The Lyricist Wannabe

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.