Advertisement
LettersAsian pop is more than just K-pop, Chinese pop culture is a treasure trove too
- Readers discuss Chinese pop culture, Russian foreign policy, the Hong Kong public health system and how to improve carbon footprint calculators
3-MIN READ3-MIN
Your newspaper’s lifestyle section has a tab titled “K-pop, Mandopop and other Asian pop”, yet when one clicks on it almost all the articles have to do with K-pop only. I’m not saying you shouldn’t focus on K-pop, but for an “Asian pop” section it lacks a regional scope.
It is strange that the South China Morning Post would have so few articles on Chinese pop. After all, the Post is based in Hong Kong.
There is also a lot to be mined in the treasure trove of Chinese pop. The Post’s many Chinese journalists are more than capable of translating trending Weibo “hot topics” for an English-speaking audience, as they do regularly with geopolitical topics with great accuracy. It would also help promote Chinese culture to non-Chinese audiences.
Advertisement
To give an example, Episode 1 of the Chinese animated series Mo Dao Zu Shi, or Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, has more than 6 million views on YouTube, while the English translation of the novel on which it is based is selling very well on Amazon. That is just one of many examples of Chinese soft power. The game Genshin Impact, from Chinese studio miHoYo, is another.
With the increasing skill of Chinese film producers, animators and singer-songwriters, this trend will continue. The Post’s lifestyle section should reflect this, in addition to reporting on other Asian countries’ pop culture.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Select Voice
Select Speed
1.00x