#18 香然之氣: Cultivating a sense of tranquility amidst the Hong Kong skyscrapers
Editor: Jihyon Park @_j_ihn.b, Namgyu Hwang @nwangerd, Hye Soo Seol @hyssl.kr
side A
223: “So… why are you guys called ybp anyway? I mean, you’re not actually broke. What’s so broke about ybp?”
663: “I feel like I get this question all the time.”
Fei: “But we are broke.”
663: “True.”
223: “Yeah, fair enough. But I mean… randomly flying to Hong Kong for a concert doesn’t exactly scream dictionary-definition broke, you know?”
663: “That’s why we recently rebranded ourselves: Young broqué professionals.”
223: “Wait, seriously?”
Fei: “Totally serious. Like you said, we’re not broke in the strict financial sense. We’re more like people who are desperately trying to live well—stylishly—without going broke.”
663: “Broqué~~.”
(beat of silence)
663: “Anyway, if we were to really define what magazine ybp is trying to say through its name, it’s less about broke and more about broqué. And under that name, we felt the need to clarify exactly what kind of stories we want to tell.”
223: “Go on, give us the one-liner.”
Fei: “If I had to sum it up in one line... I guess it’s a magazine about young people who are struggling—but also enjoying the struggle—as they try to do both work and life well.”
663: “I like that.”
223: “Ahh. Makes sense.”
Fei: “We want to build our careers seriously, but we also want to live fully outside of work. That’s why we’re here in Hong Kong to see Hyukoh’s concert.”
663: “We want to tell stories that people like us can relate to—stories that inform, that help, that connect. You know how the term work-life balance used to be all the rage? I still hear it a lot. But honestly, I never really connected with that word. Balance? What does that even mean? I don’t want balance. I want to do both well. Not just enough, but really well.”
223: “And that’s how you go broqué, huh?”
663: “Exactly. Welcome to ybp.”
side B
When people think of Hong Kong, its iconic night views often come to mind—but the city’s bar scene is just as renowned. Many bartenders who’ve won global cocktail competitions are based here, and Hong Kong’s long-standing blend of Eastern and Western cultures has given rise to bars with a unique mix of traditional flair and modern trends. You’ll often find this in the vintage charm of bars housed in renovated warehouses or old colonial buildings.
During our recent YBP workshop in Hong Kong, we had the chance to visit two bars that ranked among Asia’s 50 Best Bars. One was ARGO, located inside the Four Seasons Hotel. The other was Penicillin.
Here, we share a closer look at the latter.
@Penicillin
If you go up the mid-level escalator and wander through the alleyways, you'll easily come across cafes and bars with a few spoonfuls of hype, and Penicillin is one of them.
Stepping through the metal door, you’re greeted by a brightly lit space that resembles a white-tiled laboratory. Turn your head, and you’ll find a bar area in stark contrast—dimly lit, with shelves lined with bottles that look as if they came straight out of a lab.
This place runs the "One Penicillin, One Tree" project, where for every specialty cocktail you order, a new tree is planted in the Kalimantan rainforest in Borneo. From the specialty cocktail list, I ordered the slow grind, a pistachio paste bourbon cocktail. It was a dessert-like glass with a rich espresso and nutty flavors.
Just as we were finishing our drinks, one of the staff members approached us and asked about the magazine.ybp t-shirts we were all wearing. Perhaps intrigued by our story, he led us to a hidden room behind the bar and began sharing more about the philosophy behind this place.
As hinted at in their “One Penicillin, One Tree” project, this bar is deeply committed to sustainability. The hidden room turned out to be a space where they ferment leftover yet still-fresh ingredients—sourced from nearby restaurants—into craft cider before the ingredients lose their value.
Each bottle was labeled with ingredients like “radish” or “apple cider.” (They even poured us each a glass of the house-made cider, and knowing how it was made somehow made it taste even sweeter.)
It turns out that many of the materials used in the interior were also chosen with sustainability in mind. Even the wooden table we were sitting at was made from a tree that had fallen during a typhoon. Had I not heard this story, I probably would’ve remembered the place simply as a stylish bar.
But after hearing it, I looked around again and thought—a sustainable bar can be just as cool as any other bar! I couldn’t help but be impressed.
All the internal conflicts they must have gone through—the push and pull of staying true to their values while also delivering the kind of hype people crave—and the fact that they didn’t give up in the end, despite all the constraints, made the experience at this bar all the more meaningful.
The ybp t-shirt we were all wearing
Bonus.
To be honest, the reason I decided to go to Hong Kong in the first place was to see Hyukoh and Sunset Rollercoaster in concert. Ever since watching footage from their 2020 world tour, “Go to a Hyukoh concert” had been sitting on my bucket list. This year, I had been listening to AAA—the album they released together—on repeat, wondering, “Are they ever going to tour?” Right then, a post announcing the AAA Asia Tour popped up. Without booking a flight, without even realizing the concert was on a Wednesday, I impulsively bought the ticket first.
So, how was the concert?
In short: it reminded me to cherish the things I love—and to share them.
Hyukoh and Sunset Rollercoaster’s music was incredible, of course, but what stayed with me just as much was the crowd. Some, like me, had likely crossed borders just to be there. Others looked like they’d rushed straight from work in their suits, barely making it in time. The venue had no tiers—just one open floor packed with people, each moving to their own rhythm. Watching everyone dance and sway, it felt like I could actually feel their love for the music. And that made the whole experience even more beautiful. I want to keep living with that kind of romance—the kind where you hold tight to what you love, and let yourself enjoy it.
What made this concert even more special was that I shared it with friends, including those from ybp. Our low-cost airline betrayed us by delaying our arrival to the exact time the concert started. Wearing our concert outfits and carrying backpacks, we landed at Hong Kong airport, dropped our luggage at the hotel right outside, and ran to the venue. We did miss the opening songs—but even those moments will stay with me, as part of the time I spent loving Hyukoh in my own way.
Video of the 2020 World Tour performance:
[LIVE] HYUKOH _ Wanli万里 @ HYUKOH 2020 WORLD TOUR [through love] - SEOUL
[LIVE] HYUKOH _ New born @ HYUKOH 2020 WORLD TOUR [through love] - SEOUL