Society
The culture coming out of Asia-Pacific isn’t a trend — it’s a redefinition of who gets to set the global conversation. The films, faiths, and generational shifts behind it.
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May- 2026 -31 May
China engineered fake holidays to make people spend money
China's tiáo xiū system stretches 11 public holidays into longer breaks by converting adjacent weekends into compulsory workdays. The 2025 Spring Festival required work on Sunday January 26 and Saturday…
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31 May
China’s privacy laws don’t stop its hidden-camera porn trade
A clandestine industry in China systematically installs pinhole cameras in hotel rooms and rental apartments, livestreaming footage through encrypted Telegram channels at $65/month subscriptions. Over 70 prosecuted voyeurism cases across…
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29 May
South Korea’s inactive youth hit six-year high as employers block first-time job seekers
South Korea's economically inactive population aged 25–29 reached 784,000 in April 2026, up 37,000 year-on-year, with 228,000 classified as 'resting youth.' The steepest April increase since 2020 reflects a structural…
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29 May
South Korea’s resting youth hit six-year high as firms abandon graduate hiring
South Korea's economically inactive population aged 25–29 reached 784,000 in April 2026, up 37,000 year-on-year. Within that group, 228,000 are classified as resting youth—capable of working but neither employed nor…
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28 May
Tokyo’s Hands Shibuya flagship closes after 48 years, signalling shift in prime retail real estate
Hands Shibuya flagship store closing November 2026 after 48 years of operation. Lease non-renewal driven by aging building structure. Closure signals broader shift in Tokyo's prime commercial real estate toward…
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25 May
Taliban’s 50 decrees erase Afghan women from public life, UN warns of gender persecution
Afghanistan has become the most repressive country for women, with the Taliban issuing over 50 decrees restricting rights since August 2021, covering education, employment, and public spaces. A March 2025…
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25 May
Saudi Arabia manages haj pilgrimage amid Iran war ceasefire and extreme heat
The 2026 haj pilgrimage began with over 1.5 million pilgrims arriving in Saudi Arabia, posing a logistical and geopolitical stress test amid a fragile Iran war ceasefire and extreme temperatures.…
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24 May
Miss Universe Philippines winner sparks debate on diaspora identity and colonial beauty standards
The 2026 Miss Universe Philippines title, won by Bea Millan-Windorski — a half-Filipina, half-Polish-German woman raised in the United States who previously represented the US at a Miss Earth competition…
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21 May
Vietnam’s youth unemployment hits 9% peak, exposing structural skills gap
Vietnam's youth unemployment rate climbed to 9.03% in Q3 2025 — the highest recorded since data collection began in 2014 — while overall unemployment across the working-age population held at…
