There is a Peter Parker, who has been serving in Hong Kong’s friendly neighbourhood as their local-Spider-man since 2016. After an exhausting day at work, the young man breathes a sigh of relief in his bed. Then his “spider-sense” awakes, he puts on the world-renowned costume and leaps to the street – the hustle and bustle of Tsim Sha Tsui. For him, this costume is not merely a source of income, but also his own way of doing good, like his comic book counterpart. When interviewed, i realised the two Peters share a similar childhood. They were both victims of bullying at school, due to their introvert personalities. The Hong Kong's Spidey recall that he was living with his mum on a tight budget when he was young. The Spider-Man movies toughened him up. He said he wants to share the power with others which is one of the reasons why he took up the costume. Hong Kong Spidey says he just wants to bring happiness to the stressful Hong Kong. He hides his identity to his family and friends. Standing on the streets for more than two hours during summer is unbearable for most, yet sweat and tiredness never stop him. Hong Kong Spidey is able to perform outdoor for up to six hours a day, regardless of season, simply because he enjoys what he does. Spidey insisted that his purpose is to bring joy to everyone. He declined when people gave him tips at first. Later he thought of a meaningful idea, which is to use the tips from the public to help the needy. Despite the strict regulations of fund-raising activities in Hong Kong, Spidey finds his own way of doing charity, works as a street performer and spends all the money he makes for donation. We first met in the Star Ferry Pier when he was surrounded by people who were taking turns to take selfies with him including myself ! So far, Spidey has donated more than HKD 35,000 to various non-profit organizations, such as the Hong Kong Cancer Fund and the Society for Abandoned Animals. He keeps a record of every payment he makes and posts the receipt onto his Instagram (ID: hkspidey), which is followed by more than 12,000 followers. Social media also made him a social influencer. Spidey described himself as the “agony aunt” behind the mask. Despite the huge number of followers, Spidey is always a good listener who reads every message from everyone and spreads encouragement and joy.
Spidey thinks that he has to shoulder more responsibility now as Hong Kong Spider-man is known by more. He said disguising as Spider-man is never easy in real life. Although dressing up as a comic character seems like an unrealistic act, the positive feedback from the public is what keeps his going. He also said that whenever he put on his costume, he feels like he is the real Spider-Man. I personally think he has the aura of Spider-Man. They are similar !
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