HKFP Lens: Fans celebrate Hong Kong icon Leslie Cheung on what would have been his 70th birthday

Hong Kong celebrated the 70th birthday of beloved Cantopop singer and film star Leslie Cheung on September 12. More than two decades after his untimely death by suicide, fan tributes honored his lasting impact on music, film, and culture.

A "Miss You Much Leslie 70th Birthday Exhibition" opened at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Sha Tin on September 17. The exhibit displayed photographs, movie posters, album artwork, and costumes he wore during performances. A live tribute concert and a drone light show lit up Victoria Harbour in his honor.

Born on September 12, 1956, Cheung became a pioneer in the relatively conservative era of Hong Kong. He gained fame as a Cantopop singer and later starred in iconic films like "Rouge," "Days of Being Wild," "Farewell My Concubine," and "Happy Together." His androgynous and bisexual style made him a queer icon in the Chinese-speaking world.

Cheung struggled with depression throughout his life. Fans continue to mark his death anniversary on April 1 by leaving flowers at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Central, Central, where he took his own life. To them, he was more than a celebrity – he was their elder brother "Gor Gor."