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The Lyricist Wannabe (2023) movie poster

Plot Summary

The Lyricist Wannabe (2023) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2023 · 110 mins · Cantonese
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Directed by
Norris Wong Yee-Lam
Starring
Aaron Chow, Luna Shaw, Stephy Tang Lai-Yan, Ma Nien-Hsien, Calvin Poon Yuen-Leung, Jason Chan Pak-Yu

Law Wing-sze is convinced she possesses a natural talent for writing Cantopop lyrics and dedicates her life to the craft. Despite her determination to hone her skills and build connections within the music industry, she encounters numerous setbacks and obstacles. Driven by ambition, she perseveres through challenges, questioning whether her dreams can truly be realized.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Lyricist Wannabe
  6. 6 Every angle
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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in The Lyricist Wannabe: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of The Lyricist Wannabe (2023) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Law Wing Sze and her best friend Chick, both passionate about songwriting, decide to take part in their school's talent show by rewriting the lyrics of the theme song from Infernal Affairs. However, their hopeful performance is unexpectedly canceled when the event is overrun by unforeseen circumstances. During this chaotic moment, they cross paths with Mak, a fellow student who shares their love for music and openly criticizes the rigid restrictions on creativity imposed by their school environment. Inspired by this encounter, Sze becomes more determined to explore opportunities beyond her school and begins searching for external music competitions. She eventually discovers a lyric writing contest organized by CASH, and with Chick’s support, along with two classmates skilled in classical piano and choral singing, she enters her original lyrics into the competition. Unfortunately, their entry does not make it past the longlist stage.

Adding to her disappointment, Chick confesses that her mother has forced her to study abroad in Britain, leaving Sze feeling heartbroken as her close friend will no longer be able to pursue their shared dreams together. Despite these setbacks, Sze refuses to give up on her passion. She starts reaching out via cold emails to music composers, asking if they need lyricists. Among the few responses she receives is from Wong Hiu Tung, a composer who responds to her initially. Sze quickly drafts lyrics for his demo, eager to prove her talent, but Wong does not reply after that.

After completing her A-Levels, Sze enrolls in a summer lyric writing course taught by Lo, a struggling lyricist. During this course, Lo reluctantly reveals the '0243' Cantonese lyric writing method after recognizing Sze’s potential, providing her with a valuable new technique to refine her skills. With this knowledge, Sze starts actively seeking out other songwriters and eventually meets Chris Lee, an aspiring singer-songwriter who agrees to collaborate with her. As she begins university and develops new relationships, including a romantic one with her classmate Zeke, she also reunites with Mak. It turns out that Mak is actually Wong Hiu Tung in disguise, and he is impressed by Sze's lyrics, which he recognizes as promising.

While on a university trip, Sze receives exciting news: a Taiwanese record label has expressed interest in their demo. Chris asks her to meet with the producers on the label’s behalf during the trip, leading to her being faced with a difficult choice. Zeke becomes upset, feeling that Sze is prioritizing her career over their relationship. He criticizes her for chasing her dreams selfishly, which results in their breakup. Heartbroken, Sze channels her emotions into writing new lyrics and enters another lyric writing competition jointly organized by Hong Kong record labels. Her hard work pays off when she wins the gold prize, earning herself a contract as a professional lyricist.

However, a new disappointment strikes when she hears her song, co-written with Chris, being played on the radio with altered lyrics credited to a Taiwanese lyricist. This deeply frustrates her and signifies a betrayal of trust. Soon after, she receives her first job offer to write lyrics for singer Helencandy’s debut album. Driven by frustration and a desire to prove herself, Sze approaches Helencandy and offers to compose lyrics for her at no cost. Unfortunately, her earnest effort is misunderstood; Helencandy perceives her as inexperienced and dismisses her work after listening to a demo Sze co-wrote with Mak. Wong, angered by Sze’s overstepping boundaries, fires her, telling her that her talents may not be suited for a career as a lyricist despite her dedication.

Feeling disillusioned, Sze begins searching for more stable employment options. She applies to the Hong Kong Free-riders, a new ridesharing company, and is interviewed by the founder, Kan. During their conversation, Kan shares his vision for the company and asks about Sze’s dreams. She honestly admits her aspiration to become a professional lyricist, which moves Kan to hire her, assigning her the task of writing lyrics for their promotional advertisement. Sadly, her first project is short-lived; the company’s drivers are arrested for illegal passenger transport, leading to the shut down of the business. When Sze tries to find Kan to resign from her position, she finds him devastated and crying in his room, highlighting the fragile nature of her pursuit of dreams.

Her journey eventually takes her to Taiwan, where she embarks on a working holiday. While shopping at a convenience store, she hears the demo song she co-wrote with Mak playing on the radio. Overwhelmed with emotion, she tears up and reaffirms her identity as a lyricist, resolute to keep pursuing her passion despite all the setbacks. Throughout her story, Sze learns about resilience, the importance of perseverance, and staying true to her dreams, no matter how challenging the path may be.

Last updated: August 19, 2025 at 05:13

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Plot questions answered

The Lyricist Wannabe Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about The Lyricist Wannabe (2023): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why was the school talent show canceled in the movie?

The talent show was canceled because the event was overrun by unforeseen circumstances. Law Wing Sze and Chick had rewritten the lyrics to the theme song from Infernal Affairs for their performance, but the event itself became chaotic and had to be shut down before they could perform.

  • talent show
  • infernal affairs
  • performance
  • canceled
Q2

Who is Mak really in The Lyricist Wannabe?

Mak is actually Wong Hiu Tung, the composer who originally responded to Sze's cold emails. He was using a pseudonym at school and later revealed his true identity when Sze reconnects with him during university. He had recognized her lyric-writing talent from her initial emails and was impressed by her work.

  • Mak
  • Wong Hiu Tung
  • composer
  • identity reveal
Q3

What is the 0243 lyric writing method in the movie?

The 0243 is a Cantonese lyric writing method taught by Lo, a struggling lyricist whom Sze meets at a summer course. After recognizing Sze's potential, Lo reluctantly reveals this technique to help her refine her skills. It becomes a pivotal moment in Sze's development as a lyricist.

  • 0243 method
  • Lo
  • lyric writing
  • Cantonese
  • technique
Q4

Why did Zeke break up with Sze?

Zeke broke up with Sze because he felt she was prioritizing her career over their relationship. While on a university trip, Sze received news that a Taiwanese record label was interested in their demo, and Chris asked her to meet with producers. Zeke criticized her for chasing her dreams selfishly, leading to their breakup.

  • Zeke
  • breakup
  • career
  • relationship
  • Taiwan
Q5

What happened to Sze's demo song in the movie?

After Sze wins the gold prize in the lyric writing competition, she hears her song co-written with Chris being played on the radio with altered lyrics credited to a Taiwanese lyricist. This represents a betrayal of trust and highlights issues of authenticity in the music industry.

  • demo
  • stolen lyrics
  • Taiwanese lyricist
  • betrayal
  • radio
Q6

Why did Wong fire Sze from Helencandy's album?

Wong fired Sze after she approached Helencandy directly and offered to write lyrics for free, without going through proper channels. Wong was angered by Sze's overstepping boundaries. He told her that her talents may not be suited for a career as a lyricist, despite her dedication and efforts to prove herself.

  • Wong
  • Helencandy
  • fired
  • demo
  • rejected
Q7

What happened to Hong Kong Free-riders in the movie?

Hong Kong Free-riders was a ridesharing company where Sze worked after feeling disillusioned with her music career. The company hired her to write lyrics for their promotional advertisement. However, the drivers were arrested for illegal passenger transport, causing the business to shut down shortly after.

  • Hong Kong Free-riders
  • ridesharing
  • company
  • shutdown
  • Kan
Q8

Why does Sze cry when hearing the demo in Taiwan?

While on a working holiday in Taiwan, Sze hears the demo song she co-wrote with Mak playing on the radio in a convenience store. Overwhelmed with emotion, she tears up because the song represents her journey, her identity as a lyricist, and all the perseverance despite numerous setbacks. This moment reaffirms her commitment to pursuing her dreams.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, Mak (who is Wong Hiu Tung) recognizes Sze's talent and they collaborate on the demo.

  • Taiwan
  • demo
  • radio
  • emotion
  • tears
  • convenience store
Q9

Why did Chick leave Hong Kong in the movie?

Chick confesses that her mother forced her to study abroad in Britain. This departure leaves Sze heartbroken because Chick was her best friend and creative partner in pursuing their shared dreams of songwriting. It represents a significant personal setback for Sze.

  • Chick
  • Britain
  • study abroad
  • friend
  • left
Q10

What did Sze win in the lyric writing competition?

Sze won the gold prize in a lyric writing competition jointly organized by Hong Kong record labels. Her victory earned her a contract as a professional lyricist, marking a significant achievement in her long journey toward her dream. However, this success was soon followed by disappointment when her lyrics were stolen.

  • competition
  • gold prize
  • contract
  • professional lyricist
  • Hong Kong

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Lyricist Wannabe, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Lyricist Wannabe tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about artistic perseverance like The Lyricist Wannabe

Stories of aspiring creators facing setbacks with unwavering hope and resilience. Find more movies like The Lyricist Wannabe that explore the challenging path of an aspiring artist. These similar drama stories focus on creative expression, career struggles, and the bittersweet reality of chasing a dream, often with a hopeful and steady narrative pace.

  • aspiring
  • perseverance
  • hopeful
  • frustrated
  • melancholic
  • dreamlike
  • Tone: hopeful, melancholic
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically follow a protagonist's linear journey as they hone their craft, face rejections, and make personal sacrifices. The central conflict is often internal—maintaining self-belief against external pressures—leading to an ending that acknowledges progress but rarely a complete, uncomplicated victory.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a core focus on the emotional rollercoaster of pursuing a passion. They balance melancholic setbacks with an optimistic, hopeful tone, creating a cohesive vibe of resilient ambition that resonates with anyone who has chased a difficult goal.

Purpose-driven coming-of-age stories like The Lyricist Wannabe

Character-focused stories where finding one's calling is intertwined with growing up. If you liked The Lyricist Wannabe, explore these other movies about growing up through the lens of a passionate pursuit. These similar dramas depict young adults navigating friendship, sacrifice, and identity while determinedly working towards a creative or professional goal.

  • coming of age
  • ambition
  • nostalgic
  • hopeful
  • melancholic
  • self-discovery
  • Tone: hopeful, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, linear progression
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern follows a young protagonist from late teens into early adulthood, charting their growth through the lens of their ambition. Relationships and personal life are tested by their dedication, leading to a bittersweet maturation where they gain clarity about their identity at the cost of certain innocence or simpler paths.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their unique blend of the coming-of-age genre with a strong, purpose-driven plot. They share a steady pacing, a medium emotional weight centered on relatable struggles, and a tone that is fundamentally hopeful despite acknowledging the painful sacrifices of growing up.

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Movies Like The Lyricist Wannabe

Similar movies to The Lyricist Wannabe: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

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Every angle

The Lyricist Wannabe (2023) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Lyricist Wannabe 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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