Social conditions and trends

‘Punk wellness’: China’s stressed young people mix traditional medicine and cocktails

“TCM bars” have popped up in several cities across China, epitomising what time-poor youth refer to as “punk wellness”.

‘Artists of steel’: Japanese swords forge new fan base

Swordsmith Akihira Kawasaki (R) steadies steel over an anvil while his apprentice hammers the metal to forge katana blades on Jan 9 in Japan.

Move over, girl dinner. Boy kibble has arrived

A mix of rice and vegetables cooked in a single pan is referred to as boy kibble.

Blackpink drop new teaser posters, signalling sleek new era ahead of Deadline

Two sets of posters for BlackPink’s upcoming third mini-album feature two striking contrasts in style and colour tones.

Commentary

Hong Kong’s bus seat belt saga has all the makings of a good comedy

mfseatbelts - Screenshot. In October 2025, dashcam footage of an undercover police operation on a Hong Kong minibus went viral online. That stint resulted in 31 passengers receiving fines for not wearing their seat belts on the minibus.

CREDIT: STAND.FOR.HK/INSTAGRAM

When did conversations on parenthood and fertility in S’pore become such a downer?

Photograph of a young family with a child next to six Singapore Flags put together to wish Singapore Happy Birthday in front of Block 865 Tampines Street 83 on Aug 8, 2025.

Rise of no-viewing funerals in South Korea

South Koreans are moving away from highly perfunctory, expensive funeral rites toward quieter, more private forms of remembrance.

The Harry Potter generation needs to grow up

In the wizarding world, good people like Harry Potter represent liberal values in a contest against darker forces embodied by Lord Voldemort, says the writer.

Remember those innocent days of 2016?

2016 was the year of the Pokemon Go craze that saw adults flocking to parks, malls and various landmarks to catch virtual cartoon creatures.

Drink warm water and try qigong: TikTokers are ‘becoming Chinese’ in latest wellness trend

The origins of the trend can be traced to American-Chinese creator Sherry Zhu.

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MDDI (P) 046/10/2025. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No.202120748H. Copyright © 2026 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.