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This Week in Asia /

Lifestyle & Culture

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K-pop, Mandopop and other Asian pop
Asia travel
Fame and celebrity
Thai singer and actress Lalisa Manobal arrives for the Amazing Thailand Ambassador Exclusive Night at the Temple of Dawn or Wat Arun in Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday. Photo: EPA
Thailand

Will Thai tourism ambassador Blackpink’s Lisa help lure Chinese visitors back?

Chinese visitor arrivals slumped by nearly 30 per cent last year amid concerns over safety, the border war with Cambodia and the strong baht.

Bangladesh

Not cricket? Political sticky wicket forces Bangladesh out of T20 World Cup

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Japan

Japan’s ‘new-wave yakuza’: tokuryu gangs take control of lucrative sex business

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Asean

Just 1 visa to rule them all? How European-style pass could help Asean tourism

While Asean members such as Malaysia and Vietnam have shown strong post-pandemic growth, tourist numbers have lagged in the Philippines.

Tourists have fun in the Cambugahay Falls on the Philippine island of Siquijor on December 10 last year. Photo: AFP
Tourists have fun in the Cambugahay Falls on the Philippine island of Siquijor on December 10 last year. Photo: AFP
Singapore

Who are ‘we’? Why some Singaporeans bristle at ‘we first’ inclusive society call

Several ministers have spoken about a “we first” society, prompting some Singaporeans to question whether it benefits foreigners more.

Indonesia

‘Cruellest’ practice: Elephant rides banned in Bali parks over welfare concerns

Asian countries, such as Cambodia and India, have ended commercial elephant rides due to the same concerns.

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Japan

Has Japan’s tourism peaked? Row with China set to slow arrivals from record high

A major travel firm says tourist arrivals in Japan are expected to fall this year from a record 42.7 million in 2025.

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People walk along Takeshita Street, Harajuku, Tokyo. The number of tourist arrivals in Japan rose by 15.8 per cent to a record 42.7 million last year. Photo: EPA
People walk along Takeshita Street, Harajuku, Tokyo. The number of tourist arrivals in Japan rose by 15.8 per cent to a record 42.7 million last year. Photo: EPA
Music

Welcome to the black parade: how Southeast Asia’s Gen Z is reviving 2000s music

From My Chemical Romance to Blue, early-2000s acts are selling out venues across the region as younger fans seek raw, emotional music.

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South Korea

Dubai chewy cookie: K-pop post sparks viral South Korean snack frenzy

South Korea’s highly interconnected culture has fuelled a series of viral food crazes, the latest being a chocolate-loaded cookie known locally as ‘dujjonku’.

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Malaysia

Malaysia’s primary school changes spur fears of ‘herd effect’ competition

From 2027, children can enter Year One of primary school at age six instead of seven, fuelling fears of limited teaching staff and space.

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Standard One students attending a class at a primary school in Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia. Photo: Shutterstock
Malaysia

‘Indecent’ aerobics: viral Zumba video triggers police probe in Malaysia

Headscarf-wearing instructors ignited a social media firestorm and religious backlash after being filmed performing in clothing considered skimpy.

The aerobics session, live streamed on Saturday morning, quickly triggered a social media pile-on. Photo: Facebook
The aerobics session, live streamed on Saturday morning, quickly triggered a social media pile-on. Photo: Facebook
Singapore

Singapore’s retail ownership data sparks debate about foreign chains’ influence

Some observers warn that public perception could be warped since popular foreign chains in places with high footfall may be more visible.

Malaysia

‘Khalwat’: divorced couple arrested for sharing hotel room in Malaysia

The offence applies to unmarried Muslim couples found in private seclusion and is punishable by fines, jail terms or caning.

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Japan

‘Foreigner fatigue’: how xenophobia hijacked Japan’s national conversation

Record immigration and the ‘Trump factor’ fuelled a xenophobic election surge, but analysts say another political target is emerging.

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Foreign tourists pack Kiyomizuzaka in Kyoto. Japan has seen a surge in tourist arrivals in recent years. Photo: Kyodo
Malaysia

How a crop of young farmers is reshaping agriculture in Southeast Asia

Young people across Southeast Asia are using city spaces and new technologies to improve on traditional farming methods to grow produce.

Once seen as an unlikely career path for university graduates, farming is quietly being rebranded across Southeast Asia. Photo: Ushar Daniele
Once seen as an unlikely career path for university graduates, farming is quietly being rebranded across Southeast Asia. Photo: Ushar Daniele
Thailand

Feathered fortunes, sky-high stakes: inside Asia’s richest pigeon race

In eastern Thailand, 5,000 pigeons brave predators and exhaustion in a gruelling sprint for a US$2 million purse.

Malaysia

Impulse control: Malaysia’s social media ban targets teen minds

The government is threatening to pull the plug on social media for under-16s after a spate of youth violence linked to life online.

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Malaysia

X marks the bot: Malaysia says Grok ban may be lifted if it is proven to be safe

Though X has deactivated several prompts, more changes need to be made to ensure the site’s safety, Malaysia’s communications minister says.

Screens display the logo of Grok and its founder Elon Musk. Photo: AFP
Screens display the logo of Grok and its founder Elon Musk. Photo: AFP
Indonesia

Indonesian comedian hit with blasphemy complaints over Netflix jokes

Pandji Pragiwaksono’s unfiltered set took aim at the president, but it was a quip about religious groups that triggered police reports.

Japan

Japan’s ‘love hotel’ mayor stages comeback, shattering political taboos

Akira Ogawa’s return suggests voters are finally judging women in Japanese politics by the same imperfect standards as men.

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The Philippines

Philippine tourism chief’s magazine cover draws backlash as visitor numbers slip

Christina Frasco’s cover appearance has drawn accusations from critics that self-promotion is being prioritised over strategy and results.

Christina Frasco, secretary of the Philippines’ Department of Tourism. Photo: Handout
Malaysia

‘We are not criminals’: Malaysian LGBTQ event faces conservative backlash

Police have launched an investigation into ‘Glamping With Pride’ after Islamic authorities raised an outcry.

A man holds a rainbow flag, commonly used to signal LGBT pride. Photo: Shutterstock
A man holds a rainbow flag, commonly used to signal LGBT pride. Photo: Shutterstock
Pop culture in Asia

Soft power, hard cash: inside Southeast Asia’s billion-dollar anime obsession

Driven by Gen Z spending and streaming, the region’s US$1.3 billion anime market represents a triumph for Japan’s cultural push.

Malaysia

‘No taste’: Malaysia’s Life of Pi and Squid Game artists warn against AI rush

After viewers slammed AI-enhanced films for looking ‘cheap’, local experts warn that algorithms serve profit, not storytelling.

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Japan

Meow arriving: Japan railway’s newest cat stationmaster clocks in

Yontama is the third cat to become stationmaster on the Kishigawa Line in Wakayama prefecture after the death of her predecessor last year.

Newly appointed cat stationmaster Yontama is held by Wakayama Electric Railway President Mitsunobu Kojima on Wednesday, in Kinokawa, Wakayama prefecture, Japan. Photo: Kyodo
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