This Week in Asia /

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A combination of images from a video by Korea University’s Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering shows a university student chasing random girls to “help them get home safely”. Photo: Handout
South Korea

In South Korea, videos aiming to ‘help women get home safely’ spark outrage

Netizens slam the videos for mocking the fear and panic that women feel when approached or followed by unknown men at night.

Malaysia

Will red tape snarl Malaysia’s concert hub plans to emulate Singapore?

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South Korea

‘The law didn’t protect me’: South Korea’s losing battle against AI sex crimes

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Indonesia

Amid ‘Jumbo’ success, can Indonesia become an animation powerhouse?

The Indonesian film has become Southeast Asia’s biggest ever animation release in terms of revenue, at US$10 million as of April 14.

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The Indonesian hit cartoon film “Jumbo” has become the highest-grossing Southeast Asian animation release in history. Photo: Visinema Group
The Indonesian hit cartoon film “Jumbo” has become the highest-grossing Southeast Asian animation release in history. Photo: Visinema Group
Malaysia

‘It stinks’: Malaysian deodorant ad pulled over racial insensitivity claims

The ad featured a dark-skinned man with a religious marking and a light-skinned man with body odour, sparking accusations of racial insensitivity.

Thailand

Viral video of topless tourist’s brawl with guards in Pattaya sparks probe

A video showed a shirtless tourist being knocked down with a single punch by a bouncer after the foreigner allegedly behaved inappropriately towards female bar staff.

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South Korea

Korea part of Southeast Asia? Seoul flags embassies over foreign textbook errors

A government audit found that embassies failed to correct foreign textbook claims such as Korea once being part of Genghis Khan’s empire.

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Among the errors the audit found in foreign textbooks were claims Korea is part of Southeast Asia and was once part of Genghis Khan’s empire. Photo: Shutterstock
Among the errors the audit found in foreign textbooks were claims Korea is part of Southeast Asia and was once part of Genghis Khan’s empire. Photo: Shutterstock
South Korea

South Korean man arrested for killing 5 family members due to fears over debt

The deaths have sparked calls for harsher penalties for familicides, which make up a significant proportion of murders in the country.

Japan

Japan weighs new legislation to tackle illegal gambling via online casinos

High-profile scandals involving baseball stars and comedians have exposed a ‘shocking’ lack of public awareness about the law, observers say.

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Japan

Oh, deer: Japan’s Nara boosts police patrols to curb animal abuse

The move follows a video of a tourist in Nara’s main park kicking one of the animals, considered sacred in the ancient city.

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Tourists and deer at Todaiji Temple in Nara. Cases of deer abuse by visitors have led to more police patrols in the Japanese city. Photo: Shutterstock
Singapore

4 arrested in Japan over sales of AI-generated porn in first such case

One of the suspects was reportedly making sales of as much as US$70,000 over about a year from the images.

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In the first such case in Japan, four suspects who allegedly sold artificial intelligence-generated explicit images have been arrested. Photo: Shutterstock
In the first such case in Japan, four suspects who allegedly sold artificial intelligence-generated explicit images have been arrested. Photo: Shutterstock
Vietnam

Vietnam city to ban evening classes to ease academic stress, boost well-being

Advocates say Ho Chi Minh City’s move would also help to reduce demand and rein in its unchecked private tuition sector.

Malaysia

Malaysian durian farmers prickly over claims of encroachment on state land

The confrontation came to a head when a lawmaker was arrested for preventing the felling of trees in a key durian-growing state.

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Japan

Fading optimism in Japan as only 13% satisfied with quality of life: survey

Experts say a deepening sense of crisis has overwhelmed young Japanese amid rising living costs, demographic strain and political inertia.

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People walk past an electronic screen displaying share prices outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan, on Friday. Photo: Reuters
Indonesia

Indonesia’s Bali raises alarm over rise in sham marriages to evade legal curbs

Lawmakers urge action after viral social media posts alleging that foreigners are exploiting legal loopholes to acquire land and property.

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Tourists shop at an art market during the Eid al-Fitr holidays in Bali, Indonesia earlier in April. Photo: EPA-EFE
Tourists shop at an art market during the Eid al-Fitr holidays in Bali, Indonesia earlier in April. Photo: EPA-EFE
Malaysia

Controversial Malaysian series on Islamic cult tops 1 billion streams

‘Bidaah’ echoes a real-life case in Malaysia of a shadowy cult hit by allegations of human trafficking and abuse.

Singapore

Singapore’s flavour face-off: mainland Chinese cuisine vs local food culture

The rise of Chinese food brands in Singapore and their impact on local cuisine has sparked debates on cultural preservation and coexistence.

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Japan

Japanese worker arrested for mailing used condom to colleague ‘to satisfy urges’

The incident has sparked safety concerns and an investigation into similar cases.

A Japan Post worker was arrested for sending a condom filled with semen to a colleague. Photo: Shutterstock
A Japan Post worker was arrested for sending a condom filled with semen to a colleague. Photo: Shutterstock
South Korea

In South Korea, digital sex crimes soar amid rise in AI, deepfake technology

Support centre for victims notes disturbing trend of young people using AI-generated deepfake images for entertainment.

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Malaysia

‘Stamp out cross-dressing’: Malaysian sarong event under fire for LGBTQ exclusion

The organiser of Keretapi Sarong is facing backlash after saying gender-nonconforming participants are not welcome.

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Japan

Japan’s Kyoto offers natural disaster survival tips for foreign visitors

The move comes as more foreign travellers have been visiting the ancient Japanese capital in recent years.

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Visitors to Kyoto can find tips on how to cope with a major natural disaster in the prefecture via a website set up by local authorities. Photo: AFP
Malaysia

Surge in sex cases involving minors in Malaysia exposes child protection flaws

In one shocking case in Kelantan, a 15-year-old girl became pregnant after she had sex with her 11-year-old cousin.

A surge in sex cases involving minors in Malaysia has led to child rights activists warning about grooming and abuse. Photo: Shutterstock
A surge in sex cases involving minors in Malaysia has led to child rights activists warning about grooming and abuse. Photo: Shutterstock
South Korea

Seoul palace restroom gets hi-tech spy-cam detector to combat ‘molka’ filming

The installation addresses South Korea’s struggle with illegal filming, driven by the ease of access to small, hidden cameras known as ‘molka’.

Japan

Babies conceived in winter less likely to become obese adults: Japan study

A person’s brown fat, one of two types of body fat, and cold weather appear to be linked to a lower possibility of weight gain in adulthood.

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Japan

Japan’s biggest yakuza gang ends internal feud as membership hits historic low

Japan’s largest yakuza gang, declared an end to a decade-long feud amid dwindling membership and tougher policing.

A retired Japanese yakuza crime boss, who does not want to be identified, smokes a cigarette at his residence in Tokyo. Photo: AFP
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