Fans distraught as the hearse carrying Wong Ka-kui leaves Hong Kong Funeral Parlour, in July 1993.
“Beyond singer in coma after fall in Japan”, ran the headline in the South China Morning Post on June 25, 1993. “Pop star Wong Ka-kui, lead vocalist for Hong Kong band Beyond, was in a coma last night, 19 hours after falling off a production set during the filming of a television variety show.”
Wong Ka-kui
Next day, the Post reported, “Wong, 31, plunged three metres and hit his head after slipping on water during filming of a slapstick fight scene for one of Japan’s most highly rated television comedy shows.”
Reviewing the band’s progress, on June 27, the newspaper’s entertainment editor wrote that Wong, his brother Ka-keung, Yip Sai-wing and Wong Koon-chung had formed Beyond in 1983 “as an independent, alternative band”. They had “developed a following, playing punk and new wave shows at small venues […] and represented an important counterpoint to the all-pervasive Canto-pop”.
Deputy secretary for health and welfare Ricky Fung (second from right) with members of pop band Beyond. From left: Wong Ka-keung, Wong Ka-kui and Wong Koon-chung at Hong Kong Polytechnic, in 1991.
On July 1, under the headline “Fans pay homage to Beyond singer”, the Post reported the death of Wong from a cerebral haemorrhage in Tokyo the day before. Fans had held a vigil outside the band’s studio in Sai Yee Street, Mong Kok.
On July 3, the Post reported: “Fans of the pop band Beyond wept at Kai Tak airport last night as the body of lead vocalist Wong Ka-kui was brought back from Tokyo. More than 100 fans, mostly teenage girls, waited in the arrivals hall for […] the body.”
Mourners pay their respects to Wong Ka-kui.
The paper reported on his funeral on July 5. “Screaming fans broke through police barriers yesterday as the hearse carrying Wong Ka-kui […] left the Hong Kong Funeral Home, in Quarry Bay. More than 3,000 distraught fans packed the pavements, tram stops and footbridge outside the funeral parlour in King’s Road, yelling ‘Ka-kui’ and singing the band’s songs.
“Although Ka-kui isn’t here, we hope he can hear our voices and see how much we miss him,” a 14-year-old girl told reporters.
