SEOUL – K-pop’s evolution has always been shaped by its audience. In the 2010s, Korean agencies turned to China and Japan for fresh talent. Now, the spotlight is on Southeast Asia. Once dominated by Thai idols, the scene is further expanding as agencies tap Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, responding to the region’s overwhelming influence on the industry. It’s not just about talent — it is also the numbers. With millions of engaged fans, a booming digital ecosystem and economies on the rise, Southeast Asia is fueling K-pop’s next wave of expansion. The industry is not just welcoming Southeast Asian…
Author: Asia News Network
BANGKOK – The United States has no right to interfere with the cooperation between China and Thailand as the two sovereign nations continue to crack down on human smuggling and other cross-border crimes, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday. She added that such cooperation is in line with the domestic laws of both countries as well as international law and common practices. The remark came in response to moves by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who announced on Friday sanctions that include visa restrictions for Thai government officials involved in the deportation cooperation. Noting the 40…
DHAKA – We are what we breathe. Now imagine that breath—something we do without thinking—could be quietly slashing years of our lives. That’s no idle fear: air pollution claimed 8.1 million lives in 2021 alone, roughly one in every eight deaths worldwide and one in three in South Asia, according to the latest Global Disease Burden report. It’s the second deadliest health risk on the planet, trailing only high blood pressure, and it spares no one. The threat comes in two forms: the polluted air filling our streets and the smoke lurking indoors from cooking fires or dusty homes. Over…
HANOI – Việt Nam has recorded nearly 40,000 suspected measles cases and five measles-related deaths since the beginning of this year. The Ministry of Health (MoH) believes that the number of suspected measles cases will continue to increase nationwide. In particular, high-risk areas such as mountainous provinces, where many ethnic groups live, have limited access to health services, and localities with low vaccination rates are the most susceptible to outbreaks. To tackle the issue, the MoH had a national conference on measles prevention and control on Saturday afternoon. The conference took place in person and online, connecting the MoH with…
TOKYO – The approval rating for the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has plummeted to near the “danger level” for running the government. The recently revealed distribution of gift certificates by Ishiba has fueled public distrust that had been already growing over his government’s handling of revisions to the budget for next fiscal year. The plunge in approval rating has sent shock waves through the government and ruling parties, while the opposition parties are stepping up their offensive. Weak party base “We will humbly accept the results and work to restore trust,” LDP Secretary General Hiroshi Moriyama said Sunday,…
BEIJING – Chinese authorities issued guidelines on Friday requiring labels on all artificial intelligence-generated content circulated online, aiming to combat the misuse of AI and the spread of false information. The regulations, jointly issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, and the National Radio and Television Administration, will take effect on Sept 1. A spokesperson for the Cyberspace Administration said the move aims to “put an end to the misuse of AI generative technologies and the spread of false information.” The guidelines stipulate that content generated or synthesized…
BENGALURU – As part of the investigations into the starlet smuggling saga, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out searches at many locations across Karnataka to unravel the possible involvement of others – people from the film world, politics, business and social circles of the arrested actress Ranya Rao. The CBI, which has begun the investigations, has filed a case based on which the ED searches began, to find further evidence in the case and also to detect and identify any more people involved in the smuggling racket. The investigations are also expected to unravel any international ramifications of the case.…
SHANGHAI – Haidilao, a popular Chinese hotpot chain, announced it will provide full refunds and substantial compensation to thousands of customers after two boys urinated into a hotpot at one of its Shanghai branches. The company said on Wednesday that 4,109 customers who dined at its location at The Bund between Feb 24 and March 8 will receive a full refund of their meals, plus a cash compensation of 10 times the amount of their bill. The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Feb 24, involved two 17-year-old boys, surnamed Tang and Wu, who were dining in a…
SEOUL – Over 50,000 South Koreans as of Friday have signed an online petition calling for regulations on local entertainment reporters who run YouTube channels focused on celebrities’ private lives. The petition, posted on the National Assembly’s petition page on Feb. 24, called on the parliament to introduce regulatory measures against malicious videos uploaded by the YouTubers-turned-reporters. Such accounts have been criticized for causing emotional distress to the late actor Kim Sae-ron. The unnamed petitioner claimed that numerous entertainment reporters covered Kim at a “near-stalking level,” and the videos on their YouTube channels, which raised groundless allegations against the young…
ANOI – Vietnam’s rise to the top of the global coffee market has been, in world history terms, rather quick. From humble beginnings in the 1800s, Vietnam is now seen as one of the best coffee markets in the world, with many global manufacturers relying on locally grown coffee. Back in the 9th century in Ethiopia, a farmer was watching his goats and noticed that after eating berries from a particular tree, the goats would have more energy and change their behaviour. This tree, a native coffee tree, went on to become the most consumed product in the world 1,000…