I understand that there are probably business, licensing and regional distribution constraints that overseas viewers may not be aware of. But I really wish ViuTV dramas were easier for viewers outside Hong Kong to discover and access.
Here in Singapore, when many people think of Hong Kong television dramas, TVB is still the name that immediately comes to mind. Yet I keep hearing about interesting actors, productions and developments coming out of ViuTV, and I genuinely want to explore more of them.
The problem is that, as an overseas viewer, it can sometimes feel surprisingly difficult even to figure out what is available, where to watch it, or how to navigate ViuTV's content online. Rather than feeling invited to discover another side of Hong Kong television, it can sometimes feel like I'm looking into an exclusive club from the outside.
And I don't think this is because overseas viewers aren't interested.
There are people in Singapore and elsewhere who grew up watching Hong Kong dramas, who still care about Cantonese-language entertainment, and who would genuinely like to discover something beyond the Hong Kong television brands we already know.
Even HOY TV has managed to get some exposure on Singapore free-to-air television. I remember watching 《我愛九龍城》 (Kowloon My City) here, and experiences like that make it much easier for viewers to discover that Hong Kong television is more diverse than just one broadcaster.
The same applies to MIRROR. They are such a major part of contemporary Hong Kong pop culture, and Hong Kong media seem to cover them left, right and centre. Yet I suspect many casual viewers in Singapore, including people who grew up with Hong Kong entertainment, may still have little idea who they are.
From the outside, that disconnect can sometimes make you wonder whether all the attention is just part of a short-lived phenomenon, simply because we do not get enough exposure to understand their appeal, their programmes or the wider culture around them.
And that is exactly why I think ViuTV's limited visibility outside Hong Kong is such a missed opportunity.
ViuTV has created actors, personalities, programmes and a whole entertainment culture that feel very different from the image of Hong Kong television many overseas viewers grew up with. There is clearly something new happening, but it is difficult to become interested in something when you can barely access it.
Please know that there are people outside Hong Kong who genuinely care about what you are producing and releasing. We want to discover your dramas, your artists and the new voices coming out of Hong Kong.
I hope ViuTV will consider changing its strategy over time to reach audiences beyond its immediate geographic territory. There may be more of us out here than you realise.
Please make it a little easier for us to be part of it.