The Parallel pub — the Thai YouTuber incident on Hollywood Road, Hong Kong

The Parallel, a pub on Hollywood Road in Hong Kong's Central district, became the subject of international attention in early February 2024 when a young Thai YouTuber walking past the establishment captured what he believed to be a partial apparition on his camera. The footage, which went viral on social media, appeared to show a translucent figure in the doorway of the pub. The incident sparked debate among paranormal enthusiasts and skeptics alike. Hollywood Road, one of the oldest streets in Hong Kong, was one of the first roads built after the British colonization in 1841, and the area has a history that includes the opium trade, colonial-era commerce, and the Japanese occupation. The pub itself occupies a building on a street known for its antique shops and galleries — establishments that deal in objects from across Asia, some of which carry their own spiritual associations in Chinese folk belief. The Thai YouTuber's video reignited interest in the haunted reputation of Hollywood Road, where numerous shops and restaurants have their own ghost stories. In both Thai and Chinese spiritual traditions, photographs and video are believed to occasionally capture images of spirits invisible to the naked eye.