Cover Chow Yun-fat, a legendary Hong Kong actor (Photo: Getty Images)
Chow Yun-fat, a legendary Hong Kong actor (Photo: Getty Images)
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Four decades after A Better Tomorrow redefined Hong Kong’s film scene, leading man Chow Yun-fat has invested his silver screen earnings into property
Known affectionately as “Fat Gor” or “big brother Fat,” legendary Hong Kong actor Chow Yun-fat earned a reputation as one of the defining screen presences in the city's gangster dramas, romantic epics and comedies. He built his name through director John Woo's landmark action films A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, and Hard Boiled, while his later credits spanned the Oscar-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
Away from the screen, Chow assembled a Hong Kong property portfolio now worth more than HK$1 billion (US$129 million), built largely during the boom years of the late 1980s and 1990s. For decades, these purchases appreciated without incident. But this year, Hong Kong’s luxury residential transaction value fell 30% to HK$8.76 billion (US$1.13 billion) in the second quarter of 2026, according to real estate services firm CBRE. Chow’s detached house on The Peak—one of Hong Kong’s most expensive neighbourhoods—has sat unsold for close to four years despite three price cuts.
Aligning with the 40th anniversary of A Better Tomorrow, Chow’s search for a homebuyer has drawn more buzz than ever. Here’s a quick look at the properties of Hong Kong’s most beloved film stars.
Read more: Home tour: Inside the Hong Kong mansion of Kowloon Motor Bus’s William Louey
Sunshine Villa residence, Mount Kellett Road, the Peak
Above Sunshine villa, a home owned by Chow Yun-fat. (Photo: via Midland Realty)
Sunshine villa, a home owned by Chow Yun-fat. (Photo: via Midland Realty)
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Chow Yun-fat acquired this 2,547-square-foot detached villa in September 2010 for HK$128 million, a then-record rate. He listed the house in October 2022 at HK$220 million, reduced the price to HK$195 million in late 2024, and cut it again to HK$160 million in July 2026. The cumulative reduction of HK$60 million, some 27 per cent, brings the asking price to about HK$62,819 per square foot. (Viewings remain tightly restricted.)
Cumberland Road residence, Kowloon Tong
Above Chow Yun-fat (left) and his wife, Jasmine Tan (Photo: Getty Images)
Chow Yun-fat (left) and his wife, Jasmine Tan (Photo: Getty Images)
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Chow Yun-fat and his wife, Jasmine Tan, have also reportedly owned an apartment on Cumberland Road in Kowloon Tong, purchased in 1990 for HK$14.7 million, according to local media; separately, some local media outlets claim the pair live in it while owning a portfolio of 12 different properties worth HK$1 billion. Though an exact verification can't be independently verified, Chow is known for a modest lifestyle, reportedly travelling by bus and dining at local cha chaan tengs.
Corona Tower apartment, Mid-Levels
Above Chow Yun-fat sold an apartment in Corona Tower in April 2026. (Photo: via Midland Realty)
Chow Yun-fat sold an apartment in Corona Tower in April 2026. (Photo: via Midland Realty)
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Even as his largest Peak listing remains unsold, Chow Yun-fat has made gains on other property investments. In April 2026, he sold a three-bedroom flat at Corona Tower in Mid-Levels for HK$7.5 million, generating a profit of HK$3.58 million after holding the unit for 31 years.
Cat Wang is an editor at Tatler Asia based in Hong Kong, where she covers business, wealth, innovation, and impact. Previously, she was a Forbes Asia reporter and assistant editor of the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch list, spotlighting startups and small companies on the rise across the Asia-Pacific. She began her career as a trainee reporter at the South China Morning Post, Hong Kong’s newspaper of record. Born in New York City, she graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a B.A. in political science.
