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This Week in Asia /

Lifestyle & Culture

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K-pop, Mandopop and other Asian pop

Fame and celebrity

Singaporean actress Eleanor Lee in a still from “The Journey of Legend”. Photo: Instagram/eleanorleex

Singapore actress accused of calling Chinese nationals ‘idiots’ in voice clip

Online users claim Lee is the speaker in the clip uploaded on RedNote, and the actress is said to have been removed from the cast list of her new drama.

6 hours ago

Indian woman’s ‘extremely creepy’ online job hunt sparks cyber abuse concerns

9 May 2025 - 5:40PM

Indonesian spirits soar in the Netherlands as Europe’s first Balinese temple opens

9 May 2025 - 5:39PM

Manga icons like Sailor Moon teach Japanese train etiquette to foreign tourists

The campaign follows a survey indicating that over 60 per cent of Japanese train users have been ‘annoyed’ by the behaviour of foreign tourists.

9 May 2025 - 9:53AMvideocam

Manga icons are being used to teach etiquette to foreign tourists. Photo: Central Japan Railway Company

Brazilian F1 fan’s death in Japan stirs nationalistic debate on foreign crime

Influencer Amanda Borges da Silva had posted about how much she loved Japan and told her mother that she felt safe in the country.

8 May 2025 - 3:48PM

Red light to yellow alley? Street colour change in Japan reduces prostitution

Police believe the striking colour makes the streetwalkers and their potential clients feel uncomfortably conspicuous.

7 May 2025 - 6:38PM

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Dolls’ ‘over-sexualised’ image sparks complaints in South Korean city

The ‘Dongtan Missy’ doll and similar ones are clad in provocative dresses with plunging cleavages, triggering calls to stop the sale of such figures.

7 May 2025 - 10:39AM

A Dongtan Missy doll, which is based on a stereotype of young, attractive married women in South Korea’s Dongtan town. Photo: Ensoutoys

Survey finds 45% of Japan’s workers are ‘quiet quitting’, defying grind culture

The poll found most who identified as quiet quitters were satisfied with doing just enough at work – and intend to continue.

7 May 2025 - 9:30AM

Japan’s low press freedom ranking signals self-censorship remains rife: analysts

Political pressure affects media coverage in Japan as journalists fear angering the government over their reporting, analysts say.

7 May 2025 - 8:00AMvideocam

Kidnap of Malaysian witness by ‘police officers’ sparks public safety fears

Pamela Ling’s abduction while on her way to testify is the latest in a series of vanishings involving businesspeople and activists.

6 May 2025 - 3:19PM

Pamela Ling was abducted on April 9. Photo: Handout

‘Detrimental to K-pop’? How NewJeans saga upends South Korea’s music industry

Amid industry concern about similar moves by other artists, the group’s dispute may also prompt a review of the K-pop system, analysts say.

6 May 2025 - 11:38AMvideocam

NewJeans at the Billboard Women in Music Awards in Inglewood, California, in March 2024. Photo: Reuters

Baker tops list of dream jobs for Japanese 6-year-olds but YouTuber rising fast

Survey shows girls still drawn to sweets and stardom, while boys look to badges, baseball and, increasingly, content creation.

5 May 2025 - 8:00PMvideocam

Beauty and beast: is Malaysia’s booming beauty industry a front for drug gangs?

A beauty influencer has been arrested in Malaysia after police uncovered a kilo of methamphetamine and links to a major drug syndicate.

5 May 2025 - 2:36PM

Indonesians criticise public transport mandate for Jakarta’s civil servants

The civil servants have to take public transport every Wednesday in the capital, which is ranked the world’s seventh most congested city.

5 May 2025 - 7:50PMvideocam

Jakarta’s authorities have ordered civil servants to take public transport on Wednesdays in a bid to reduce the city’s traffic congestion. Photo: AFP

‘Not an easy path’: K-pop’s Bain breaks taboos as ‘first’ openly gay idol

South Korea remains deeply divided over LGBTQ acceptance, with 50 per cent opposing same-sex marriage, according to a survey last year.

5 May 2025 - 8:00AMvideocam

Bain at the concert in Los Angeles where he came out as gay. Photo: Bluedot Entertainment

Mistrust of Malaysian healthcare by Orang Asli minority grows after leprosy death

The Orang Asli community is seeking answers after a teenager’s preventable leprosy-related death.

2 May 2025 - 5:25PM

Fake Japanese police uniform, reportedly from China, sparks real-life concerns

Concerns have arisen over images of a man wearing a realistic Japanese police uniform, suggesting a risk of impersonating an officer, which is illegal in Japan.

1 May 2025 - 6:23PM

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‘Life worth living’: an Irish man’s mission to save Thailand’s stray dogs

Niall Harbison aims to reduce Thailand’s street dog population through sterilisation and care, gaining global attention and celebrity support.

30 Apr 2025 - 8:16PM

Niall Harbison is seen with a pair of pups. Harbison aims to reduce Thailand’s street dog population through sterilisation and care. Photo: Naruemon Chaingam

Naked man’s deadly rampage in Japan leaves public demanding answers from police

“I shouldn’t talk about it,” he said when arrested, leading people to speculate on the motive behind his bizarre behaviour.

30 Apr 2025 - 7:14PM

The Philippines

Philippines’ new digital nomad visa: a boost for tourism or Pogo loophole?

Strict laws should be put in place to prevent these visas from being exploited by banned offshore gaming operators, critics warn.

30 Apr 2025 - 6:39PM

Quick-thinking South Korean police rescue woman after silent 112 call for help

The wordless phone call received a rapid police response thanks to Senior Patrol Officer Kim Hye-jin’s instincts and training.

30 Apr 2025 - 5:12PMvideocam

A screengrab from tthe National Police Agency’s ‘Knock Knock’ campaign. Photo: Youtube/Korean National Police Agency

‘Panda politics’: sorrow and suspicion in Japan as China recalls 4 pandas

With the animals’ return in June before the expiry of a loan agreement, Japan will be left with just two pandas at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo.

30 Apr 2025 - 9:50AM

Giant panda Fuhin and her mother Rauhin play at the Adventure World park in Shirahama in Japan in 2021. Photo: Kyodo

As tourist bookings plunge over earthquake prophecies, Japan shuts down rumours

The Chinese embassy in Tokyo inadvertently added to the fears by warning citizens to take precautions against natural disasters.

2 May 2025 - 7:24AM

Air Busan passenger detained by Chinese police after latest emergency door scare

South Korean airlines have been urged to enhance their security measures following a spate of mid-flight incidents.

29 Apr 2025 - 5:56PMvideocam

Biting, kicking, sex harassment: inside the abusive world of Japanese nursing

Japan’s nurses hope a high-profile case will finally force change in their abusive workplaces.

28 Apr 2025 - 8:00AM

Students of Japanese nursing schools attend a candlelight procession before a Florence Nightingale Medal awarding ceremony in Tokyo. Photo: AFP

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