Norway is the world’s biggest producer of salmon. But hardly any of it goes to China, the biggest consumer of seafood. Since the Nobel Prize…
TABOO
An outcry over DIY period pads has sparked a national menstruation conversation in Korea
Eun-seo, a 16-year-old girl who lives only with her disabled father, cannot afford sanitary napkins and with no proper education at home about how to…
VISA EQUALITY
It’s good for business: Why Goldman Sachs is intervening in a gay rights case in Hong Kong
Twelve international financial firms are stepping in to help a woman in a same-sex relationship obtain a dependent visa to live and work in Hong…
POOPED
Japanese students are learning how to write characters from a poop-shaped teacher
There’s a new way to make learning Chinese characters fun for Japanese kids—just add poop. The series “Unko kanji drills”—”unko” meaning poop, and “kanji” the…
OVERREACTION
“Body-slam”: What Greg Gianforte actually did to the Guardian reporter
Greg Gianforte, the Republican candidate for a House seat in Montana, was charged with misdemeanor assault after he attacked Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs at an…
ELITES
A viral video of a politician and his suitcase shows what’s wrong with male entitlement in Korea
Kim Moo-sung, a 65 year-old Korean politician, arrived at Seoul’s Gimpo Airport yesterday (May 23) after returning from a trip to Japan. As he entered…
KAWAII
How the world’s largest rodent became a superstar in Japan
They chill out in open-air hot springs in the winter, they’re widely available as cuddly plush toys, and aficionados lovingly curate their photos on social…
HELLO EUROPE!
The ultimate guide to watching Eurovision like a pro
For one night only, Europeans can put Brexit, creeping nationalism, and the euro zone’s economic woes behind them to “celebrate diversity,” as the official slogan…
ALL GOOD
What bad news? South Korea’s stock market is dancing to its own tune
North Korea. A crippling economic boycott by China. A president who was impeached. Massive corporate scandals. None of these things are stopping South Korea’s stock…
HANGING IN THERE
Japan’s antiwar constitution marks its 70th birthday under the shadow of North Korea
It’s a strange time for Japan to commemorate its post-Second World War pacifist constitution, which turns 70 today (May 3). This week, Tokyo’s subway system…
IDENTITY CRISIS
Australia is at a point where it has to choose between its ally America and its economic backer China
With America’s commitment to Asia-Pacific security looking shaky and China’s economic—and military—might rising, a peculiarly Australian question is at the forefront: Are we Asian or…
PROGRESSIVE-ISH
Being a progressive politician in Korea doesn’t stop you from being homophobic
Moon Jae-in, the favorite to be South Korea’s next president, is generally regarded as the liberal in the fray. He’s a former human rights lawyer…
