Sowing The Seeds Of Love

Sowing The Seeds Of Love

Sowing The Seeds Of Love

What would a chronicle of the Main Building be without a love story? It is after all a favourite for wedding photos, and its tall arches, columns and Victorian tiles convey romantic charm.

For Khadinn Khan andKhadinn and Huby Huby Ko, who both graduated in 2007, it was the place where the first seeds of love were planted.


In their Fine Arts classroom, the windows were often darkened by teacher, Dr Carolyn Muir, so students could better appreciate the examples of Italian Renaissance art that she flashed on a wall using an old-fashioned slide projector. Huby, a Linguistics major, noticed that Khadinn, a European Studies major, was a good student.

“One day there was a test and I hadn’t prepared much so I intentionally sat next to him just to peek a little at his test paper. That was my first impression of him,” she says.

That may have been the end of it but they both joined a European Studies trip at the end of their second year led by Dr Wayne Cristaudo. In a Paris café they spoke to each other for the first time. Two days later, their group climbed the Eiffel Tower and sparks began to fly – literally.

“It’s a very romantic place. Every hour the lights on the tower sparkle. That moment is just amazing and at that moment Khadinn stood next to me,” Huby says.

Where he has been ever since. The couple were married in 2011. “The Eiffel Tower is a magical place,” Khadinn agrees.

But just as impressive to them both has been the Main Building. Huby, who now works for agnès b., says it was what attracted her to HKU.

“When I was in high school I made the decision that I had to enter HKU and it was all because of the Main Building. Because I like old buildings,” she says.

Sowing The Seeds Of Love

Khadinn, who is an art expert with an art insurer, regards the Main Building as particularly relevant to his major. “It has a connection to colonial times with the columns, the clock tower and everything. Even though we’re in Hong Kong, we have that connection to Europe through this building style and this environment. That’s important to us as students.”

Though the building does have its disadvantages. “In old buildings like the Main Building you have a humidity problem. The walls and floor tiles get wet so you have to be careful,” he says. “But then again, you feel that privilege of being an Arts students and being in the Main Building. It provides you with inspiration.”

The inspiration has been particularly important for Khadinn, who had his secondary school studies in the UK cut short when he was diagnosed with a bone tumour. He returned to Hong Kong, where he recovered, and studied at HKU SPACE before being accepted into the Faculty.

“What I currently have – especially my career and my wife – it all comes from my education at HKU,” he says. “It set our path for the future. Whatever we feel, it can always come back to our education.”

Adds Huby of her romance: “It all starts from the Faculty of Arts, the small dark classroom in the Main Building and the trip to Europe.”

Khadinn and Huby


Mr Khadinn Khan holds a BA in Fine Arts and European Studies from the University of Hong Kong (2007). He is currently an Art Expert & Business Developer with AXA Art, Asia.

Ms Huby Ko holds a BA in Linguistics with minors in European Studies and Spanish from the University of Hong Kong (2007). She is currently working for agnès b. Hong Kong Limited.

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