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This Week in Asia /

Lifestyle & Culture

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K-pop, Mandopop and other Asian pop
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Children take part in a reading event outside the National Library in Singapore 2014. Photo: Xinhua
Singapore

Paid to read: can cash and gamification fix Southeast Asia’s falling literacy?

Facing shrinking attention spans and ‘doomscrolling’, governments are using cash, vouchers and book drives to get citizens reading again.

The Philippines

Forgotten no more: Filipino folklore finds footing on global stage

Malaysia

In Malaysia, a mother’s love offers her trans daughter refuge

Malaysia

Malaysians joke about nettle beds to end Negeri Sembilan royal row

With two men claiming the throne and no legal exit in sight, commenters suggest nettle-bed endurance tests to end the fight.

A nettle plant. Some social media users suggested making rival claimants to the Negeri Sembilan throne sleep on a bed of nettles for a week. Photo: AFP
Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir speaks at an event in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, in 2024. Photo: Shutterstock
Malaysia

As Malaysia bets big on a concert boom, where are the local acts?

Artists question efforts to develop local talent, highlighting ‘worrying trend’ of global stars with no Malaysian opening act.

South Korea

Shark in the park: viral sighting shakes up South Korea’s Busan

Nearly 20,000 visitors flocked to the North Port Waterfront Park over the weekend to see the shark, which has also spawned a flood of memes.

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South Korea

South Korea beats foreign student target, but struggles to keep them

New university rankings show while South Korea has enjoyed an international student boom, gaps in support and post-graduation outcomes remain.

Students from abroad walk at a university in Seoul, South Korea, on September 10. Photo: EPA/Yonhap
Students from abroad walk at a university in Seoul, South Korea, on September 10. Photo: EPA/Yonhap
South Korea

South Korea wants free ‘AI for All’. Is society ready?

Seoul’s roll-out of free, unlimited AI is set to shake up classrooms, careers and crime – for better or worse.

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The Philippines

Why men account for 80% of suicide deaths in the Philippines

Filipino men rarely seek help for mental illness, despite making up 80 per cent of suicide deaths. Advocates say it’s time for change.

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Indonesia

Indonesia orders Netflix to pay US$4.3m in music royalties or face shutdown

Netflix has agreed to pay music royalties it owed in South Korea and faces a tax demand on its income in Australia, media reports say.

Netflix has not paid music royalties since entering the Indonesian market in 2016, according to a government agency. Photo: Netflix
Singapore

Grab Singapore apologises over microdrama ad that raised safety fears

The ride-hailing giant admits insensitivity over the romcom series following complaints that it trivialised driver harassment.

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A screenshot from the trailer for “I Fell In Love with My Grab Driver”, a new microdrama series by Grab Singapore. Photo: YouTube / GrabOfficialSEA
A screenshot from the trailer for “I Fell In Love with My Grab Driver”, a new microdrama series by Grab Singapore. Photo: YouTube / GrabOfficialSEA
Singapore

In Singapore, malls for shopping only are going out of style

Marina Square’s future revamp typifies the rise of mixed-use developments incorporating retail, office, residential and other components.

Malaysia

Young Malaysians brew goal for traditional tuak drink to become national success

Given the drink’s origins in Sarawak, industry players have to balance between adhering to traditional processes and commercial limitations.

Japan

Cockroaches gain ‘foothold’ in Japan’s Hokkaido as weather warms

Rising temperatures and ‘artificial environments’ enable the insects to thrive in a region once considered too hostile for them, experts say.

Japanese cockroaches swarm on rice in Sapporo, Hokkaido, in June. Photo: Kyodo
Malaysia

‘All I want is a fair chance’: Malaysia’s deaf workers look to lead

A job offer is only the first step, deaf Malaysians say. True inclusion means equal opportunities and room to rise.

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Wong Yi Xiang, a deaf Starbucks employee, says he wants a fair chance to show his work-related skills. Photo: Ushar Daniele
Wong Yi Xiang, a deaf Starbucks employee, says he wants a fair chance to show his work-related skills. Photo: Ushar Daniele
South Korea

What a viral Jennie clip reveals about South Korea’s deepfake struggles

Severe legal threats fail to deter a wave of teenage offenders who see digital victims as nothing more than pixels.

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Thailand

Why US soldiers continue to flock to Thailand’s Pattaya

Military links have brought waves of Americans to Thailand since the 1940s, with the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln the latest to visit.

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Malaysia

Snow in Malaysia? Viral highway fun washed away by soapy truth

Police said the white-topped Shah Alam Expressway that mesmerised motorists was caused by a rain-activated soap spill from a lorry.

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A snow-like foam covered a Malaysian highway after rain revived soap residue from a lorry spill. Photo: Threads/umminazali
A snow-like foam covered a Malaysian highway after rain revived soap residue from a lorry spill. Photo: Threads/umminazali
The Philippines

Makati’s ‘on-site’ Filipino workers: a humorous take on ‘crazy’ life in Manila

Young workers, drawn by the financial district’s expatriate-style amenities, satirise the high costs while navigating its hustle culture.

Thailand

Hello, sailor: Thailand’s Pattaya welcomes USS Abraham Lincoln crew

Over 5,000 sailors and Marines have arrived in the Thai resort city for their first shore leave in 286 days.

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Malaysia

Malaysian heritage site caught in row over non-local staff

A viral video shot at the Sultan Abdul Samad Building has sparked a backlash, despite management insisting the worker was not a tour guide.

A still from a social media video shows a member of staff helping tourists at the KL City Gallery in the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo: YouTube
Malaysia

Malaysian state’s cash handouts for teen weddings trigger backlash

Perak’s plan to offer money to newlyweds as young as 15 risks endorsing child marriage, rights groups warn.

Children aged 15 to 17 “should be in school, not thinking about marriage”, one local politician said in response to the proposal. Photo: Shutterstock
Children aged 15 to 17 “should be in school, not thinking about marriage”, one local politician said in response to the proposal. Photo: Shutterstock
K-pop idols

Can Southeast Asian artists replicate K-pop’s global success with SEA-pop?

Even as more regional artists are performing overseas, they should not blindly copy the K-pop playbook, industry observers say.

Malaysia

Reviving Kuala Lumpur: can Malaysia modernise without pricing out its past?

Urban renewal aims to regenerate the capital’s historic core, but polish and authenticity don’t always share the same street.

Malaysia

Why Malaysia’s push for 15 million Muslim tourists is no sure thing

With disruption to long-haul flights, Malaysia may not draw more Muslim visitors at the expense of the travel hubs in Dubai and Doha.

A view of Kuala Lumpur’s city skyline. Photo: Shutterstock
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