where he show the picture