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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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Fame and celebrity
Fireworks thrill festivalgoers at Tomorrowland, the world’s largest electronic music festival. Photo: Facebook/Tomorrowland
Thailand

Thai tourism looks to US$1 billion future as Tomorrowland picks up beat

Around 150,000 young ravers are expected to flood Pattaya for the world’s largest electronic music festival in December.

Malaysia

Malaysia’s ‘ridiculous’ push to curb LGBTQ apps tests limits of digital control

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Japan

Cash-for-tips scheme in Japan sparks debate over migrant rights

Indonesia

Row over speakers on Indonesian ‘island of 1,000 mosques’ sparks debate on rules

A New Zealander’s disruption of a prayer session over the use of loudspeakers at a mosque has prompted some to call for a law on their use.

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Officials inspecting a mosque’s speakers in Jakarta. Photo: AFP
Officials inspecting a mosque’s speakers in Jakarta. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

Philippine Supreme Court ruling adds momentum to same-sex marriage debate

Advocates hailed the ruling as a breakthrough, though observers said its reach remains limited without congressional action.

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Japan

Future of Japan’s ‘naked festival’ in doubt after 3 men left unconscious

Organisers said they would review safety rules after six men collapsed during the annual scramble for good-luck talismans.

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Scams and swindles

‘K-wave’ scams exploiting Brazil’s superfans trigger police pact

South Korea and Brazil are taking action to protect fans from fraudsters cashing in with phantom merchandise and exploitative ‘oppa’ tours.

BTS fans who flew from Brazil to see the K-pop super act’s members Jungkook and Jimin released from military service pose with flags in Yeoncheon, South Korea, on June 11 last year. Photo: AFP
BTS fans who flew from Brazil to see the K-pop super act’s members Jungkook and Jimin released from military service pose with flags in Yeoncheon, South Korea, on June 11 last year. Photo: AFP
Lunar New Year

Sharing the luck: inside Southeast Asia’s embrace of Lunar New Year

Malay and Indian households are increasingly embracing the festivities, tossing ‘yusheng’ and giving hongbao to show ‘unity in diversity’.

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Singapore

Cross-border trips to Johor push Singapore checkpoint traffic to new high

About three-quarters of the record 245 million travellers who crossed Singapore’s checkpoints last year went via the land border.

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Malaysia

Bikini-clad mermaid sales stunt triggers religious probe in Malaysia

Authorities in conservative Kelantan are investigating the viral cross-dressing video after online critics accused the men of mocking Islam.

An expanded screenshot of the mermaid sales stunt that circulated on Malaysian social media. Photo: X/dahfollowbelum
The Philippines

Art as advocacy: Philippine mural contest adds to South China Sea messaging push

The government-backed drive is the latest in a series of creative campaigns aiming to shape public narrative around the maritime dispute.

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Members of the Philippine Navy take part in a collaborative colouring activity during the launch of the nationwide mural contest on February 10. Photo: Raissa Robles
Members of the Philippine Navy take part in a collaborative colouring activity during the launch of the nationwide mural contest on February 10. Photo: Raissa Robles
Japan

Clocking off: is Japan’s culture of overwork finally dying?

The average hours put in by Japanese workers are lower than those of their American and Italian counterparts.

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Thailand

Thailand ‘buzzing’ with travel boom as Chinese tourists back in droves

The country’s heavy investment in wooing Chinese visitors appears to have paid off as it overcomes safety fears to secure holiday growth.

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Chinese culture

Ancient Chinese astrology gets a Gen Z rebrand in Southeast Asia

Forget rituals and superstitions, today’s young professionals are using ‘bazi’ 10-year luck forecasts to plan their next career pivot.

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An event organised by Joey Yap, one of “bazi’s” most prominent modern practitioners. Photo: Handout
Malaysia

‘Just ask for it’: Malaysia’s vape crackdown fails to break the habit

An estimated 1.4 million Malaysian adults vape, despite existing curbs. Many say new laws will simply push them back to cigarettes.

A person vapes during a hike in Negeri Sembilan state, Malaysia. Photo: Shutterstock
A person vapes during a hike in Negeri Sembilan state, Malaysia. Photo: Shutterstock
Nepal

Unearthed temple in Nepal sheds new light on Buddha’s early life

Archaeologists hope the newly discovered ruins at Siddhartha Gautam’s childhood palace will help secure Unesco World Heritage status.

Indonesia

Why Indonesia’s president wants clay roofs on all homes

The president says tourists are put off by Indonesia’s ‘rusty zinc’ roofs, and its image would improve with wider use of clay tiles.

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Singapore

Is Singapore’s plan to regulate blind boxes ‘paternalistic’ or ‘harm reduction’?

The mystery surrounding the purchase of blind boxes has prompted concerns of gambling-style risks faced by consumers, especially minors.

Blind boxes sold in a store in Tampines 1 mall, Singapore. Photo: Kolette Lim
Blind boxes sold in a store in Tampines 1 mall, Singapore. Photo: Kolette Lim
Japan

‘Enormous failure’: naked man exposes gaps in Japan’s royal security

Princess Kako reportedly witnessed the chaos firsthand as a shrieking intruder stripped off and scaled a barrier below the royal balcony.

Singapore

A match made in Singapore? ‘Aunties, not algorithms’ aims to woo US singles

Burnt-out US-based singles could win a free luxury trip if they ditch the dating apps and opt to let outspoken older women play Cupid.

Indonesia

Indonesians weigh peril and promise of Jakarta – the world’s most populous city

Extreme heat, floods, pollution, congested traffic and a tough job market are some of the major challenges faced by the city’s residents.

A view of traffic during evening rush hours in the business district in Jakarta, Indonesia, on February 3. Photo: Reuters
South Korea

Why do South Korea’s Hallyu heroes find taxes so … taxing?

As K-culture conquers the world, its wealthy stars keep falling foul of a tax system ‘that has not yet fully caught up’.

South Korean actor Kim Seon-ho stars in the Netflix series “Can This Love Be Translated?”. Photo: No Ju-han/Netflix
South Korean actor Kim Seon-ho stars in the Netflix series “Can This Love Be Translated?”. Photo: No Ju-han/Netflix
Thailand

Thailand plays down ‘too expensive’ concerns from South Korean visitors

The perceived squeeze on the wallet is a result of exchange rate volatility rather than the kingdom’s inflation, tourism officials say.

The Philippines

Almost half of Filipinos willing to trust cheating partners again, survey says

The survey covers six types of cheating: physical, emotional, cyber, object and financial infidelity, as well as micro-cheating.

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The Philippines

‘We didn’t cry easily’: Philippine senator slammed for calling Gen Z ‘weak’

Robin Padilla was criticised for downplaying depression and not being sensitive to the social and economic problems faced by young Filipinos.

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Philippine Senator Robin Padilla carrying a cardboard cutout of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte on a bus. Photo: handout
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