Japan Premium Melons Take Price Plunge
A pair of premium Japanese melons sold Monday for just a slice of the five million yen ($46,000) reached at auction last year, as the coronavirus bites hard.
Category: CULTURE
Pakistan Goes Wild for Turkish Drama ‘Ertugrul’
Dubbed the Muslim “Game of Thrones”, a drama about the makings of the Ottoman Empire has sent Pakistan wild this Ramadan, smashing television records but exposing the country’s lack of original content.
Thailand’s ‘Golden Son’ Dolls Bring Believers Luck and Protection
Smearing clay mixed with the dust of cremated bodies onto the base of a figurine, a Thai Buddhist monk chants incantations to invite lucky spirits into a relic dubbed the “Golden Son”.
Virus Pushes Pakistan’s Transgender Dancers Out of Their Homes
Before the virus shutdown, dancer Adnan Ali had carved out a comfortable living performing at parties for newlyweds and newborns, avoiding the financial hardship faced by many in Pakistan’s transgender community.
Waxed Chests and Face Scrubs: Indian Millennials Defy Gender Norms
After exfoliating his face and buffing his nails, Lakshay Narula crossed another grooming frontier — applying hair removal cream to his chest and with it, upending India’s rigid gender norms.
Mythical Monster Goes Viral as Japan Prays for End of Pandemic
Move over Pokemon and Hello Kitty, in coronavirus-hit Japan, a new character has captured hearts and hopes: Amabie, a beak-nosed, long-locked mythical mermaid monster said to repel plagues.
Movie Studios Bet on Indonesia’s Homegrown Superhero Universe
Marvel’s Avengers may bring in billions at the box office but Indonesia is taking on the likes of Captain America and Iron Man with its own superhero franchise, tapping into growing global demand for diverse characters.
Coronavirus Interrupts World’s Longest-Running Cartoon
Production of the world’s longest-running cartoon and a mainstay of the Japanese weekend has been interrupted by the coronavirus, forcing the broadcast of re-runs for the first time in decades.
China Weddings Go Online with Virtual Guests and Special Effects
Like many couples in the era of social distancing, Ma Jialun and Zhang Yitong held their wedding ceremony online — but they added a twist by livestreaming the event to more than 100,000 strangers.
Women Use VR to Beat Sexual Harassment After Singapore #MeToo Scandal
“Wow, your shirt is really see-through. Are you wearing matching underwear?” the man says lewdly
Bangkok’s Millionaires’ Club Enjoys Lockdown Luxury
Gourmet take-out delivered by a butler in a black sedan – Thailand’s super-rich have not forgone luxury during a pandemic which has locked the country down, crushed the economy and left millions unemployed.
Cremation Traumatizes in Philippines as ‘Second Tragedy’
Families of coronavirus victims in the Philippines are being denied traditional death rites in favor of hurried, impersonal cremations, with virus restrictions often meaning they are forbidden a last look at their loved ones.
Yachts, Fine Wine and Private Jets: Isolating with the Super-Rich
Stranded on superyachts or confined to their sprawling mansions worrying about their wine cellars, the world’s super rich have invited ridicule throughout the coronavirus pandemic with their apparent insensitivity to the plight of ordinary people.
Stories of Vietnam War Told From the Women’s Perspective
Women bore much of the burden of the Vietnam War but their voices have long been absent from the trove of literature on the topic, says acclaimed author Nguyen Phan Que Mai.
Taiwanese Artist Breaths New Life Into Trashed Sculpture of Gods
Every spare surface of Lin Hsin-lai’s four-storey shop is crammed with a pantheon of Taiwan’s celestial beings, testament to the decades he has spent sheltering and restoring unwanted statues of gods.
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Korean Women are Going Braless, and Maybe You Should Too
Going Braless has become a movement all over the world, and Kpop stars are leading the pack even if it causes an uproar. Does this movement really deserve to be the subject of controversies? Does this affect society’s perception of a woman?
