Japanese pop culture first captured global attention in the 1950s, when postwar melodramatic films found international audiences. But its true global breakthrough came in the 1980s with the rise of manga and anime. Today, Japan remains a powerhouse in global pop culture, thanks to its thriving manga, character, and gaming industries. In contrast, South Korean…

It is Taiwan's national sport. Baseball gets people moving all around the island, riveted to their television or lining up to enter stadiums. It has a tangled history of colonialism and national pride, but it is the only sport in Taiwan that generates such momentum. And if you’ve watched a baseball match in Taiwan in…

This is the new face of Korean politics: "fandom politics." Much like K-pop fans who rally behind their favourite idols with fierce loyalty and social media savvy, political supporters in Korea now behave like digital fan clubs. And it’s not just a metaphor: the unprecedented decision by the Constitutional Court to uphold the impeachment of…