How does the drama of Mr. Ho and Mrs. Ho reflect various social issues?
Updated: Jun 1
#Personal opinion
A few weeks ago, early in the morning, I received a WhatsApp message from friends and family:
Jason: "Quick, take a look around!"
Jack: "This old man falls in love at this old age"
Steven: "That woman must be a gold digger"
What exactly happened?
On May 5th of this year, a Hong Kong TV show called "Scoop" aired an episode about a man in his 70s named "Uncle Ho."
Nine years ago, his wife passed away. He had always maintained a harmonious relationship with his five children, often traveling and gathering together.
Earlier this year, Uncle Ho met a mainland Chinese woman who claimed to be 46 years old at a street market. She had an 18-year-old son.
After knowing each other for a short time, Auntie Ho cooked soup for Uncle Ho. He sweetly said that after drinking the soup, he developed feelings for her.
About a month later, they got married. Afterwards, Auntie Ho suggested that Uncle Ho withdraw 1 million Hong Kong dollars from his fixed deposit account to start a small catering business. Since Uncle Ho's account was jointly opened with his daughter, both signatures were required to withdraw money from the fixed deposit. Not long after, bank staff notified Uncle Ho that the entire $4.5 million of his fixed deposit had been withdrawn by his daughter.
Since Uncle Ho married Auntie Ho, his children have turned against him. His second son kicked him out of the house, and Uncle Ho tried to find his daughter at the hospital. However, she threatened to call the police. They believe that Auntie Ho intentionally deceived him for money, so his daughter took preemptive action to take Uncle Ho's money.
After the broadcast of "Scoop" it received widespread attention from the public, and various social media platforms shared and discussed this report. The controversy surrounding Uncle Ho and Auntie Ho reflects various social issues including age differences and conflicts between mainland China and Hong Kong.
How does the drama of Mr. Ho and Mrs. Ho reflect various social issues?
Life style blog
Netizens found a channel on a social media platform called "Thousand Words Baby Life Record," which appears to be related to Mrs. Ho. The woman in the videos bears a resemblance to the new Mrs. Ho. She shares her philosophy of life and wise words, such as "If you catch the eye of a wealthy man" and "A piece of advice for all women," discussing topics like "Money cannot measure love." Netizens linked her quotes to Uncle Ho's twilight romance, suspecting that the new Mrs. Ho might be using these tactics to meet men in hopes of marrying a wealthy one.
Furthermore, merchants in the street market noted that when the new Mrs. Ho first set up her stall, she immediately introduced herself as a divorced woman and exchanged WeChat contacts with the married owner of a hair salon. Many people question the new Mrs. Ho's intentions.
Most discussed is the fact that the new Mrs. Ho and Uncle Ho only knew each other for just over a month before she actively proposed marriage to him. Furthermore, she swiftly suggested withdrawing $1 million in cash from the deposit, arousing suspicions of ulterior motives.
Romance Scam
In recent years, online romance scams have seen a sharp increase. To combat these fraudulent activities, the Hong Kong police have established a dedicated Anti-Deception Coordination Centre (ADCC) to tackle online romance scams.
Data shows that over eighty percent of Hong Kong citizens have been targeted by scammers, with twenty-six percent falling victim to scams, resulting in an average loss of $3800 Hong Kong dollars.
As many victims are elderly individuals, their families pay special attention to whether they have fallen prey to scams.
In the case of Uncle Ho, his family feared that his savings would be completely depleted, so his daughter immediately transferred his assets to another account. Uncle Ho's children emphasize that they will take care of him but will not take care of the new Mrs. Ho.
Conflicts between the HKers and individuals from Mainland China
Due to the new Mrs. Ho's lavish appearance during her interview with "Scoop" many viewers questioned whether they are eligible to live in public housing in Hong Kong.
According to data from the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department, there were 7.5 million people recorded in Hong Kong last year, with an annual increase of 0.4%, including over 40,000 new immigrants. Statistics from the Hong Kong Housing Authority at the end of March showed that the "Comprehensive Waiting Time for Public Housing" for general applicants was 5.7 years. Approximately 10,000 applications are from new immigrants who have resided in Hong Kong for less than 7 years.
As the waiting time for public housing units is long, some citizens believe that new immigrants are increasing the waiting time for public housing in Hong Kong. Some individual cases involve mainland Chinese women marrying Hong Kong residents with the intention of obtaining a Hong Kong identity card. After obtaining public housing, they apply for divorce.
According to the income and asset limits set by the Hong Kong Housing Authority, the asset limit for a 2-person public housing unit is HK$387,000. However, according to rough calculations by netizens, the jewelry and watches received by Mrs. Ho from Uncle Ho are already worth HK$368,200, almost reaching the asset limit for public housing. Many netizens are calling for an investigation into whether they have violated the policy for wealthy households.
"I believe her, she is not a gold digger. In my mind, she is not a bad woman."
Although most netizens support the actions of Uncle Ho's children, there are also some netizens who believe that love has no right or wrong.
"Love" is a very subjective feeling. In the program "Scoop," Uncle Ho emphasizes that the new Mrs. Ho is attentive to him, often preparing soup for him to drink.
Uncle Ho: "I trust her (the new Mrs. Ho), she won't cheat me out of my money. In my heart, she is not a bad woman. I know she is an honest person. Everyone is targeting her, targeting my wife, you say I'm heartbroken...... I see my wife is honest, she wouldn't cheat me out of my money."
Since Uncle Ho and the new Mrs. Ho insist that they love each other, how can the outside world question their thoughts?
Audience Calvin H believes that Uncle Ho finding true love is absolutely fine. Everyone, regardless of age, needs the feeling of love. Uncle Ho's children should be happy about this. The money is earned by him, and he has the right to decide how to use it, including giving his savings to the new Mrs. Ho.
Netizen Pepe Yau's father has another perspective. He said that from a perspective of interest calculation, it's actually most beneficial for Uncle Ho! He said Uncle Ho is already quite old, and if he were to hire a caregiver or nurse to take care of him, the monthly expenses would be considerable. It's rare for Uncle Ho to find someone who genuinely loves him and is willing to take care of him and make soup for him for free. So, the biggest beneficiary is actually Uncle Ho.
Does love need age restrictions?
Whether love needs age restrictions is a highly subjective question, and opinions vary from person to person. Some believe that age should not be a barrier to love; as long as two people genuinely care for each other, their relationship should be respected and supported. They argue that love cannot be measured by age, and as long as both individuals are adults capable of understanding and handling the responsibilities and consequences of love, they should be free to choose their romantic partners.
Others, however, argue that age can sometimes impact the stability and maturity of a romantic relationship. They may believe that significant age differences can lead to differences in perspectives, values, and life experiences, potentially affecting compatibility and communication between partners. Therefore, they argue that relationships with large age gaps may face additional challenges and difficulties.
In conclusion, whether there should be age restrictions on love depends on individual values, cultural backgrounds, and circumstances. Ultimately, what matters most in a romantic relationship is that both parties feel happy and comfortable and are capable of navigating any challenges that may arise.
In the United States, many couples have significant age differences. One famous example is the late actress Anna Nicole Smith. She grew up in poverty, with barely enough food at home. As she got older, Anna Nicole Smith performed as a stripper in a Texas strip club. At the age of 21, she met Texas oil tycoon J. Howard Marshall at the strip club.
At the time, Marshall was already 84 years old, meaning there was a 63-year age gap between them. After getting married, Marshall strongly supported Anna Nicole Smith's entertainment career. She later became a fashion model, a Playboy playmate, and appeared in movies such as "The Final Insult" and "The Hudsucker Proxy," among others. In a documentary, she expressed gratitude for meeting Marshall, who she credited with improving her quality of life.
Just 13 months after their marriage, Marshall passed away, leaving behind a $1.6 billion estate. Anna Nicole Smith insisted that Marshall had verbally promised her half of his estate, including a 16% stake in his company, worth up to $1.6 billion. However, Marshall's son claimed they were the rightful heirs to the estate. Subsequently, Anna Nicole Smith and Marshall's son were involved in lengthy legal disputes that lasted for several years.
On February 8, 2007, Anna Nicole Smith was found dead in a room at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Texas, at the age of 39, due to a drug overdose.
I never imagined that a segment from "Scoop" would become the talk of the town for everyone after dinner.
Hong Kong hasn't experienced such a highly controversial, entertaining, and resonant topic in a long time.
What are your perspectives on this Mr. and Mrs. Ho's family disputes? Please visit www.ktsfgo.com follow, like and comment.
Written by: Teapapersunny, https://www.facebook.com/teapapersunny
#本篇文章純粹是個人觀點，不反映本台立場
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