Stories about East Asia from January, 2014
A Visual and Musical Journey Through Myanmar
Like a visual postcard, the short video A handful of Myanmar by Berta upe Tilmantaitė invites its viewers to marvel at the wonders of the Southeast Asian country. Reid Willis‘...
Have Acne? South Korea Will Tax Your Treatment
Taxing your pimple outbreak? It is indeed a creative way to collect more taxes.
China's Propaganda-Heavy New Year's Gala Fails to Impress Viewers
Known as Chunwan, the variety show regularly draws tens of millions of viewers every year and has become an essential part of Spring Festival celebrations. But its popularity is dwindling.
China: A Glass of Swine
“300 Shots at Greatness” introduced one of most distinctive alcohol in China. The distilled rice spirit, Yubingshao, has the taste of fat aroma as it is aged with jars filled...
Old Video of Official Slapping Chinese Tennis Star Li Na Goes Viral
China's sports system is notorious for its abuse of athletes.
Japan's Taiji Fishermen Return to Infamous Cove for Annual Dolphin Hunt
About 250 bottlenose dolphins were rounded up this year in a secluded cove to be slaughtered for food or sold to marine mammal parks around the world.
Samsung Withdraws Controversial University Quota Policy in South Korea
South Korea isn't notoriously nicknamed "The Republic of Samsung" for nothing.
Double Standards Toward Women in Corporate Japan Are a Joke
"If a boss asks him for lunch..."A tumblr post illustrates double-standards in attitudes towards women in corporate Japan.
PHOTOS: Drone Captures the Beauty of Thailand
Using a drone, Thailand-based blogger Richard Barrow shares several amazing landscape photos of Thailand. Drones were also used to monitor protests in Bangkok
South Korea: ‘Less is More’, Net Users Turn Sour on Typical Movie Poster
A massive Disney hit movie, Frozen is rapidly gaining traction also in South Korea. However, more young Koreans are turning sour on typical Korean-style movie poster, which has long been...
WeChat Users Send Virtual Envelopes Worth Real Money for Chinese New Year
In China, it is tradition to give red envelopes containing money as gifts during the Lunar New Year holiday. The red color symbolizes good luck.
China Awards Tennis Champion Li Na With Six-Figure Prize
The Chinese local authorities’ decision to award 800,000 yuan to China's tennis superstar Li Na shortly after her triumph at the Australian Open has triggered criticism among Chinese netizens.
Malaysia: The Most Beautiful Sound in the World
The winner of the ‘most beautiful sound in the world’ competition is ‘Dusk by the Frog Pond’ by ‘Wild Ambience’ recorded in a Sarawak swamp in Borneo, Malaysia.
Teaching Art During Vietnam War
The British Library blog features several art works made during the Vietnam War era. It also quotes Nguyễn Toan Thi, a guerilla artist during the war: Art classes were held...
Alarm Bells Ringing (Again) Over China's Housing Bubble
Continuously jumping home prices has raised concerns again about real estate bubble in China as the government refrains from introducing more property curbs that would hinder economic growth.
‘AFTER 25 Conference': Tokyo and Berlin Discuss Creative Culture
As Berlin and Tokyo mark 20 years of friendship as sister cities, representatives of two creative industries, including Chairman of the Club Commission of Berlin Marc Wohlrabe and Takahiro Saito, a...
China Sentences Citizens’ Movement Icon Xu Zhiyong to Four Years in Prison
His imprisonment is part of a crackdown by new Chinese Communist Party leadership under President Xi Jinping against political liberals who have been trying to advocate for constitutional reform.
Pig Photos Censored in Malaysia
Photos of pigs were blackened out by a printing company in the Malaysian edition of the New York Times. The 'pig censorship' shocked many people in the Muslim-majority nation
Chinese-Style ‘Tiger’ Parenting Triggers Complaints Among Younger Generation
"[They] kill innocence during children's’ childhoods, kill our romance during adolescence and kill our will during our youth."
Indonesia Apology Urged Over Massacre of a Million Citizens in 1965
Human rights groups Tapol and East Timor and Indonesia Action Network have launched a campaign called ‘Say Sorry for '65’ addressed to the Indonesian government in relation to the reported...
East Timor's Rising Budget for ‘Public Transfers’
The La’o Hamutuk NGO is concerned that the East Timor government is alloting more funds for so-called ‘public transfers’ which lacks transparent mechanisms: In recent years, Timor-Leste has spent about...
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