Pop icon Leslie Cheung’s legacy endures 20 years after death

By KANIS LEUNG
Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — Fans of late Canto-pop icon Leslie Cheung, one of the first singers to come out as gay in Hong Kong, flocked to the city this week to commemorate their idol’s death 20 years ago, revisiting his legacy of pioneering works made during a socially conservative time. Cheung, who was 46 when he died, was known for his singing, dancing and acting during the heyday of the city’s entertainment industry in the 1980s and ’90s. His supporters fondly remembered his norm-breaking works, calling him “ahead of time.” Anthony Fung, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said the local reminiscences of Cheung reflect the desire to revive Hong Kong’s cultural influence.