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This Week in Asia /

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A scene from “The Assassin(s)“. Photo: Handout
South Korea

Why a film about a dictator has South Korea at war with itself

A blockbuster about the 1974 assassination attempt of former president Park Chung-hee is causing a political backlash.

Singapore

Going ‘car-lite’: why more Singaporeans are quitting driving

Singapore

What Singapore’s crackdown reveals about those 5-star online reviews

Indonesia

Indonesia targets free public schooling amid funding concerns

Education experts question where the money will come from, and urge the government to focus on improving the quality of learning.

Pupils take part in a routine ceremony on the first day of school at an elementary school in Banda Aceh, Indonesia on July 15, 2024. Photo: AFP
Students during a break at a high school in Jakarta, Indonesia, in January 2024. Photo: AP
India

Can India curb childhood obesity by banning junk food near schools?

The proposal will not be effective on its own, parents and experts say, calling for more comprehensive measures.

Malaysia

From Ed Sheeran to Massive Attack: Gaza rows spark Southeast Asia backlash

With global acts also touring Asia, UK star Ed Sheeran’s concert fallout in the US raises the question of how the saga would play out regionally.

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India

Sell family jewels for latest iPhone? In India, craze dials up debate

The new iPhones might not make sense financially in India, but the desire for one is not always rational, analysts say.

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A man checks his wallet at an Apple store in Mumbai, India, on June 29. Photo: Reuters
Customers gather outside an Apple Store in Bangkok to buy the new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max on September 18. Photo: dpa
An iPhone 18 Pro Max is displayed at the flagship Apple Store in New York on September 18. Photo: EPA
Singapore

Singapore or bust: how Indonesian’s crowdfunding plea shows city’s desirability

A woman’s appeal for sponsors to fund her US$78,000 programme has drawn criticism but not dimmed her dream of studying in Singapore.

The Philippines

Inside the Philippines’ mounting ‘learning crisis’ and teacher shortage

Industry players call for transparency in the teacher hiring process and urge more concrete support for educators suffering from burnout.

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.

Children take part in a reading event outside the National Library in Singapore 2014. Photo: Xinhua
The Philippines

Forgotten no more: Filipino folklore finds footing on global stage

DreamWorks’ animated film, Forgotten Island, offers a rare point of recognition for Filipinos at home and abroad.

Manang, voiced by Lea Salonga, is seen in a scene from “Forgotten Island”. Photo: DreamWorks Animation/AP
Manang, voiced by Lea Salonga, is seen in a scene from “Forgotten Island”. Photo: DreamWorks Animation/AP
Malaysia

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

For transgender Muslims in Kelantan, quiet family acceptance at home contrasts with growing fear of sharia crackdowns.

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.

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.

Malaysian rock band Kyoto Protocol perform live on stage. The band has opened for Muse, Death Cab for Cutie and The Killers in the past. Photo: Handout
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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A copper shark about 3.5 metres long swims in the waterway of a waterfront park off the southeastern port city of Busan, South Korea, on Friday. Photo: EPA/Yonhap
A copper shark about 3.5 metres long swims in the waterway of a waterfront park off the southeastern port city of Busan, South Korea, on Friday. Photo: EPA/Yonhap
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.

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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Men push a small boat along a flooded street after intense monsoon rains in Quezon City, the Philippines, last month. Photo: AP
Men push a small boat along a flooded street after intense monsoon rains in Quezon City, the Philippines, last month. Photo: AP
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.

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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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.

Marina Square’s redevelopment masterplan will include features such as luxury residences, serviced apartments and offices. Photo: PLP Architecture
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.

Raffly Langi (left, standing) and Ayden Chong (centre, standing) raise their glasses with patrons during a tuak tasting event in the Klang Valley. Photo: Tuak Alus
Raffly Langi (left, standing) and Ayden Chong (centre, standing) raise their glasses with patrons during a tuak tasting event in the Klang Valley. Photo: Tuak Alus
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.

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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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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Jennie of Blackpink performs onstage during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 20, 2025 in Indio, California. Photo: Getty Images for Coachella
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