Five Years After Apple Daily’s Closure: Hong Kong Exiles in Taiwan Host Exhibition to Archive History

June 24 marks the fifth anniversary of the closure of Hong Kong's Apple Daily. After 26 years of witnessing the city’s major historical shifts, the newspaper ceased operations, yet its influence remains a subject of ongoing discourse. The Taipei-based group 'Chasers' (追光者) launched an exhibition today to preserve the newspaper's archives and reflect on its role in Hong Kong society.

Founded by Jimmy Lai in 1995, Apple Daily faced a series of raids by authorities under the National Security Law in 2020 and 2021, leading to the freezing of assets and its subsequent shutdown. The 'Backing Up Apple, Recording Hong Kong' exhibition showcases pivotal front pages, illustrating how the paper documented the city's political and social evolution.

Founder Lee Ka-chung emphasized that the exhibition aims to move beyond polarized perceptions of the outlet. While Apple Daily was deeply intertwined with politics, he noted it also played a significant role in Hong Kong's entertainment, culture, and lifestyle sectors. The project highlights the difficulties of archiving, noting that even front-page apologies from the past have become difficult to locate in public libraries, underscoring the sensitivity of the newspaper’s legacy.

Exhibition items will be donated to Academia Sinica for long-term preservation. Co-founder Leung Ka-lai explained that the exhibition serves to reflect on the post-Apple Daily media landscape in Hong Kong. She noted that Apple Daily also impacted Taiwan’s media ecosystem two decades ago, creating a cultural bridge between the two regions. Now operating in Taiwan, Leung highlights the importance of press freedom, expressing a hope that this exhibition allows Taiwanese audiences to understand the changing conditions in Hong Kong.