Hong Kong’s bustling food centers are filled with noise, clattering plates, and chatter. Among the crowd, one figure always stands out. Kent Wong, better known by his online persona Uncle K, sits with his trademark baseball cap, sunglasses, and colorful tropical-print shirt. What started as a simple disguise has now become his signature look.
For Wong, fame arrived almost overnight. His cheerful food clips pulled in over 184,000 followers on Instagram in a year’s time. Yet he insists the attention hasn’t changed him: he’s still just an ordinary guy with a love for sharing meals.
His authenticity and lighthearted presence make his videos resonate widely, bridging age gaps and cultural tastes. While enjoying a red bean ice, he once summed it up: “I think people connect with me because I’m just normal.” That simple truth has helped him become one of Hong Kong’s best-known digital food personalities.
Father-Daughter Project Created a Career
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The roots of Wong’s social media journey trace back to an ordinary school project. His daughter, then in elementary school, asked him to help create a math video. With no experience in filming or editing, Wong gave it a try. The first attempt ran five minutes and turned out flat, but that failure lit a fire.
Determined to improve, Wong threw himself into learning video editing techniques. Soon, he was producing short food videos that began attracting attention online. What started as a small favor for his daughter grew into a passion project that transformed his daily life.
At first, Wong worried about exposing his daughter to unwanted online attention. But those fears faded when he discovered her proudly showing his YouTube clips to classmates. That moment strengthened their bond, and Wong often credits his daughter as the spark that changed his path.
From Logistics to a “Second Life” in Food
By day, Wong runs a logistics company, a career he has built over two decades. But social media has given him what he calls a “second life.” Each morning begins with a swim to stay active, followed by hours devoted to filming and editing. He often posts videos four times a week, covering both breakfast and lunch. Dinner remains a family affair, kept separate from his content.
Wong views his channel like a digital newspaper, offering fresh content regularly. That consistency fuels his growth and keeps followers engaged. He enjoys exploring Hong Kong eateries ranging from dai pai dong stalls to sit-down restaurants, always focusing on food that carries cultural meaning.
Why Uncle K Rejects the “Influencer” Label
Despite his success, Wong avoids the influencer tag. He prefers to call himself a content creator, emphasizing storytelling over self-promotion. His approach is rooted in positivity; if he dislikes a dish, he simply doesn’t post about it.
“I don’t rate or review restaurants,” he explains. “If the food doesn’t work for me, I move on. My role is to share stories, not criticize.”
This perspective sets him apart in a world where harsh online reviews often dominate. By spotlighting only the positives, Wong strengthens connections with restaurant owners and viewers alike.
Collaborations and Expanding the Brand
Instagram | @khengchan_ | @ghlchan | Uncle K teams up with creators like Kelly Chan and Grace Chan and shares Hong Kong culture through food and products.
As Wong’s popularity grew, collaborations followed. He has worked with Kelly Chan, also known as Spoon Chan, a Hong Kong-Indonesian lifestyle creator, and Lukian Wang, better known as CookingBoBo, who blends cooking, modeling, and acting in her digital career.
His reach extended further when Hong Kong-born actress Grace Chan invited him to collaborate. Together, they filmed themselves enjoying Indian food inside the famous Chungking Mansions, an experience that highlighted Wong’s appeal across different circles.
In July, Wong released Hong Kong Food Map, a book that brings his digital storytelling into print. Not long after, he launched “Old Cake,” an online shop whose name riffs on the Cantonese phrase lou beng—a cheeky way of saying “old man.”
The store’s debut item was a navy cap stitched with a playful Cantonese expression often overheard in local cafés. It was a perfect example of Wong’s humor and his knack for turning everyday cultural quirks into something collectible.
Humor, Humility, and a Local Mission
Wong’s appeal rests on his light touch and humility. He pokes fun at himself often, resisting the self-importance that can come with internet fame. Still, beneath the humor lies a deeper mission: to support Hong Kong’s food community. With many eateries still struggling after the pandemic, Wong urges locals to choose neighborhood restaurants over cheap alternatives in Shenzhen. His videos have helped, sometimes drawing waves of customers to small shops overnight.
While he covers a wide range of dining spots, Wong gravitates toward casual places where conversations flow and community thrives. At Lok Yuen, a long-standing cha chaan teng famous for baked pork chop rice and Hong Kong-style French toast, he explains his philosophy clearly.
“Food videos should connect people to culture and memory. That’s more valuable than ratings.”
Balancing Fatherhood and Digital Fame
Instagram | uncle_k_hong_kong | Uncle K’s journey shows how simple, authentic food videos can connect a community.
Wong’s daughter continues to play an important role in his journey. She introduces him to younger cultural trends, including the global reach of K-pop. After hearing one of Blackpink’s songs through her, Wong even used it as background music in a food video, effortlessly bridging generational interests.
This father-daughter exchange not only strengthens their relationship but also makes Wong’s content relatable to both younger and older audiences. His videos capture authentic family values while highlighting Hong Kong’s evolving cultural landscape.
The Style Behind the Screen
Consistency defines Wong’s approach. Each post carries his Cantonese narration with subtitles in English and Chinese, a detail that makes his work easy to follow for fans both in Hong Kong and abroad. Many overseas Hong Kongers write to say his videos ease their homesickness.
His bright shirts, sunglasses, and signature cap started out as a way to stay under the radar, but the look has since become his trademark.
That visual identity makes him instantly recognizable and strengthens the trust he’s built in the crowded world of social media.
Carrying Hong Kong’s Food Culture Forward
As his platform continues to expand, Wong is mapping out new ways to grow—more partnerships, a stronger brand presence, and different approaches to telling Hong Kong’s culinary story. Even with momentum on his side, he’s clear about what drives him: not celebrity, but a love of food and community.
