The modern-day culture of Hong Kong is really stepping centre stage into the global arena. There is a real growth in popularity of the arts emerging from Hong Kong, here we put together some of the biggest names from the music, film, and arts scenes to bring you up to speed.

Singers.

If you really want to become immersed in the music scene of where you live, why not try listening to some local artists? Asia has a huge range of popular singers and musicians, from R&B to pop and jazz, here are some of the best right now.

Jess Connelly

Already famous thanks to a modelling stint in the Philippines, Jess Connelly has a voice like chocolate and has already released her first EP, How I Love. If you are a fan of laidback R&B, then try the track 'Wait' as a perfect example of how beautiful her voice is.

David Boring

If you want something a little more edgy, then try out David Boring. They mix punk, post-punk, industrial, and experimental music to make something entirely different. Setting the Hong Kong rock scene alight, their lyrics perfectly express how problematic our modern world can be. Featuring songs that are sometimes socially and politically raw, their most recent release is fittingly called Unnatural Objects and their Humans.

Wednesday Campanella

An interesting name for this Japanese three-piece who effortlessly mix electronica, hip-hop and J-pop. Listening to their songs is almost like stepping inside a dream as their production is light as air, yet evocative of the emotion they want to display. Don't miss the chance to see this band perform live, as lead singer KOM_I often crowd surfs, sings from a stepladder or more recently, performs from inside a huge plastic ball. Listen to their album SUPERMAN now.

Gym And Swim

Hailing from Bangkok, these guys make excellent indie that is perfect to unwind to by the pool. Perfect to relax to with a drink in hand. Gym And Swim make music like their name would suggest, citing their inspiration from the food they try when they visit other countries; what better music to listen to whilst whiling away the summer? Their album Seasick is out now.

Siti Nurhaliza

One of the most famous singers in Malaysia right now, this singer, songwriter, producer, television presenter, and businesswoman is breaking ground by releasing traditional Malaysian songs, coupled with folk songs. A great role model and a perfect example of South East Asian girl power, Siti is a real rock star.

BTS

If not to your tastes, then to those of your children. BTS shot into the big time around 4 years ago and are the global sensation on the K-pop scene. They've even managed to crack the United States and most other international music markets and have won plenty of awards globally. Whilst it might be a little too 'teen pop' for some, there is no denying that BTS have a certain allure and although their music may not be overly intelligent, it is certainly enjoyable.

Asian horror films.

There is something compelling about Asian horror movies, whether it's the mix between tradition and modernity, the culture clash of old and new, but some of the creepiest horror movies of the 21st century have come out of Asia. Let's take a look at some of the best.

Kuntilanak

This movie made a star out of its lead actress Julie Estelle and is a revisit to the popular 2006 film by director Rizal Mantovani. Kuntilanak made waves in Indonesia as this movie has a different storyline to the first and focuses on a group of friends trying to find out why one of their friends has disappeared. Could it be the ghost living in an abandoned house?

Buyers Beware

The protagonist of this movie, Charlie, works for an agency that buys property belonging to people have just died or been murdered. He buys it at a cheap rate and then sells the homes on for a profit, without telling the new occupants about the tragedies that happened before. Out of sight doesn't automatically mean out of mind and he becomes haunted by vivid nightmares about the houses and their shadowy pasts. Fast becoming one of the best movies out of Hong Kong, Buyers Beware stars Carlos Chan and Carmen Soup and is directed by Jeffrey Chiang.

Langsuir

This movie revolves around a group of teenagers who go to a forbidden island on holiday. What is so forbidden about this island? The blood-sucking creatures that live there, of course. What could possibly go wrong? A lot. Especially when one of the group meets a beautiful girl called Suri, who turns out not to be human. His friends decide to test out a theory about these undead creatures (always best left alone!) which angers the inhabitants of the island and they begin to seek their revenge.

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum

Some of the most terrifying movies ever made have come out of South Korea and this is one of them. This has the typical theme of exploring an abandoned asylum that has more than its fair share of ghosts. The group exploring the asylum will broadcast it live as they explore, and you can expect some truly horrific events. Dubbed Korea's scariest horror movie ever, this is not one for the faint-hearted.

Evil and the Mask

Japan is the home of Asian horror movies and this one does not disappoint. Directed by Teppei Nakamura and starring Hiroshi Tamaki and Yuko Araki, this movie was originally based on a novel and is about the Coming of Age Day tradition in Japan. If you are looking for an insight into Japanese culture as well as a good scare, look no further.

Music festivals

Hong Kong might not be in the big leagues with Coachella, but that's not to say that it doesn't have some amazing music festivals to enjoy. Set against the backdrop of the city skyline, you don't have to worry about missing out on atmosphere. Here are some of the best music festivals in Hong Kong to go to at least once!

Clockenflap

Held in November and bearing an embarrassingly strange name, Clockenflap is one of the best weekends you can hope to have in Hong Kong. The line-up features music across all genres, as well as food and art from local and internationally renowned names on the scene. Whilst the line-up is varied and different each year, previous performers have included The Prodigy, Crystal Castles, Chemical Brothers and SBTRKT. Best of all, they have plenty of family friendly activities too.

Road to Ultra Hong Kong

Held in September and in the bustling Kowloon district, the Road to Ultra festival series brings some heavyweight electronic and EDM artists to Hong Kong. Featuring huge stages, some big-name DJs and some excellent production, Road to Ultra is one of the best festivals in Asia for electronic music fans. Previous line-ups have included David Guetta, Galantis and Axwell Ingrosso.

Dragonland

Held in February, Dragonland is unique in the fact that it combines EDM and pop all in one festival. Their location on the harbour front means you cannot beat this festival for a backdrop. Previous line-ups have included Zedd, Iggy Azalea, Steve Aoki, Black Eyed Peas, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Mike Posner. Dragonland has also featured full-length concerts by popular Hong Kong musicians, such as Leon Lai.

ALTN8

One of the biggest music festivals in Hong Kong, this multi-stage concert takes place over three days in November. The stages stretch from Wyndham Street to Lang Kwai Fong, and you can expect to see up and coming as well as established electronic artists. They also have some excellent food stalls, offering up the best in Hong Kong cuisine. Previous performers have included Suki Wong, Mike Shinns and Wendy Wenn.

Sonar music festival

Sonar is one of the biggest names in promoting cross-community art development, linking music, the arts, and technology together. They are also at the forefront of organising some excellent artistic collaborations; so if the music doesn't interest you, the cultural side just might.

Korean Dramas.

A guilty pleasure all over Asia, the often weird but nonetheless wonderful world of Korean dramas have kept audiences addicted for quite some time. Here is our pick of the best to get lost in, fire up the Netflix.

Reunited Worlds

Straddling the world between obligation and dreams, this drama follows a high school student who wants to provide for his family instead of going to college. However, following a car accident, time bends and he soon finds out that everyone thinks he has died and it's 12 years later. Finding himself at the door of his first love's home, he finds that she has sacrificed everything due to the stress of losing her love. Can they pick up where they left off or is it really the end?

Man Hole

A sweet tale of unrequited love, this drama follows Bong Pil, who has only ever loved his best friend. However, she is getting married and there is nothing Bong Pil can do about it, until the day he finds a manhole that allows him to travel back and forth in time. Once he dives into it, will it be enough to change fate and bring the two together?

Mother

Stepping away from the time-travelling, love-bending themes of the previous dramas, Mother is the tale of a woman who decides to kidnap a girl and become her mother. Originally aired in Japan, this is a remake that has had plenty of buzz, mainly for the lead actress Lee Bo Young.

Are You Human Too?

Returning to the theme of loss and remembering, the heir of a conglomerate falls into a coma so his father replaces him with a robot that looks and moves exactly like his bed-ridden namesake. Will the real heir ever wake up? Meanwhile, what will the AI get up to?

Children of a Lesser God

With a rather dramatic title, this drama is based around a detective with an extremely high IQ. Focusing on practical science to solve crimes, his attractive female partner meanwhile relies on her intuition. How will this work out when the two are trying to uncover an organized crime group, wreaking havoc throughout the city?

My Mister

This drama has already made waves, due to the 18-year age difference between the lead love interests. A private investigator slowly falls in love with the subject of her spying, despite his mediocrity.

Mister Sunshine

A young boy ends up boarding a U.S warship and lands in the USA in 1871. He later returns to Korea as a U.S soldier and ends up meeting the love of his life. Moving away from some of the schmaltz that Korean dramas are famous for, this focuses more on history, but don't fear, there is still plenty of romance.

Longing Heart

Following the journey back in time of a maths teacher who never told the girl of his dreams how he felt about her at school, he finally has the chance to right his wrongs. However, he faces competition from his younger self and the girl of his dreams has a painful secret. Who will win the heart of the girl?

Misty

Go Hye Ran is a TV broadcaster, who becomes the prime suspect in a murder case. Her husband is currently working as a public defender, and when she chooses him to represent her in court despite being on the brink of divorce, the possibility of falling in love again emerges.

10 movies that showcase a love of Hong Kong.

Asian cinema has a unique method of storytelling that is often missing from Hollywood blockbusters. You might well be familiar with Japanese anime or Korean drama. No longer the realm of cinema aficionados, there are some remarkable movies from Asia that may well take you on an unexpected adventure. Several of the best feature Hong Kong, so here is our list of the top ten movies that are sure to make you fall in love with the city.

Chungking Express

The director of this movie is Hong Kong native Wong Kar Wai, and his movie effortlessly encapsulates the spirit of Hong Kong. The plot centres around a love story, told in two parts. We have a Taiwanese policeman who falls in love with a woman who has criminal links and another policeman who falls in love with a woman working in his local bar. You may well empathise with their loneliness in the city, but the images of Hong Kong are what really makes this movie stand apart.

Enter the Dragon

Of course, it is impossible to put aside Bruce Lee. This being his final movie, Enter the Dragon is a must for kung fu and martial arts fans but also allows an insight into how precious Bruce Lee is to the city. The film was shot on location and you can see several famous landmarks. However, if pure action is what you are looking for, then Enter the Dragon has it in spades.

The World of Suzie Wong

Originally a book, this movie charts the story of an American artist who falls in love with a local prostitute. The movie is also about love for Hong Kong. Several important scenes were shot by the Star Ferry, as well as the Aberdeen harbour. The movie was made by Hollywood, but manages to capture the essence of Hong Kong, without losing too much of the flavour.

The Killer

This movie is said to be one of Quentin Tarantino's influences and has more than a little in common with some Scorsese dramas. Chow Yun Fat stars as a hitman given one last job, before being double crossed. Again, the movie is filmed on location, with some fight scenes overlooking Causeway Bay. For something grittier and heavy on violence,The Killer is a must see.

Project A

This is one of the more famous Jackie Chan movies and perfectly sums up his style of acting. Harking back to Hong Kong's colonial past, Chan is a police officer determined to stop piracy. Spanning corruption, colonialism and honour, the movie has some fantastic scenes of not only Hong Kong, but also Macau.

In The Mood For Love

Set in the 1960's, this tells the story of two neighbours who become convinced that their respective partners are cheating on them with each other. They develop a friendship, centred around this possible affair. The movie is visually stunning and skilfully portrays the conservatism of Hong Kong society at this time. Although parts of the movie were filmed in Bangkok, the movie is a beautiful testament to Hong Kong and its passions.

Infernal Affairs

The movie tells the story of a relationship between two moles, one a police officer inside a gang, and the other a gang member inside the police force. The suspense will leave you on the edge of your seat and the unfolding drama is punctuated by cityscapes of Hong Kong. One of its most famous exports, Infernal Affairs is a wonder. (not to be confused with the 1990 American film-Internal Affairs!)

Dumplings

This movie is often viewed as a horror and upon watching it, you can soon see why. The dumplings in question are believed to be age defying and upon eating will make you lose years off your appearance. However, the secret ingredient is enough to turn your stomach. Upon meeting a particularly demanding customer, the movie highlights the lengths people go to in order to look younger. The movie also perfectly spans the divide between rich and poor in the city.

Dream Home

The plot of this movie might ring a little too close to home for some. Following the story of a woman who hopes to one day buy her dream home in an extremely expensive Hong Kong, the movie perfectly shows the (albeit exaggerated) lengths people may have to go to to live. Violent, gory and a little bizarre, the movie might be just the tonic after a long day of flat hunting.

Election

This movie focuses on gangland relationships and many have compared it to The Godfather. From tense fight scenes to divided loyalties, the movie covers much of the triad legend and legacy in Hong Kong. Although showing a darker side of the city, you are immersed in a world of danger, intrigue, and breath-taking violence.

We'd love to hear what your favourite Asian artist, film, book, or music is, tell us all about it in the comments below.