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A Taste of Killing and Romance (1994) movie poster

Timeline

A Taste of Killing and Romance (1994) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1994 · 93 mins · Cantonese
Directed by
Veronica Chan
Starring
Andy Lau, Anita Yuen Wing-Yee, Joe Junior, Chi-Shan Lai, Christine Ng Wing-Mei, Jack Wong Wai-Leung

A veteran hitman, weary of his violent trade, considers retirement after meeting the organization’s newest recruit. He quickly falls for the female assassin, who donates her earnings to a local church. Their forbidden romance draws the attention of police and the secretive society that employs them, forcing a desperate flight.

Romance Crime Action Cast, crew & box office
On this page (4)
  1. 1 Events in order (12)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Every angle

12 events in order · contains spoilers

A Taste of Killing and Romance Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of A Taste of Killing and Romance (1994) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Ko Sau completes a hit in Shanghai

    Ko Sau starts the story by successfully completing a high-profile hit in Shanghai. He then returns to Hong Kong, where his boss Ice welcomes him with a gift of a car, indicating his importance in the organization. Ice also discusses a new contract involving killing a tainted witness, Kwok Chung.

    Where
    Shanghai

  2. Introduction of Yu-fung after her first assignment

    Yu-fung completes her first assignment by killing a loan shark, marking her initiation into the organization. She bumps into Ko Sau while fleeing the scene, pointing a gun at him to get a quick getaway. She then warns him to avoid her in the future if they cross paths again.

  3. Police escort for Kwok Chung

    Inspector Tung Fai leads a police escort to bring Kwok Chung to court, anticipating an attack. During the escort, a hitman ambushes them, but Tung kills the attacker, preventing an assassination. The court session begins with Tung undercover among the witnesses.

  4. Ko Sau assassinates Kwok Chung

    Disguised as a judge, Ko Sau kills Kwok Chung during the court session to eliminate the witness. He quickly flees the scene, and Tung Fai pursues him, but Ko manages to escape the police trap.

  5. Encounter at the airport and Yu-fung's warning

    Ko Sau encounters Yu-fung at the airport while preparing to leave Hong Kong. She gives him a ride to the airport but warns him to stay away from her if they meet again, implying potential danger. Ko unexpectedly steps in front of her car as she drives off, indicating his persistence.

    Where
    Hong Kong Airport

  6. Ice's internal conflicts and executions

    Ice kills Yue Tung after he pleads for mercy, demonstrating her ruthless nature. She also orders the killing of Tung's mother and her dog, showcasing her brutal attitude towards disobedience. This establishes her as a formidable and cold-blooded boss.

  7. Ko and Yu-fung's reunion and day together

    Ko and Yu-fung unexpectedly meet again at a wedding and share a meal and mahjong, leading to a night together. Their relationship deepens amidst the chaos of their dangerous lives, revealing a personal connection beyond their roles as hitman and assassin.

  8. Tung Fai investigates Wong Cheung

    Tung Fai contacts his informant Ma Chi-chuen to investigate Wong Cheung, leading to a meeting at an arcade. Tung’s efforts to gather intelligence about hitmen lead him to suspect Ko Sau as well, intensifying the police's pursuit of him.

    Where
    Arcade

  9. Ice's assignment on Tsui Ka-sing

    Ice secretly orders Ko Sau to kill Tsui Ka-sing, revealing her manipulative tactics. Ko infiltrates a lion dance event to execute the hit but flees after a falling platform causes a chaos, failing his first attempt to eliminate Tsui.

    Where
    Monastery and lion dance event

  10. Ko kills Tsui Ka-sing and escapes

    After Tsui notices Ko and draws his gun, both engage in a shootout when a collapse occurs. Ko manages to kill Tsui in a parking lot and escapes from Tung’s squad, continuing his pursuit of freedom amidst ongoing danger.

    Where
    Parking lot

  11. Final confrontation on the yacht

    Ko and Yu-fung spend a night on a yacht, contemplating escape from their deadly lives. Wong Cheung arrives with henchmen, leading to a gunfight where Ko fights to save Yu-fung, ultimately getting shot by Wong after completing his promise to quit as a hitman.

    Where
    Yacht

  12. Wong Cheung's finale and police intervention

    Wong Cheung kills Ice and tries to capture Ko Sau. During a confrontation on the beach, Ko arms himself and fights Wong’s henchmen, killing several before fatally wounding Wong Cheung. The police arrive as the gunfight concludes, with Wong surrendering but ultimately being shot by Yu-fung in a tragic finale.

    Where
    Beach

Last updated: August 19, 2025 at 05:13

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Timeline questions answered

A Taste of Killing and Romance Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of A Taste of Killing and Romance (1994): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Ko stay in Hong Kong after meeting Yu-fung at the airport?

Ko decides to stay because Yu-fung warns him that she will kill him if they meet a third time. Instead of leaving, he deliberately steps in front of her car as she drives away, calling her bluff. This act signals his interest in pursuing a relationship with her, and he correctly assumes she won't actually follow through with her threat.

  • ko shao
  • yu-fung
  • romance
  • airport scene
  • stays in hong kong
Q2

Why does Ice kill Yue Tung?

Ice kills Yue Tung as punishment for failing an assignment. When Yue Tung pleads for mercy, Ice distracts him with her naked body and then murders him without hesitation. This demonstrates Ice's ruthless nature and establishes that failure in her organization is met with death.

  • ice
  • yue tung
  • killed
  • failed assignment
  • ruthless
Q3

Why does Ice order Tung's mother killed?

Ice orders the killing of Inspector Tung Fai's elderly mother as retaliation for Tung's persistent pursuit of the hitmen. This act demonstrates Ice's brutal tactics and willingness to target innocent family members to send a message. She also kills the mother's dog and a visiting child, showcasing her cold-blooded nature.

  • ice
  • tung fai
  • mother killed
  • retaliation
  • police pursuit
Q4

Why does Ko refuse to continue working for Ice?

Ko decides to quit after developing feelings for Yu-fung and wanting to escape the violent life of contract killing. When Ice pressures him to continue, he returns his payment and dares her to set a date for his death if she wants him dead. His primary motivation is to build a future with Yu-fung away from the criminal underworld.

  • ko shao
  • quits
  • ice organization
  • romance
  • escape violent life
Q5

Why does Ice secretly task Yu-fung with killing Ko?

After Ko refuses to continue working for her, Ice secretly orders Yu-fung to kill him. This demonstrates Ice's manipulative and distrustful nature, she is willing to use one assassin against another, even though Ko and Yu-fung have developed a romantic relationship. Ice treats betrayal with lethal force.

  • ice
  • yu-fung
  • ordered to kill ko
  • betrayal
  • secret assignment
Q6

Why does Wong Cheung kill Ice?

Wong Cheung kills Ice during a private moment, presumably to seize control of the organization or eliminate her as a rival. After Ice's death, Wong discovers the tracker in Ko's gifted car and leads an attack on the yacht where Ko and Yu-fung are staying, attempting to eliminate both of them.

  • wong cheung
  • kills ice
  • power struggle
  • organization control
Q7

Why does Yu-fung point a gun at both Wong and the police at the end?

At the climax, Yu-fung is severely traumatized after being stabbed in the thigh and having her fingers cut off by Wong when she refused to reveal Ko's location. During the final confrontation on the beach, she grabs Wong's pistol and points it at both Wong and the approaching police. The police interpret this as a threat and open fire, killing both Yu-fung and Wong.

  • yu-fung
  • police
  • wong cheung
  • killed
  • tragic ending
  • beach confrontation
Q8

How does Ko successfully assassinate Kwok Chung in court?

Ko disguises himself as a judge and enters the courtroom during the session. He executes Kwok Chung with precise efficiency before anyone can react. Despite Inspector Tung Fai's pursuit, Ko manages to escape the police trap through careful planning and quick thinking, demonstrating his expertise as a hitman.

  • ko shao
  • court assassination
  • disguise
  • judge
  • kwok chung
  • escapes police
Q9

Why does Yu-fung donate her earnings to a church?

Yu-fung donates her assassination earnings to a local church, revealing her complex moral character. Despite being a paid killer, she maintains a sense of guilt or spiritual conscience, using her ill-gotten money for what she perceives as righteous purposes. This detail humanizes her and adds depth to her character.

  • yu-fung
  • church donation
  • earnings
  • guilt
  • moral conflict
Q10

Why does Wong Cheung cut off Yu-fung's fingers?

During the yacht attack, Wong Cheung tortures Yu-fung by cutting off her fingers when she refuses to reveal Ko's location. This brutal act demonstrates Wong's ruthless torture methods and his determination to get information. The injury also symbolizes the destruction of her ability to kill, her primary skill as an assassin.

  • wong cheung
  • yu-fung
  • fingers cut
  • torture
  • refuses to reveal ko
Q11

Why does Ko return his payment to Ice?

Ko returns the US$300,000 payment to Ice along with his refusal to continue as a hitman. This act represents his definitive break from the criminal organization and his commitment to starting a new life with Yu-fung. By returning the money, he signals that he is done with the violent lifestyle and refuses to be controlled by Ice any longer.

  • ko shao
  • returns money
  • ice
  • quits
  • payment
  • 300000
Q12

Why does Ko's assassination attempt at the monastery fail?

Ko attempts to kill Tsui Ka-sing during a lion dance performance at a monastery but Tsui notices him before he can complete the hit. During the struggle, the platform collapses due to the chaos, forcing Ko to flee in a speedboat. This marks his first failed assignment in the organization.

  • ko shao
  • monastery
  • lion dance
  • tsui ka-sing
  • failed assassination
  • escape

Movie threads

More Movies Like A Taste of Killing and Romance, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes A Taste of Killing and Romance tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about criminal lovers on the run like A Taste of Killing and Romance

Forbidden romances where love is the only escape from a life of crime. If you liked the desperate romance and high-stakes flight in A Taste of Killing and Romance, you'll find similar thrillers here. These movies feature couples bound by crime, pursued by former allies and the law, in stories where love and survival are inextricably linked.

  • tense
  • romantic
  • desperate
  • tragic
  • thrilling
  • fatalistic
  • Tone: tense, tragic, desperate
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically follow two criminals who find solace in each other, sparking a romance that necessitates a desperate escape plan. Their journey is a relentless flight, marked by betrayals, narrow escapes, and the looming threat of being pulled back into the world they are trying to leave, often with tragic consequences.

Why they belong together: They are grouped by the powerful combination of a high-intensity crime plot with a heavy, doomed romance. The shared experience is one of tense fatalism, where the characters' love is both their motivation and their greatest vulnerability against a cynical, violent world.

Deep Valley movie poster

Deep Valley

1947
A Taste of Killing and Romance movie poster

A Taste of Killing and Romance

1994
Kites movie poster

Kites

2010
Romeo + Juliet movie poster

Romeo + Juliet

1996
Out of the Dark movie poster

Out of the Dark

2015
Mayaanadhi movie poster

Mayaanadhi

2017
Fatal Desire movie poster

Fatal Desire

2006
Ho! movie poster

Ho!

1968

Tense and fatalistic crime thrillers like A Taste of Killing and Romance

Gritty stories where the criminal world offers no clean escapes. Fans of the desperate, high-intensity atmosphere in A Taste of Killing and Romance will appreciate these selections. These movies share a fast pace, a tense and cynical tone, and explore the moral conflicts of characters trapped in organized crime, often ending in tragedy.

  • tense
  • fatalistic
  • violent
  • cynical
  • thrilling
  • desperate
  • Tone: tense, cynical, bleak
  • Pacing: fast, thrilling
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a professional criminal, often a hitman or enforcer, who reaches a breaking point. Their attempt to change their fate—through retirement, redemption, or love—unleashes a chain of violent events orchestrated by their unforgiving employers, demonstrating the inescapable nature of their world.

Why they belong together: They are united by a specific mood cocktail: high tension, a fast pace, violent action, and a overarching sense of doom. The viewing experience is consistently thrilling yet bleak, focusing on the moral and physical costs of a life of crime.

True Crime movie poster

True Crime

1999
Confession of Murder movie poster

Confession of Murder

2012
Violent City movie poster

Violent City

1970
Heat movie poster

Heat

1995
Criminal Activities movie poster

Criminal Activities

2015
The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil movie poster

The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil

2023
HIT: The First Case movie poster

HIT: The First Case

2020
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2012

Every angle

A Taste of Killing and Romance (1994) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about A Taste of Killing and Romance in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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