S1E4: How Anita Mui started a triad war: Can I Tell You Something Crazy?

The series of events unfolded after the late Hong Kong superstar retired from the music scene in 1992.

Synopsis: Can I Tell You Something Crazy is a new scripted series under the #PopVultures banner, which examines with fresh eyes, events that shook Asian media and entertainment. 

In 1992, Anita Mui was only 29, but she had made up her mind to retire from music. The late Hong Kong superstar, known for songs like Bad Girl (1985) and The Song Of Sunset (1989), bid farewell to her singing career with a series of 30 concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum that wrapped in January 1992. 

Mui, who was also known for her acting performances in movies like Rouge (1987), wanted to shed her pop diva persona to focus on acting and charity. She was ready for a career pivot and a new beginning. Unfortunately, things went sideways quickly. 

On May 4, 1992, Mui was at a celebration with friends at Take One karaoke, having fun and drinks. But at the same venue was a film producer named Wong Long-wai, who reportedly asked her to do the thing she had retired from - to sing for him. She refused. Wong slapped her across the face. Three days later, he was shot dead. 

In this episode of Can I Tell You Something Crazy, #PopVultures host Jan Lee looks at the infamous Anita Mui slapping incident that forced the pop diva to flee her beloved city, and looks back at how Hong Kong's golden era of cinema came to be overrun by guns, triads and thugs. 

Produced by: Jan Lee (janlee@sph.com.sg) & Paxton Pang

Edited by: Paxton Pang & Eden Soh

Follow #PopVultures every month: 

Channel: https://str.sg/JWad

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaA

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaP 

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/Ju47 

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Follow Jan Lee on Instagram: https://str.sg/Jbxc

Read Jan Lee's stories: https://str.sg/Jbxp

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (new): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#PV

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.