Crystal Fung and Hilary Chong Visit HKU

Both winners of Miss Hong Kong pageant from 2016 and 2023 respectively, TVB actresses Crystal Fung (馮盈盈) and Hilary Chong (莊子璇), both graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Food and Nutrition from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), while Crystal further pursued a Master’s Degree in Food Industry: Management and Marketing. Recently, the two returned to their alma mater, HKU, to record a conversation with a Biological Sciences Associate Professor, which later went viral online, being conducted entirely in English!

Hilary Was Inspired by Crystal to Take Up Nutrition

Asked why they chose HKU and their respective fields of study, and how their education has impacted them, Crystal responded in eloquent English, “I think HKU is like my second home. Every time I walk through those hallways, it’s like this wave of memories just hits me. I can still remember pulling all-nighters with my study group and arguing about theories in class. Ha, those were really great times,” She added that she would stroll around the campus whenever she feels stressed, which feels like hitting a “reset” button, and sometimes recall her professors’ voices echoing in her mind, even years after graduation.

When Hilary shared that her decision to enrol in nutrition studies was actually inspired by Crystal as she had watched the Miss Hong Kong pageant while still in school. The latter then went on to share how her younger brother suffered from chronic kidney disease since he was just two. Once, he experienced swelling in the body, prompting the family to adopt a low-sodium diet for him which left him excluded from family meals. Saddened, Crystal delved into nutrition studies to help him.

Crystal Shares Ambition; Tries too Hard to Impress?

Discussing their future plans, Crystal stated, “What’s the point of all this knowledge if we’re not using it to make the world better?” and shared her plans to leverage social media not only to share beautiful photos but also content about science and nutrition, and wants to publish a cookbook on “mindful eating” to help more understand how food impacts personal well-being and the planet.

While she expressed dreams of founding a non-profit organization one day to provide nutrition and health advice, Hilary simply shared that she is currently focusing on her entertainment career as a newbie but also hopes to share nutrition knowledge through her social channels just as Crystal is doing.

The viral video elicited netizen comments, who felt that while Hilary’s English might not be as polished, her speech sounded more natural and spontaneous, unlike Crystal’s rehearsed and overly formal responses, with stiff pauses and exaggerated expressions. Some remarked, “It feels like she’s preparing for a public exam group discussion,” and criticized her for trying too hard to project a refined image.

However, some also defended Crystal, noting that those who had worked with her during her studies recalled that she spoke English in the same manner, and often led her group to achieve good results in presentations. A few also shared clips from a travel program Crystal had shot in the Netherlands with Miss Hong Kong 2015 winner Louisa Mak (麥明詩), commenting that her English seemed more natural, when conversing with foreigners back then.

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