There is a group of young people who dress fashion-forward, unconventional, and whose aesthetic sensibilities break away from the mainstream framework, earning them the label of subculture. But 20-year-old KAKA has shattered stereotypes and misunderstandings about subculture in the outside world. With his flamboyant looks and short videos of him professionally singing famous Peking Opera arias, he has stepped into the public eye, blending traditional Chinese opera with "Yabi" culture (subculture) to create a unique spark and form his very own "Peking Opera Yabi" style.
In KAKA's journey through life, "Yabi" and "Peking Opera" – two seemingly contradictory paths – were inspired by film and music, respectively. In high school, the bold and avant-garde makeup and styling on Doja Cat's album deeply moved KAKA, prompting him to follow his heart and be himself. "Since I already live in this world, why can't I do what I want to do?" Today, KAKA's parents are slowly coming to understand their son's uniqueness, and when faced with strange looks from the outside world, KAKA takes it in stride: "Not everyone can accept me. Maybe as long as there is a part of them that understands me and recognizes me, that's enough."
His connection with Peking Opera began with Leslie Cheung's "Farewell My Concubine". That film opened the door to traditional Chinese opera for 12-year-old KAKA. KAKA has his own, younger-generation understanding of Peking Opera: "It shares a continuous thread with Chinese culture, but that thread is rather abstract. You can feel our nation's humour and our national spirit from the stories in Peking Opera." He knows full well the value of Peking Opera as a "national treasure," but he also understands the dilemma that Peking Opera feels very distant from young people. To let more people know that Peking Opera should not be an art form shelved high above, he posts short videos of himself singing Peking Opera in "Yabi" outfits, and also tries to blend electronic music into Peking Opera. "Many people like it too, and it can also be very cool," KAKA admits. "What I'm doing is actually quite controversial, but it's pretty good to have the recognition of most people."
Applying base makeup, sweeping on rouge, painting the eyebrows and eyes, using elm tree resin to fix the hair pieces, and putting on a full costume and makeup to step onto the stage – KAKA, with his passion for Peking Opera and his unique soul, breaks out of the box, allowing this ancient art form to transcend dimensions and boundaries, and to be reborn in the context of a new era.
(Reporter: Ella Qu/ Cameramen: Bernard, Rachel/ Video Editor: Bernard/ Editor: Anyan/ Translator: Ella Qu/ Producer: Tracy Tao)
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