Category Archives: quirky asia
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 […]
Psy-chotic coverage
Who’s tired of all these stories about Korean rapper Psy? Oh, it’s only me? My my, as they say on Downton Abbey. I handle a Korean newspaper at work and every day, I have to read the contents of that paper and see if there are interesting stories for our news service. Since Psy became […]
Gangnam Style is up your a$$ for K-pop
I guess it’s obvious that I’m no fan of K-pop. Been there, been that and glad I escaped before the wave swallowed me whole. And I ain’t hating on K-pop without trying it first. But it just does not float my boat anymore. Not even Gangnam Style, but hey, it’s not really K-pop in its […]
‘if you want to smoke, please step out of the aircraft’
Travelers often see the de rigueur safety instructions at the beginning of the flight. I don’t even listen to it especially when I’m too sleepy on a flight and promptly fall asleep as long as I buckle on my seat. But this video below on an AirAsia flight is not your regular bored steward spewing […]
the ideal Asian face
I came across this in a blog (but I couldn’t find it anymore, boo) that featured an artist’s depiction of how an ideal Asian face looks like: The ideal face, according to this painting, should be perfectly heart-shaped, with double eyelids, small but high pointed nose, cute rosy lips and pure translucent white skin. On […]
how’s your Japanese?
Watching Taiwanese and Japanese (OK, fine, Korean) dramas made me pick up a few phrases here and there. They can be useful in breaking the ice but nothing more than that. I wish I could really focus on learning Nihongo or Putonghua but you need constant practice in learning a language. I have been a […]
only in Japan: take a break, have a strange KitKat
I bought these packs of KitKat during a recent trip to Manila in orange and mint flavors. I know they’re not even close to the strange flavors that Japan comes up with. According to this Wikipedia entry, there are 101 flavors available in Japan, with a few of them available in other countries, like boring […]
life is like a bowl of durian
I was transcribing my interview with KVS, the director of the World Film Bangkok, earlier for my next popasia column and I had a laugh when he wanted to change the lyrics of his favorite song: “life is like a bowl of cherries, don’t take it serious…” to “life is like a bowl of durian, […]
Taiwan’s Beethoven trucks
The first scene of In Time With You’s episode 6 where Cheng You Qing throws the garbage out reminds me of my colleague LL. During the trip to Harbin, TV Boss found a piano in a Russian salon and he proceeded to play Beethoven’s Für Elise to an impressed group of journalists. After the impromptu […]
quirky AsiaL Only in Japan… Best Jeanist
I still crack up whenever I hear “best jeanist” that they give out annually in Japan. This award has been ongoing since 1994 and get this, they even have a committee to select people who they think have taste when it comes to jeans and can actually wear them. OK, I paraphrased that part because […]
quirky asia: who wants soy sauce cotton candy?
OK, strange thing I heard today: soy-sauce flavored cotton candy to be launched by Korean condiment maker Sempio. It shouldn’t be a surprise since in Japan, they have soy sauce-flavored ice cream (!!!) and candies. Ommo. KitKat’s only-in-Japan flavors were already too weird for me–think miso, soy bean paste, apple vinegar (ugh), and yes, they […]
quirky Asia: Maru the cat
I have been spending most of this Saturday watching videos of Maru, dubbed as the “funniest cat on the planet”. Maru is a Scottish Fold cat who lives in Japan and loves boxes and paperbags. Watch his video here: I love dogs (yes Jay Chou, gou, gou, gou, gou). The only reason why I don’t […]
of sun and mooncakes
Tomorrow is mid-autumn festival. And I am craving for mooncakes. When I was in Harbin just a few days ago, LZ took me to the city’s most famous mooncake shop, Lao Dingfeng. The shop, one of many branches, was right in the Chinese baroque block which we were visiting. The shop was full of people […]
I am Yammybear
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