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Hyun Bin as political operator Baek Ki-tae in a still from Made in Korea, a slick political thriller set in 1970s South Korea.
Korean drama reviews

Made in Korea: Hyun Bin, Jung Woo-sung in slick political thriller K-drama

Made in Korea, set in the 1970s, is a political thriller exploring power, corruption and moral ambiguity under an authoritarian regime.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How Stephen Chow and Donnie Yen reinvented Bruce Lee’s classic Chen Zhen

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Korean drama reviews

The 15 best K-dramas of 2025 ranked, from Melo Movie to Squid Game 3

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Asian cinema: Japanese films

How mega-hit Kokuho could make Japanese live-action films global contenders

Kokuho, Japan’s record-breaking cinematic triumph, is helping to redefine global perceptions of Japanese live-action film for modern viewers.

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A still from Kokuho. The three-hour epic is now Japan’s top-grossing live-action movie of all time and has been shortlisted for the 2026 Academy Awards’ international feature film category. Photo: courtesy of Toho Co
A still from Kokuho. The three-hour epic is now Japan’s top-grossing live-action movie of all time and has been shortlisted for the 2026 Academy Awards’ international feature film category. Photo: courtesy of Toho Co
Korean drama reviews

Idol I: Choi Soo-young, Kim Jae-young lead K-pop-infused legal K-drama

Choi Soo-young plays a lawyer defending Kim Jae-young’s K-pop star – who she’s secretly obsessed with – in this new Korean drama.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

The Hong Kong films released in 2025 ranked from worst to best

It was a rough year for Hong Kong cinema – only Another World made more than HK$14 million locally – but there were still some gems released.

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Korean drama reviews

Review | Cashero: Lee Jun-ho can’t save this messy superhero K-drama

While it has a compelling concept and potentially great characters, Cashero’s poor writing means the K-drama fails to deliver.

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Kim Hyang-gi (left) as Bang Eun-mi and Lee Jun-ho as Kang Sang-ung in a still from Cashero. Photo: Kim Hobin/Netflix
Kim Hyang-gi (left) as Bang Eun-mi and Lee Jun-ho as Kang Sang-ung in a still from Cashero. Photo: Kim Hobin/Netflix
American cinema

How The Joy Luck Club opened the door for majority-Asian casts in Hollywood

The Joy Luck Club (1993) is a complex tale of intergenerational trauma focusing on four Chinese mothers and their daughters in San Francisco.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

7 film stories from 2025 that readers loved, including a Chow Yun-fat profile

Profiles of Chow Yun-fat, Faye Wong and Deanie Ip and a look at Donnie Yen’s early films were among stories popular with readers this year.

Chinese culture

How China fell in love with My Little Pony collectible cards

When My Little Pony first aired on TV in China, it didn’t take off. Instead, it was collectible cards that saw it become a galloping success.

My Little Pony trading cards have become hugely popular across China, with fans hoping to find rare cards in packs.
Korean drama reviews

Love Me: Seo Hyun-jin leads slow-burn family K-drama with heavy emotions

Loneliness and redemption are explored through family drama and romance in Love Me, starring Seo Hyun-jin, Yoo Jae-myung and Chang Ryul.

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Seo Hyun-jin as Seo Jun-kyung, an obstetrician-gynaecologist, in a still from Love Me, a new Korean drama exploring grief, guilt and healing through family bonds.
Seo Hyun-jin as Seo Jun-kyung, an obstetrician-gynaecologist, in a still from Love Me, a new Korean drama exploring grief, guilt and healing through family bonds.
Tourism

Tours to visit Christmas movie locations in US state prove huge hit

Fans of Hallmark’s feel-good and family-friendly TV films are taking tours around locations in Connecticut, home to at least 22 productions.

Korean drama reviews

Villains: Yoo Ji-tae leads unconvincing counterfeiting thriller K-drama

Starring Yoo Ji-tae, Lee Min-jung, Lee Beom-soo and Kwak Do-won, new Korean drama Villains is already in danger of being quickly forgotten.

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TV shows and streaming video

7 of the best TV shows from 2025, from Adolescence to The Pitt

Need a show or two to binge this Christmas season? Check out some of the best shows from 2025, such as the stand-out Adolescence on Netflix.

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Owen Cooper in a still from Adolescence, one of 2025’s top television shows that we recommend. Photo: Netflix via AP
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

3 forgotten Hong Kong wuxia gems from director Chor Yuen

Chor Yuen’s Duel for Gold, Clans of Intrigue and Jade Tiger may be less famous than some of his other films, but are just as groundbreaking.

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Ti Lung in a still from Clans of Intrigue (1977). Photo: Celestial Pictures
Ti Lung in a still from Clans of Intrigue (1977). Photo: Celestial Pictures
China’s soft power

From Labubu to blockbuster films, was 2025 the year of China’s soft power?

Chinese lifestyle brands and other cultural exports proved to be a hit around the world this year, here are some of our most notable stories.

K-drama news

Latest K-drama casting news about Lee Min-ho, Han Hyo-joo and more

Lee Min-ho may be joining Moon Ga-young in period drama Scent of the Night, while Han Hyo-joo has been confirmed to appear in Your Ground.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Pass and Goal: Gigi Leung leads football-themed Hong Kong family comedy

Pass and Goal, starring Gigi Leung and newcomer Chau Tsz-yuet, defies expectations with its feel-good story, good acting and funny dialogue.

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Gigi Leung in a still from football-themed Hong Kong family comedy Pass and Goal (category IIA, Cantonese), directed by Jill Wong. Peter Chan and Ling Man-lung co-star.
Gigi Leung in a still from football-themed Hong Kong family comedy Pass and Goal (category IIA, Cantonese), directed by Jill Wong. Peter Chan and Ling Man-lung co-star.
Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | The bold reinvention of 1990s Hong Kong sex symbol Veronica Yip

Veronica Yip posed topless for a Hong Kong magazine and acted in erotic films before becoming a pop singer, TV fixture and a tycoon’s wife.

American cinema

12 new Hollywood movies to watch this winter, from Hamnet to Song Sung Blue

Project Hail Mary, Wuthering Heights, Anaconda and Scream 7 join Hamnet, Song Sung Blue and others on our list of anticipated upcoming films.

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Fame and celebrity

Oscars will move to YouTube in 2029, leaving US network ABC

Landmark deal with Google’s video giant ends a 50-year TV broadcast era and takes Hollywood’s biggest night fully online.

The Academy Awards will stream for free worldwide on YouTube. Photo: TNS
Art

Want to watch Tolkien illustrator John Howe as he works? Now you can

At Howe’s ‘Tower of Fantasy’ studio in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, visitors can watch him as he creates and view hundreds of his illustrations.

Illustrator John Howe poses at La Tour du Fantastique (“The Tower of Fantasy”), a new museum in Neuchâtel, western Switzerland, on December 9, 2025. The 68-year-old is famed for his interpretation of Tolkien’s literary work, which ultimately saw him serve as a concept artist on movie trilogies The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Photo: AFP
Illustrator John Howe poses at La Tour du Fantastique (“The Tower of Fantasy”), a new museum in Neuchâtel, western Switzerland, on December 9, 2025. The 68-year-old is famed for his interpretation of Tolkien’s literary work, which ultimately saw him serve as a concept artist on movie trilogies The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Photo: AFP
TV shows and streaming video

‘Hollywood’s the dream’: how Korean actors are finally achieving it

Shows like Squid Game and KPop Demon Hunters are helping South Korean actors overcome barriers and find new opportunities in the US.

Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | Good Autumn, Mommy: Shu Qi anchors gritty Chinese rural drama

Shu Qi stars as an impoverished woman who believes her newborn was taken from her in Good Autumn, Mommy, set in rural Guangzhou in 1995.

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American cinema

Review | Avatar: Fire and Ash – stunning visuals carry breathless third instalment

Avatar: Fire and Ash sees the Na’vi again fighting for survival in an action-packed sequel that introduces Pandora’s menacing Mangkwan clan.

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Varang (played by Oona Chaplin) in a still from Avatar: Fire and Ash (category TBC), directed by James Cameron and starring Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña. Photo: 20th Century Studios
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