what?! no K-pop stars in Kohaku?!

(Warning: this is a blunt post; not for K-pop fans.) So NHK has announced the line-up for this year’s Kohaku. And gasp, no Korean pop stars! Well… so what? I get it for fans, that it’s a tragedy not to see their K-pop idols on the show. I get it for the media, that they…

fashion meets art meets culture

I got this invitation to the launch of the new fashion line of Thai brand TUBE GALLERY. The art work is by Belgian artist Christian Develter using the Chin ethnics of Myanmar, particularly their facial tattoo, as inspiration. TUBE GALLERY’s designer then used it for the new collection. Very nice. (Please DO NOT lift content…

from Blue Gate Crossing to Golden Gate

Last night as I was monitoring the 2012 Golden Horse Awards, I was hoping that Gui Lun-mei will win best actress for GF*BF. I rather had a selfish reason for wishing so and that is because Chen Bolin won as best actor at the Golden Bell a month or so earlier. If she wins, it…

TOKYO SKYTREE is the new TOKYO TOWER for J-dramas

Tokyo Tower is beloved by Tokyoites and tourists alike. The first time I went to Tokyo, I spent an entire night just staring at the tower until the lights went out. Crazy I know especially when in the morning, the tower, in its dull red-orange paint, totally looks unappealing. But it is one of Tokyo’s…

charming Taiwan movies

Taiwan’s film industry has been experiencing a revival in the last couple of years although it’s not easy getting back on its feet given competition from China and its big budget movies. The Taiwan market is small and while its entertainment industry is crowded with famous actors, they  end up working in the mainland because…

it’s all just for show

If you know me, you’d know that the pun in my title is intended. A friend tweeted this link earlier about “secrets” of Korean idols. I’m not a K-pop fan so when I read it, my mind was swimming in murky waters with all these names that were either hard to pronounce or I can’t…