Mong Kok
Mong Kok (also spelled Mongkok, often abbreviated as MK) is an area in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The Prince Edward subarea occupies the northern part of Mong Kok. Mong Kok is one of the major shopping areas in Hong Kong. The area is characterised by a mixture of old and new multi-story buildings, with shops and restaurants at street level, and commercial or residential units above. Major industries in Mong Kok are retail, restaurants (including fast food) and entertainment. It has been described and portrayed in films as an area in which triads run bars, nightclubs, and massage  parlors. With its extremely high population density of 130,000/km or 340,000 per square mile, Mong Kok was described as the busiest district in the world by the "Guinness World Records". Name. Until 1930, the area was called Mong Kok Tsui (芒角嘴). The current English name is a transliteration of its older Chinese name 望角 (; ), or 芒角 (; ), which is named for its plentiful supply of ferns in the past when it was a coastal region. Its present Chinese name "旺角" (; ), means "prosperous corner" or "crowded corner", however, the English name did not change. For a period, the area was also  called Argyle, and this name was used for the MTR station when it opened in 1979. The office building , which was named after the area, is known in English as "Argyle Centre" rather than "Mong Kok Centre." Administration. Mong Kok is part of Yau Tsim Mong District. It was part of the Mong Kok District before the district was merged in 1994. The area belongs to the Kowloon West geographical constituency of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. History. Displays at the Chinese University of Hong Kong include antique potteries indicating that there might have been settlements in the area  as early as the Jin Dynasty (266–420). The area used to be a Hakka settlement, with about 200 villagers according to Bao'an records in 1819. The heart of the present-day Mong Kok is along Argyle Street near Sai Yeung Choi Street whilst the proper Mong Kok used to be to the north, near the present-day Mong Kok East station. Mong Kok was an area of cultivated lands, bounded to the south by Argyle Street, to the west by Coronation Road (a section of present-day Nathan Road), and to the east by hills. To the southeast of Mong  Kok is Ho Man Tin and to the west Tai Kok Tsui. On 10 August 2008, the Cornwall Court fire broke out. More than 200 firefighters were involved in the rescue operation. Four people died, including two firefighters. Mong Kok received a lot of negative media attention for many acid attacks on Sai Yeung Choi Street from December 2008 through January 2010. The area was the site of protracted demonstrations during the 2014 Hong Kong protests, including the "gau wu" campaign, and was also the site of the 2016 Mong Kok civil unrest. Streets and markets. Mong Kok preserves its  traditional characteristics with an array of markets, small shops, and food stalls that have disappeared from other areas during the past several decades of economic developments and urban transformation. As such, a few of these streets in Mong Kok have acquired nicknames reflecting their own characteristics. Some interesting sites are: Some popular shopping plazas located in this dense area include: Other streets in the area include: Food. The Mong Kok area has many food-booths selling traditional snacks such as fish balls, fried beancurd (tofu) and various dim sum. These fingerfoods are very popular in Hong Kong, especially for folks  on the run. In addition, there are restaurants serving different kinds of cuisine, ranging from Japanese to Thai to Italian. Built heritage. Built heritage in Mog Kok includes: Education. Educational institutions in Mong Kok include: Transport. The main thoroughfares are: Three rail lines serve the area: Popular culture. Mong Kok was the setting for the 2004 hit film "One Night in Mongkok" directed by Derek Yee. The movie portrays Mong Kok, one of the most densely populated places on Earth, as a hotbed of illicit activity. Similarly, the district was also the setting of the 1996 film "Mongkok Story" (旺角風雲 ) directed by Wilson Yip, which depicts a young man who becomes involved in a triad gang. The 2009 film "To Live and Die in Mongkok" and the 2013 film "" are also set in Mong Kok. The literal Chinese title of the 1988 film "As Tears Go By" by Wong Kar-wai is "Mong Kok Carmen". Part of Robert Ludlum's 1986 novel "The Bourne Supremacy" was set in Mong Kok. The area is known locally for a youth subculture, the Mong Kok culture. 2014 protests. Mong Kok was one of the main sites of the 2014 Hong Kong protests. Banks , jewellery stores and clothing stores were closed as a result of the pro-democracy protests.