We Spoke to @memes.hk, Hong Kong's Biggest "Part-time Meme Dealer" on Instagram

An elusive and mysterious Internet figure, @memes.hk has been operating as Hong Kong’s largest “part-time meme dealer” since May 2018, trading and uploading some of the city’s funniest and spiciest memes.

Nothing is off limits for the “full-time gold digger” too: he rips into Hong Kong uncles, drunk white expats in Lan Kwai Fong, glitzy influencers and content creators, Carrie Lam and her politico friends, and every awry, weird Cantonese custom that has followed every one of us from childhood into adulthood.

Amassing over 43,000 followers on Instagram in just three and a half years, @memes.hk is not stopping now, aiming for the moon when it comes to domination in Hong Kong’s meme world.

The Beat Asia was granted an exclusive interview with @memes.hk, to talk with the man behind the page, why he created the account, his meme inspirations and goals, favourite memes and pages, and what he includes in his Tinder profile.

What made you start the account? Did you just want to share memes with your friends?

I started this account as a way of expressing my frustration towards certain aspects of living/working in Hong Kong.

At the time, I was fairly unsatisfied with Hong Kong society and what better way to vent than to ridicule many of the absurdities through memes. I literally messaged my friend one night before bed [saying], "Hey I'm gonna start a meme account about Hong Kong", and then it became a challenge to see how big (and ridiculous) I can get this account into.

I actually do NOT want to share memes with my friends. In fact, to this day, only a handful of my friends know I run this account. A small enough group that I know who to send killers after if my identity gets leaked.

What kind of memes do you specialize in making? Are there themes to it? What kind of things do you like to make memes out of and mock?

I would say...pessimistic memes? I'm a fairly pessimistic person and I tend to see the irony and hypocrisy in how people act in society. In that sense, I do like to make memes which counter the "status quo." I also do not like rich (or privileged) people, so they are open targets as well.

What inspires you to create these memes?

My experience living in Hong Kong, ultimately. I grew up in an environment which is different from your typical Hong Konger's, so I do find it easier to see the irony in many aspects of Hong Kong society, with an "outside perspective.".

Many times, I do question and try to understand things which may seem so definite and unquestionable to most Hong Kongers (e.g., the phenomenon and acceptance of doing over-time every day, even if there's no actual work to be done).

And at times, I do find my beliefs and values to contradict with those of Hong Kong society, so that usually make great memes, or at least personal epiphanies.

Is there a process behind creating memes?

Not really. You see a funny photo; you think of something ironic that matches the photo. You experience something ironic; you search through your saved libraries of photos/meme templates to find something which matches the experience. For me, it's really ad-hoc and ideas arrive spontaneously.

What are some of your favorite memes that you’ve made? Favorite meme pages that you like?

I've made hundreds, so it's definitely difficult to select a few. I can't choose, I love all of my memes equally. I'm a fair person, no favouritism.

I invest a bit and typically keep an eye on stocks and tech, so some of the meme pages I really like are @litquidity, @memebitda, and @linkdinflex. It's definitely a plus when you can experience the humour and personalities of page owners through their IG stories.

What makes you a “part-time meme dealer, full-time gold-digger”?

Income streams before memes? Never going broke before making a career out of posting jokes? It actually doesn't mean much.

Surprisingly, I have other aspects of my life (including a 9-to-5 job) which does not involve posting memes on the Internet. On the other hand, to anyone wanting to give me some of that sweet advertisement/sponsorship money, hit me up. Ethics and integrity have a price.

I understand you want to be anonymous but what can you tell us about yourself?

What do you want to know? Here's my online dating profile:

• Interests include cooking, working out, watching movies, tax avoidance and exploring recent places.
• Phobias include butterflies, moths, any insects which "flutter" and styrofoam squeaking (oh God, just the thought).
• Despite what you see in the photos, I actually have more than one sweater.
• Currently have a quarantine mullet. I'm not lazy, it's called a manbun, mom!
• Vaxxed.

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