PENANG will be featured as a filming location for the Miss Hong Kong Pageant 2025, marking the first time the long-running beauty contest is holding its outdoor filming in the state.
The collaboration between Hong Kong broadcaster TVB and the Penang government was announced today at City Hall in Esplanade by state Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai.
Fourteen finalists of the pageant are currently in Penang for location shooting, accompanied by TVB production crews and stars Benjamin Yuen Wai Ho and Moon Lau Pui Yuet.
“This is a proud moment for Penang. It highlights our rising international visibility and growing reputation as a destination for global film and television productions,” Wong said.
The filming is a result of a tourism mission led by Wong to Hong Kong in June, which aimed to boost promotional efforts under the theme ‘Penang: Not the Penang You Know.’
As part of the visit, Wong held meetings with HK Express, which subsequently announced an increase in direct flights between Hong Kong and Penang — from one to two daily flights starting Oct 26, this year.
He said the partnership with TVB, one of the largest Chinese-language television networks with a wide global reach, is a strategic move to position Penang to a broader Chinese-speaking audience worldwide.
“Through the lens of this pageant, audiences across Hong Kong, mainland China, Southeast Asia and beyond will get to experience Penang’s unique blend of heritage, nature, and modernity,” he said.
TVB’s Miss Hong Kong Pageant is a nearly 80-year-old production, widely followed by Chinese-speaking communities globally.
TVB’s weekly audience in Hong Kong alone exceeds 5.1 million viewers, with overseas distribution extending to Malaysia, Singapore, the US, Canada and other countries.
Filming is expected to take place over several days at iconic Penang sites, including George Town, Penang Hill and local beaches.
When met, Yuen said he was delighted to visit and hoped to explore the food haven, while Lau, formerly the 2013 Miss Hong Kong second runner-up, looked forward to visiting several places in Penang.
Among those present were Air Itam assemblyman Joseph Ng, Berapit assemblyman Heng Lee Lee, Seri Delima assemblyman Connie Tan, and Penang Global Tourism (PGT) chief executive officer Ooi Chok Yan.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis