finding asia`s fashion sense

CHANGING ASIA
POPASIA
China's new
boom towns
North Korea says
hello to ‘hallyu’
J UN E 3-16, 2011
Head
FINDING ASIA’S
FASHION SENSE
Japan
Indonesia
China
Thailand
Singapore
Malaysia
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What’s Your Style?
W
hen it comes to fashion, Asia is catching
up with the West.
The popularity of
Korean Wave and
Japanese pop have paved the way for a
more stylish style of dressing among
the youth.
Collectively, Asia doesn’t have a
standard fashion style but each
country has its own unique way of
dressing. The younger, more fashionconscious demographic is setting the
trend in the region whose majority of
the population remains young.
In Japan, conservative choices are
still the rave especially among young
professionals while teenagers opt for
more trendy looks. For young Japanese women, they prefer the ‘sexy
cute’ look which features pale pinks,
lace and frills, short skirts and coy,
childish make-up.
In Indonesia, style is very much
anchored in history. The Indonesian
kebaya of today has been glammed up
and deconstructed by a host of
home-grown designers. Youngsters,
on the other hand, are comfortable in
skinny jeans and slouchy shirts.
In China, dressing well means
dressing Western. Young women are
often seen wearing sleek boots and
leopard-print tights and sport other
styles adopted from Western fashion
magazines.
In Thailand, it is a huge thing to
wear appropriate and fashionable
clothes because it reveals social
status.
While in Singapore and Malaysia,
comfort, more than fashion, is highly
appreciated.
Asia News Network
asianewsnet@gmail.com
JUNE 3-16, 2011 • Vol 6 No 1 1
COVER STORY
Fashion-Forward P8
photo by Ju lia n Ryall/ The Straits Times
As the younger,
more fashionconscious
demographic,
along with a
growing fashion
industry reemerges in Asian
countries, fashion
faux pas is a thing
of the past
SPECIAL REPORT P16
BUSINESS P24
POPASIA P40
A Step Closer To The End Game
Post-election Thailand may see an
existential struggle that could
transform the country’s power
structure
The Challenges Of Succession
Handing over the reins of power
becomes troublesome in China
Tales From The Other Side
Hallyu is transforming the thinking of
North Koreans in ways that politics
couldn’t
THE VIEW P7
China-North Korea ties
Kim Jong-il’s three trips to China in a
year shows how desperate he is for
China’s help
TECHNOLOGY P28
It’s Game Time
South Korea’s online game industry
looks overseas
F E AT U R E S
The Rise Of Women
The male-dominated Indian politics is
now seeing a change in landscape
Anatomy Of A Modern Man
The stereotypical man’s man becomes
so pass?
New Boom Towns
Lesser-known cities in China emerge
as the country’s most attractive
markets
Manila Is Charming, Too
The Philippines’ capital is not short of
interesting places to visit
EXPLORE P46
ENTERTAINMENT P34
CHANGING ASIA P22
Watcha Cookin’, Einstein?
Molecular gastronomy sweeps
Bangkok
TRAVEL BITES P44
LIFESTYLE P32
POLITICS P20
FOOD P42
Fresh Faces In Bollywood
Offsprings of established actors now
slowly make a mark for themselves
A Slow Boat To Luang Prabang
Forget the fast flight to the old Lao
capital
COVER IM AG E | th e korea h era l d photo
Copyright © 2006 of Asia News Network. All rights reserved. AsiaNews (ISSN 1905-2650) is a weekly magazine. Printed by WPS (Thailand) Co, Ltd Subsidiary of Nation Multimedia Group Plc.
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The View
By Kavi Chongkittavorn
By The Korea Herald
Overlapping Claims
China-North Korea Ties
❖❖ Bangkok
❖❖ Seoul
The Nation (Thailand)
South China Sea disputes threaten Asean-China relations
6•
June 3-16, 2011
O
nly a few days after which made an “imperishable contri- obliquely turned down his request for
Kim Jong-il returned bution” to the development of the direct Chinese government aid and
to Pyongyang from a North Korea-China friendship and investment by pointing to the role of
week-long tour, it may the prosperity of the socialist country. enterprise and provincial authorities
be premature to assess
The lavish praise is no doubt aimed in the free market system.
the outcome of the North Korean to make the Northern people and the
Unlike his previous visit in August,
leader’s latest China visit, his third in outside world believe that Kim Jong- Kim did not take his third son and
about a year. News dispatches by of- il’s visit was highly successful despite heir apparent Jong-un. Yet, he still
ficial Chinese and North Korean out- the sparse evidence of concrete wanted to have the dynastic power
lets provide few clues to substantial achievements. Pyongyang leaders transition recognised by Chinese
economic gains for the North but the also wanted to display the security of leaders as he mentioned the “great
visit again demonstrated the
historic task” of relaying
deepening ties between the
friendship from one generatwo neighbours and allies.
tion to the next. President
Some analysts have deterHu responded passively by
mined that Kim returned
just paraphrasing Kim’s rehome empty-handed withmarks about inheriting
out winning any firm comfriendship.
mitment of massive aid
Kim and Hu discussed refrom the Chinese leaders.
ducing tension on the Korean
They particularly noted the
Peninsula and the nuclear isabsence of North Korean
sue, the latter being the
economic officials from the
North Korean chief’s barmeeting between Kim and
gaining chip to secure strongChinese President Hu Jiner support from China. Kim
tao, who was accompanied
spoke of his wish to have an
by an array of top economic
early resumption of the sixaides. They understood the FRIENDS: North Korean leader Kim Jong-il (R) and Chinese
party talks reiterating readiasymmetrical conference re- President Hu Jintao during a meeting in Beijing in an undated photo
ness for denuclearisation.
vealed Kim’s resentment at released from North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency.
Hu, whether assured by this
China’s lack of response to
gesture or not, lectured Kim
his request for more economic aid.
the father-son combination in the about the importance of maintaining
What was puzzling observers here, North’s ruling structure.
peace and stability on the Korean Penhowever, was the great fanfare given
No matter how Beijing and Pyong- insula by remaining calm and reto Kim Jong-il upon his return from yang may try to convince the outsid- strained in disputes, removing obstathe China tour. The Korean Central ers of their rock hard ties, Kim’s three cles, showing flexibility and improving
News Agency reported on May 29 trips to China in a year without re- relations.
that a military song and dance band turn visits by his Chinese counterpart
Even before he embarked on his
performed a gala show for Kim Jong- have exposed how desperate he is for China tour, Kim Jong-il should have
il at an undisclosed place. Kim Jong- China’s help.
known what needs to be done to exun, who greeted his father at the borWhile Kim Jong-il was travelling tract more aid from Beijing. He should
der city of Sinuiju on May 27, is Northeast China without announce- now have reconfirmed what the Chibelieved to have arranged the cele- ment, Chinese Premier Wen revealed nese want, which are economic reform
bration where a large number of the to Korean President Lee Myung-bak and openness and more flexibility in
North’s power elite were present.
and Japanese Prime Minister Naoto its stance on denuclearisation. The big
There was no such congratulatory Kan during a regular summit in To- questions are how many more visits by
event after Kim’s six previous visits to kyo that the North Korean leader was Kim will actually result in change for
China. The KCNA lauded Kim’s “ener- there to learn about China’s experi- North Korea, and whether it will ever
getic foreign activities day and night” ence of economic development. change if the Chinese leaders continue
through more than 6,000km of travel Meeting Kim in Beijing, Wen their meek approach.
June 3-16, 2011
•7
PHOTO BY KC NA VI A KN S/AF P
PH OTO BY N OEL C ELI S/A FP
A
fter 15 years of discreet agreed on when bilateral relations tervention from other players. To add
and patient diplomacy were at a zenith. The Asean claim- fuel to the fire, last week, Viet Nam
over overlapping claims ants—Viet Nam, Brunei, Malaysia, and the Philippines agreed to work
for the South China the Philippines and China—were still on a joint exploration project for oil
Sea, both Asean and fighting over them when senior offi- and gas in the disputed areas.
China are showing signs of fatigue as cials last met in Medan, Indonesia.
Previously, the Asean claimants
there has been no progress yet to- Given the current tension and grow- and China held bilateral negotiations
wards a resolution or joint develop- ing mutual suspicion, especially be- trying to craft collaborative framement schemes. Alleged intrusions tween China and Viet Nam/Philip- works that would be acceptable to
and confrontations in the resource- pines, it is doubtful if they will be able both sides—settling sovereignty isrich maritime territory by various to finalise the guidelines in time for sues with Asean claimants and overclaimants have increased
all cooperation with all Aseover the past two years.
an members. Unfortunately,
The most serious incident
some claimants viewed the
occurred on March 2 when
exercise as a foot-dragging
the Philippine oil exploratactic to further strengthen
tion ship, MV Veritas Voypresence in claimed islands
ager, was harassed by Chior islets. At the moment,
nese Navy patrol boats at
Viet Nam occupies 23 islets
Reed Bank, near the Philipwhile China and Malaysia
pines. It topped the agenda
occupy seven each. The
when the visiting Chinese
Philippines has claimed the
defence minister Gen Liang
so-called Kalayaan Island
Guanlie visited the Philipgroup made up of 54 ispines last week. The incilands, reefs and shoals.
dent immediately brought
With Asean members jugback memories of March
gling their positions be1995, when the Philippines visitor: Chinese defence minister Liang Guanglie gestures during a tween claimants and nonconfronted China after the courtesy visit where he met Philippine President Benigno Aquino in claimants as well as China’s
discovery of new structures Manila last week.
ambivalence to Asean as a
in the Mischief Reefs, which
whole, relations between
subsequently led Asean to issue a next year’s 10th commemoration in the grouping and the regional power
joint statement, the first and the only Phnom Penh.
will be severely tested from now on.
one, expressing “serious concern”
More than conflicting parties like
Finally, if the ongoing disputes are
over Beijing’s action.
to admit, the relatively benign envi- not properly handled, it will have
Over the years, there were high ronment which Asean and China huge spill-over effects on broader
hopes that the Declaration of Conduct used to enjoy tackling the South Chi- China-US rivalry in this region. The
for Parties in the South China Sea in na Sea problem since Mischief Reef Philippines is a treaty ally of the US,
2002 would not only encourage the in 1995 effectively ended last July. as are Japan and South Korea, which
claimants to restrain from any activity The dispute got an international also have overlapping claims on isthat would destabilise the whole re- stamp when the US State Secretary lands with China. For instance, a
gion but help to resolve issues related Hilary Clinton raised the issue openly small incidental armed attack in the
the territorial sovereignty. Somehow on the freedom and safety of naviga- Kalayaan Island chain could easily
the longstanding pledge for the pro- tion in the South China Sea and ex- turn ugly amid growing China-US
motion of trust-building measures pressed strong support for the Asean rivalry. The Philippine government
and mutually beneficial cooperation document. Furthermore, the US also is confident that any attack on a
has continued to be an elusive goal.
offered to facilitate diplomatic efforts Filipino ship in areas under its adOne stumbling block remains the to find a resolution. China was quite ministration is a direct attack on the
wording of implementing guidelines happy to continue negotiating with US, as stipulated in its defence
of the 2002 document, which was Asean over the guidelines without in- treaty with the US.
Kim Jong-il’s three trips to China in a year without return visits
by his Chinese counterpart have exposed his desperation
COVER STORY
By Julian Ryall
The Straits Times
D
❖❖ Tokyo
espite the best efforts of its
world-renowned fashion
designers, a strong streak
of conservatism has, for a
long time, run through
Japanese society.
This is reflected in the school uniforms that students wear during their
formative years, then exchange for
unofficial working attire of smart
suit, shirt, tie and polished shoes for
men and simple dark jacket and skirt
with white blouse for women.
It was even considered inappropriate for men to roll up their shirt
sleeves and for women to go to
work in pants.
Thus, the business suit became Japan’s de facto national dress, and it remained that way until the 1990s. Cutting-edge designers such as Issey
Miyake, Rei Kawakubo and Yohji
Yamamoto may have been applauded
on the catwalks of Paris, New York and
London, but back home, the suit
reigned supreme.
However, Japan’s economic decline
thereafter brought change to the national dress sense as well. With employment less secure, adherence to the
‘salaryman suit’ declined among
younger workers. Now more people
want to be different instead of conforming to one dress code.
The government was, ironically, part
of the catalyst for change. In the summer of 2005, the ministry of the environment announced its Cool Biz campaign, where ministries would not set
the air-conditioning below 28˚C and
bureaucrats were encouraged to wear
short-sleeved shirts and forgo jackets
and ties. It took a while to catch on, but
more paper-pushers adopted the casual look after then prime minister Junichiro Koizumi started giving interviews in his shirt sleeves.
The change in attitudes has given
new impetus to creative types, who
Is there really an Asian
fashion? Collectively,
there seems to be none
but each country has
its own style which
reflects the changing
values and attitudes
towards notions of
formality. As the
younger, more
fashion-conscious
demographic, along
with a growing fashion
industry re-emerges,
fashion faux pas is a
thing of the past
8•
Conservative
Streak
June 3-16, 2011
June 3-16, 2011
have broadened their reach
in every direction. Today,
Tokyo is not just home to
the chic boutiques of Ginza
but also the Shibuya 109
store, the ultimate in street
fashion.
Shibuya’s shops sell
everything from the
Gothic Lolita look to the
recent trend for mori garu,
literally meaning ‘forest
girl’: loose-fitting clothes
and long, natural-looking I’M SO SEXY: The ‘sexy cute’ look many young Japanese
wavy hair, all geared to- women are adopting features pale pinks, lace and frills, short
skirts and coy, childish make-up.
wards a laid-back, onewith-nature look.
One sector that has done well reBesides, she adds, “people of my
cently is the ‘sexy cute’ look so many generation want to look good and
young women here are adopting. It spend quite a lot of time and money
features pale pinks, lace and frills, on what we wear”.
short skirts and make-up, accenting
Hosomura likes outfits by British
the coy and childish.
designer Vivienne Westwood. ForYet there is a sense that Japan has eign influences aside, Japan’s stars
slipped back to its old conformist inevitably drive its fashion, with
habits.
women taking cues from Crystal Kay
Part of the reason is Japan’s ageing and girl group AKB48.
population, but there is also the sense
Men, on the other hand, tend not
the nation’s ongoing economic prob- to look much further than ‘idol group’
lems are now pressing down harder, SMAP. Takuya Kimura, its most
stifling creativity and the desire to charismatic member, has launched a
stand out.
thousand looks, and is responsible for
Nonetheless, in good times or bad, the artfully-tousled-hair-fallingthe average Japanese, particularly across-the-face look worn by many
women, will make an effort to dress young Japanese men.
up when out.
All of which is a world apart from
The scruffy look is simply not on, the clothing item that has defined Jaeven for a trip to the mall, a stroll in pan and its society through the ages:
the park or a weekend drive to the the kimono.
beach. Instead, comfortable chic is
The kimono is a rare sight in Japan
the order of the day.
today, making an appearance only at
For waitress Kanako Hosomura, formal occasions such as university
28, it’s jeans and T-shirts for a quick graduation ceremonies, weddings or
shopping trip, with a sweater and funerals.
overcoat for colder days. Whatever
Says economics professor Noriko
the attire, the overall effect has to be Hama from Kyoto’s Doshisha Unipresentable. “It’s not polite to the versity: “Kimono culture is totally depeople you are with if you don’t at tached from the everyday lifestyles of
least try to make yourself look neat modern Japanese women and it is up
and tidy when you go out together.”
there on a pedestal.”
•9
PH OTO by J UL I AN RYALL / THE STRA ITS T IME S
PHOTO BY THE KO RE A HERALD
Fashion-Forward
Japan
COVER STORY
By Lynn Lee
The Straits Times
By Ho Ai Li
The Staits Times
Indonesia
Steeped
In History
T
❖❖ Jakarta
for what looks good. The
archipelago has thousands of ethnic subgroups, and this diversity
is, in turn, reflected in the
range of handmade ikat
(woven fabric), found in
the eastern islands of Indonesia, Javanese batik
and songket (brocade)
from Sumatra.
What is more, traditional
cloth is not reserved for festive
occasions. Many men here favour long-sleeved silk batik shirts
over Western suits for day-to-day
business meetings as well as
formal events.
For women, the crown jewel of
Indonesian fashion is the kebaya—a long blouse with a wraparound skirt that is usually made of
batik. For high-society balls and weddings, it is glammed up and infused
with Western touches, like a sprinkling of Swarovski crystals and intricate beading, or sheer lace being used
for the entire back of the blouse.
One of Indonesia’s best-known
kebaya designers, Anne Avantie,
says she has noticed a revival of
sorts among Indonesian women for
traditional design and fabric, wearing them daily and not just on special occasions.
Part of this could be due to the Indonesian government’s efforts to promote traditional Indonesian textiles.
Trade minister Mari Pangestu often
dons the creations of Indonesian designers at overseas conferences, while
visiting heads of state and their
spouses are usually invited by their
hosts to at least one batik showcase.
In the last few years, there has also
been a push to create a ‘Made-in-Indonesia’ style—where local talent is
feted and materials sourced from
across the country.
June 3-16, 2011
F
❖❖ Beijing
STYLISH: Huang Yuhong (right)
and her friend Li Qingxia strike a
pose outside the Vero Moda
boutique, originally from
Denmark, at a mall in Beijing.
June 3-16, 2011
ashionably kitted
up in sleek boots
and leopardprint tights,
Huang Yuhong
gives the coats and
frocks at a mid-priced
boutique here the
once-over.
Dressing up is a
must when the
28-year-old unemployed Beijing
resident goes out.
“When you go out,
you can’t be lata,” says
Huang, using the Chinese
word for ‘sloppy’. “Dressing
well reflects one’s taste.”
Like her, a growing number of Chinese believe that
dressing well is a big deal.
The average Chinese office
worker puts more effort into
how he or she dresses than a
worker in Singapore, says Yap
Seow Choong, a Singaporean
freelance lifestyle writer based
in China. “The Chinese care more
about how they dress; they care
more about things which can
be seen, like clothes or mobile
phones,” he says.
Observers believe this is because the Chinese are highly conscious of how others view them.
Many brandish branded goods to
show they have arrived.
Even on sweltering summer days,
it is rare to see the Chinese going
about town shod in slippers, he notes.
Says Beijing-based American magazine editor Nels Frye: “People are
obsessed with fashion in China.”
Consultant Mollie Tian, 33, certainly puts a lot of thought into her
outfits and accessories before she
leaves home.
She spends about 2,000 yuan
(US$307) a month on clothes,
which she may pick up from boutiques or flea markets. She also
buys Japanese fashion magazines
or surfs the Internet to keep up
with the latest fashion trends.
The Chinese also take their cue
from the large spread of fashion rags
in the country, from popular local
ones like Rayli to Chinese versions of
foreign titles like Elle.
And they have no lack of welldressed Chinese celebrities to
look up to, from actress Fan Bingbing to Hong Kong screen queen
Maggie Cheung.
In fashion, as in accents, regions
differ. Shanghai has long reigned as
the fashion capital of China with its
impeccable taste; Beijing is its less
polished cousin.
“In Beijing, you may see a lot of
women without make-up,” says Pang
Tao, an editor with Trends magazine.
This contrasts with slick Shanghai
where, he says, women would powder
their noses and apply lipstick just to
go buy groceries.
But there is an edge to Beijing
dressing, thanks to its growing community of rockers and artists. “In Beijing, more people would dye their
hair in outrageous colours,” says Yap.
Frye, LifeStyle’s editor-in-chief,
observes that fashion is one area in
China where there are no rules. It
matters not whether it is punk or
goth, so long as it is foreign, which
translates mostly as Western.
With reports from Carol Feng
• 11
photo by HO AI L I/ THE STRA ITS T IME S
10 •
and Internet usage,
which has empowered
people across the
board to spend on
and discover more
about fashion trends.
Statis tics from
global market research agency
Euromonitor
show a surge.
Observers point
to two distinct
trends.
First: Men
are getting on
the style bandwagon
with
more of them “thinking harder
about what to wear to work and
what to wear on a night out”, says
fashion editor Hanafie Akhmad, 33.
“A lot of it has to do with impressing women in Jakarta, who want to
see well-groomed men. There has
also been a surge of foreign fashion
brands for them to choose from,’ said
Akhmad, who is with men’s magazine
BestLife Indonesia.
Second: More youngsters are paying attention to style. Darjanto says
she has heard of friends who are fresh
graduates and earning around 5 million rupiah (US$585) a month setting aside a quarter of their pay for
buying new clothes.
At the extreme end of the spectrum
are the Jakarta socialites who hit hotels
and upmarket cafés with perfectlystyled wavy tresses and a standard
‘uniform’. Amalia Hayati, fashion editor of fashion website Fashionese Daily, describes it as such: “A Herve Leger
dress, Christian Louboutin shoes, and
toting either a Chanel or Hermes’ Birkin or Kelly bag, with lots and lots of
jewellery to finish the look.”
With such a rich history in traditional fabric, it is not surprising that
Indonesians have a deep appreciation
Dress Well,
Dress Western
photo by Ad e k B ERRY/AF P
o entrepreneur Carline
Darjanto, style in Indonesia is a blend of personal preferences, Western trends and loyalty to
Indonesia’s rich heritage in traditional fabric.
The 23-year-old co-owner of fashion brand Cotton Ink says older Indonesians are more deeply wedded to
clothing with elaborate designs or
made of traditional cloth, while
younger people prefer simpler and
more modern styles.
An example she gives of her weekend get-up: “My favourite pair of
pants with a slouchy top, a Bottega
Veneta bag, either flats or high heels
and lots of unbranded necklaces and
rings that I bought in Bangkok.”
Indeed, the scene on the street in
bustling Jakarta proves her point.
At neighbourhood malls, youngsters can be spotted wearing skinny
jeans, slouchy tees and colourful
flats or sneakers.
At high-end malls, young women
might be togged out in vintage blouses,
high-waisted slacks, an expensive bag
and very high heels.
For the older generation, the men
are usually in silk or cotton batik
shirts, and the women in tailored
slacks and flowing chiffon tops. Those
wearing head scarves invariably sport
a glittering pin or brooch.
Rarely would any Jakartan be
caught in flip-flops. In most cases,
three-inch heels, smart ballet flats or
glittery sandals are the de rigeur footwear for women.
The six fashionistas and designers
interviewed by The Straits Times agree
that Indonesians—especially the 8.5
million or so living in Jakarta—have
become much more style-conscious
in recent years.
This is a function of rising incomes
China
FASHION JEWEL: The
Indonesian 'kebaya' of today
has been glammed up and
deconstructed by a host of
home-grown designers like
this one in Jakarta Fashion
Week.
COVER STORY
By Nirmal Ghosh
The Straits Times
Thailand
Dressing Up
Reveals Social
Status
M
DRESS TO IMPRESS:
Thai women prefer stylish
skirt while men go for
skinny jeans and jacket.
12 •
ention Thailand’s national
dress to 31-yearold Suwatcharee
Hongsilathong
and the first thing that comes
to her mind is the dress worn
by classical Thai dancers.
That is not really Thailand’s
national dress though. More
accurately, it is one of
many ‘national’
dresses.
Thai high society, or ‘hi-so’, men
and women can
choose from any
period of Thai
history for their
formal dress, but
men largely favour Western
suits, and most of
the outfits on formal occasions are
overwhelmingly
Western, says
Panu Burusratanapant, editor-in-chief
of Esquire magazine’s
Thai edition.
For those aware of
the finer points, the
style of Thai formal
dress for women can be
very revealing of status;
the cut of the sleeves,
the type of sash worn
are as telling of a
woman’s rank as the
medals on the uniforms of government
bureaucrats.
Even outside of formal settings, Thais in
Bangkok are still generally very
dress-conscious, says Suwatcharee,
who has a degree in fashion design
and pattern drafting from the Esmod
school in Paris.
“Thais are concerned about what
others think of them, especially in
Bangkok. If you want to go to a nice
place—like an upmarket mall—you
need to dress up because people
judge you by what you wear. Even if
you go in shorts, they should be smart
or carry a brand name.”
For Bangkok’s youth, the Korean
look is the hottest trend right now.
Says Panu: “It’s Korean from head
to toe—make-up that looks as if you
don’t have make-up, and for men it’s
skinny legs, tight and short jackets,
spiky hair, pale skin.”
To Suwatcharee, who works for a
French clothing brand, Thais are eclectic fashion followers, “taking their
cue from major magazines, TV, Korean pop stars, brand-name designers”.
“The market is in two parts—the
cheap imitations at the open markets
and the very expensive branded
clothes,” she adds.
Out on the streets and bylanes of
the country of 65 million, however,
the rarefied ballrooms of Bangkok
hotels are a distant dream.
At home with her parents in the
southern city of Hat Yai, when she
kicks back and relaxes, Suwatcharee
wears what ordinary Thais wear
when they are lounging at home or
on the sidewalks having a quick meal
from a food stall—any old pair of
slacks or shorts and a T-shirt.
But that’s Hat Yai, she says. In
Bangkok it is different.
“People here are fond of social
statements, like having a good car,
and good clothes.”
June 3-16, 2011
DRESS DOWN: Bermudas and slippers are popular in Singapore.
The casual look goes with the city state’s hot climate.
Maryam Mokhtar
The Straits Times
Singapore
Sloppy That’s
The Way We
Like It
H
❖❖ Singapore
ere they come, strutting
their stuff through the
Singapore’s malls, resplendent in old school
T-shirts, floppy shorts
and well-worn flappy slippers, all
chucked on at random, and proudly worn without fear or favour of the
fashion police.
Chic, as is painfully obvious from
any stroll around the island, is not
something done here. Dressing down
is less a fashion suggestion for most
Singaporeans than a mission statement for life.
It does seem that dressing down is
the preferred way to go here.
It’s also curious why one of Asia’s
richest countries remains one of its
poorest dressers.
So while Singaporeans prefer
clothes that won’t take the shirt off
their back, cheap and cheerful is
June 3-16, 2011
not the only criterion when it
comes to attire.
Comfortable gear continues to be
the priority when dressing for the
soaring temperatures, as The Straits
Times found after staking out eight
neighbourhood and city malls over a
few weekends.
No T-shirt, it seems, is too
sloppy, no shorts too baggy, no
slippers too moth-eaten that they
can’t be thrown on for another
schlepp around the shops.
Fashion designer Wykidd Song of
menswear label Wykidd notes that
Singaporeans in general have “a very
pragmatic sense of dressing”, influenced by the climate.
A lack of style icons also influences how Singaporeans wear their
clothes, unlike in Seoul, where pop
culture is an integral part of everyday life and celebrities are a major
sartorial influence.
“Everyone wants to be a K-pop star
and they dress like that. We don’t
have such a culture here,” he says.
“It’s hot, and even the stars here dress
pragmatically.”
Singapore’s size compared to megacities like Tokyo has also given it a
“village mentality”, he says. “The
place here is much smaller, and everyone is used to the people they see
every day. Their homes are comfortable, so they head straight back after
work,” he notes.
Singaporeans’ relaxed attitudes towards dressing reflect changes in notions of what constitutes formal and
informal settings.
Sociologist Tan Ern Ser of the National University of Singapore (NUS)
says: “My sense is that many previously formal events are now seen as
informal ones by Singaporeans, especially if they are not playing any official roles in those events.”
Professor Chua Beng Huat, head of
the sociology department at NUS,
adds that the sloppy style of dress
adopted by youngsters is now seen as
a fashion trend in its own right.
But all is not lost. While the antifashionista army marches on, there
are pockets of resistance behind enemy lines, brave souls defying the
dress-down trend to glam it up.
• 13
photos by KEV IN LIM & TED CHEN/ THE STRA ITS TIME S
PH OTO S BY TH E NATIO N (TH AI LAND)
❖❖ Bangkok
COVER STORY
By Teo Cheng Wee
The Straits Times
STYLE EVOLUTION: The
introduction of new international
brands has led to a growing fashion
consciousness among Malaysians,
says fashion lecturer Greg Lee.
Malaysia
Eclectic Is
The Word
C
PH OTO BY K AM ARUL AK HIR / TH E ST RAITS TI ME S
❖❖ Kuala Lumpur
omfort. For a long time,
that’s the word most closely associated with Malaysians’ dress sense, says celebrated local stylist Cho
Wee Chee.
“Yet fashion isn’t about comfort,”
he adds. “It’s about taking the time
and effort to dress up, to present
something refreshing and clever.”
That old mindset is slowly changing, thanks in part to the burgeoning
number of international brands that
have appeared on the scene in the
past decade.
The introduction of new international brands, which mix style with
affordability, has fostered a greater
fashion consciousness among Malaysians, says fashion lecturer Greg Lee.
14 •
“They have learnt how to mix and
match. By choosing what is suitable
for them, they become aware of trends,
presentation, styling and value.”
Cho feels this growing diversity
has also levelled the playing field for
consumers. “Ten years ago, if you
buy Versace head to toe, you’re fashionable. Now ‘eclectic’ is the word.
We’ve become less elitist,” he says.
The Internet and the boom in
budget air travel have also widened
the horizons of Malaysians looking
for sartorial tips.
The results of such exposure are
many and varied. Fashionistas point
out that while some teenagers and
young adults take their cue from Jpop or K-pop stars, others look
West, to British high-street fashion
and Hollywood celebrities.
But looking at the increasingly
fashion-savvy Kuala Lumpur dweller only tells half the story.
Fashion commentators reckon
that the other half of the city’s residents are not bothered if the latest
look calls for leather, feathers and
metal or if big shoulders are ‘in’.
For this group, practicality, simplicity, cost—and comfort—matter
more. Their style, described by top
local designer Lee Khoon Hooi as
“smart casual”, is catered to by popular home-grown brands like Vincci,
Padini and Seed. Their outfits are
priced lower and feature fairly timeless rather than cutting-edge designs.
Still, Tan concedes that Malaysia is lagging behind Asian fashion capitals like Tokyo, Seoul or
even Bangkok.
June 3-16, 2011
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SPECIAL REPORT
By Nirmal Ghosh
The Straits Times
A STEP
CLOSER TO
THE END
GAME
Post-election Thailand may see
an existential struggle that
could transform the country’s
power structure, unless innate
pragmatism produces an arrangement all power centres can
live with
T
Photos by A FP
❖❖ Bangkok
hailand’s election on July 3
will be a safety
valve for letting
off built-up political tension.
But while the poll will show
which party is more popular—the ruling Democrat
Party or its Puea Thai opponents—how the result is
received will be another
matter. That will determine whether Thailand returns to genuine electoral
democracy, or descends
into more conflict.
There is little to choose
between the platforms of
16 •
the Democrats—backed by
the army and the conservative elites—and Puea Thai,
the party backed by fugitive
former premier Thaksin
Shinawatra and the antigovernment ‘red shirt’
movement.
Amid spiralling inflation, both parties have unveiled growth-oriented
manifestos encrusted with
goodies for the people.
Among them are lower corporate income tax and
higher minimum wages.
But Thaksin’s parties have
since 2007 been battered
with court-ordered bans,
and around 150 of his loyal-
ONE & TEN: Yongyuth Wichaidit (L) leader of the opposition
Puea Thai party and Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of the
Democrat Party draw numbers 1 and 10, respectively, during the
registration for parties competing in the upcoming general
elections in Bangkok on May 19.
ist politicians remain
banned from politics. Successive uprisings by the red
shirts in 2009 and last year
failed to alter the status quo.
Some Thaksin loyalists
believe this is their last shot
in their bid to regain power
before fatigue sets in.
“It’s the last boat. If we
can’t do it this time we may
as well write it off. It is not
easy to maintain the support of the people,” said a
senior Thai businessman in
Thaksin’s circle.
Though several opinion
polls show the Puea Thai may
emerge a narrow winner, nobody is willing to bet on the
outcome.
The party is expected to
score on its perceived track
record of effective management when in office in the
past—in the shape of the Thai
Rak Thai Party when Thaksin
was in power from 2001 to
2006, and the People Power
Party which won an election in 2007 but was dissolved by court order in
December 2008.
The public response to
the Democrat Party on
issues like implementation and strong governance is tepid. But the
party scores well on the
issue of integrity.
June 3-16, 2011
The magic number in the
expanded 500-seat parliament will be 251 seats. If
neither the Democrats nor
Puea Thai gets a simple
majority, expect a bruising
period of uncertainty as
some candidates are inevitably disqualified by the
Election Commission, and
both sides fight to lure defectors and potential coalition allies—setting the
stage for possible unrest.
But in addition to the
usual tug-of-war over coalition building found in
most other countries, in
Thailand there is an underlying battle between key
power centres—the military, royalist conservative
elites, and the civilian government.
And who pulls the
strings from behind the
scenes may be more imJune 3-16, 2011
portant than the drama of
the election.
Behind the Puea Thai’s
prime ministerial candidate, Thaksin’s sister
Yingluck Shinawatra, 43,
is her elder brother and
his considerable mass
support base.
The Democrat Party’s
Abhisit Vejjajiva, 46, is
backed by the old-money
aristocratic elites and the
army.
How key players in these
power centres respond to
the election results will
mark the difference between stability and chaos,
political insiders say.
To complicate matters
though, there are competing factions within every
power centre.
At the apex is the monarchy. Though Thailand is a
constitutional monarchy,
King Bhumibol Adulyadej
remains the ultimate moral authority.
But the political divide
has fed off a wave of Internet-enabled social communication and a political
awareness recently sensitised by the Arab uprisings against long-entrenched authority. Also,
the King is a frail 83-yearold. There is anxiety in
Thailand over the prospect of a future without
his moral authority.
In a recent television interview, one of the King’s
daughters, Princess Chulabhorn Walailak, told the
host as he knelt before
her: “I am concerned that
the new generation of,
let’s say, 20-year-old
youngsters, does not quite
know what the King has
done (for the country).”
A year ago, Thailand expert Charles Keyes of the
University of Washington
in Seattle told The New
York Times that Thailand
was in the throes of “a collapse of the political consensus that the monarchy
has helped maintain”.
The establishment has
circled the wagons. Charges of lese majeste—insulting the monarchy—have
soared as part of a wide
crackdown on views critical of the institution. Army
chief Prayuth Chan-ocha
has said Thais should vote
to “protect the monarchy”.
If there is to be peace
and stability, whoever
emerges from the election will have to accommodate and work with
other power centres, to
stay in power.
On the surface the old
elites and the army are entrenched, and there is little
sign of accommodation
with the red shirts who
have challenged the status
quo and have a symbiotic
relationship with the Puea
Thai party.
Even so, the hostility has
not prevented low-key behind-the-scenes contacts
with the Thaksin camp.
Last summer as red
shirts camped en masse in
Bangkok, the city’s governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra—a senior Democrat
Party member from an old
aristocratic family—met
Thaksin.
The businessman close
to Thaksin confirmed that
red shirt leaders arrested
last summer were released
earlier this year on an unders tanding that they
would tone down criticism of the monarchy. “I
wouldn’t call it an arrangement; it was more a
move by both sides to accommodate and moderate,” he said.
In his latest interview
with the daily Post Today
Thaksin emphasised that
if the Puea Thai won the
election, there would be no
vendettas.
But many think it is too
late and that Thailand’s
political divide has resulted in a zero-sum, winnertakes-all game.
Thus post-election Thailand may see an existential
struggle that could transform the country’s power
structure—unless innate
pragmatism produces an
arrangement all power
centres can live with.
As Sukhumbhand noted
in an interview with The
Nation (Thailand): “In
political conflicts like this
one, there are only two
major avenues for resolution. First is negotiation.
Second is using force.”
• 17
SPECIAL REPORT
The Last Bet
Former Thai premier Thaksin
Shinawatra has used his last card
by naming younger sister as the
prime ministerial candidate
18 •
L
THE REDS: Supporters of Thailand’s
anti-government red shirts attend a rally
organised by opposition Pheu Thai Party.
❖❖ Bangkok
ast month, Yingluck Shinawatra
reportedly flew to
Brunei to meet her
elder brother, fugitive former Thai premier
Thaksin Shinawatra.
Right after the visit, she
was named the prime ministerial candidate of Thailand’s opposition Pheu
Thai Party.
The idea of putting Yingluck at the helm of a pro-
Thaksin party was entertained by Thaksin himself
soon after the 2006 military coup. While a few insiders who were asked by
Thaksin to weigh in said
she would be fine, the plan
was ultimately shelved after Thaksin’s other sister,
Yaowapha, said “it would
cause trouble”.
Things changed after the
squabble over who could
truly lead the Pheu Thai
Party to contest the upJune 3-16, 2011
coming election. In the
end, Thaksin had to settle
for his beloved sister, as he
feared senior figures, who
were not part of the family,
may run the show arbitrarily, like in the period when
the party, then known as
the People Power Party
(PPP), was headed by then
PM Samak Sundaravej.
This, combined with the
fact that the red shirts are
increasingly seen as an anti-royalist movement,
raised the risk for anyone
heading the party and
Thaksin eventually settled
for his youngest sister.
In a way, it matters little
who leads the party as the
accusation of the person
being a proxy of Thaksin
won’t go away. Thus, the
choice of Yingluck could
be construed as being
more transparent, as
Thaksin has nothing more
to lose. And he will no
longer have to worry about
having a potential rebel at
the helm of the party as in
the past.
What’s more important
is the clear signal sent by
Thaksin and Yingluck to
not seek revenge against
the establishment if the
party emerges victorious
and succeeds in forming
the next government. It will
try to “correct” things, with
national reconciliation as
the ultimate goal.
In an interview with Post
Today newspaper, Thaksin
was quoted as saying: “Due
to her female characteristics, national reconciliation
could truly be achieved.
What’s more, Yingluck
doesn’t carry political baggage. She was never the
subject of anyone’s personal hatred. (She) doesn’t
have any personal liking for
June 3-16, 2011
any political side and her
heart is impartial and ready
to talk with all sides to forge
reconciliation...”
It is hoped Thaksin’s vocal strategy for reconciliation will help reduce the
resistance toward a possible Pheu Thai victory.
have already discussed a
future coalition with the de
facto heads of smaller parties such as Chart Thai Pattana and Puea Pandin.
Even to the ruling Democrat Party, Thaksin said:
“If necessary, we can work
together. I hold no grudges
the army paranoid”.
What’s intriguing is
that throughout all of
this, Thaksin did not put
the issue of an amnesty
on the table.
He also told his close
aides that he has no plan to
return to Thailand anytime
Photo by Vorawit P u mp uang/ The Natio n (Thailand )
Photo by The Natio n (Thailand )
By Niphawan Kaewrakmuk
The Nation (Thailand)
PM HOPEFUL: Yingluck Shinawatra, the prime ministerial candidate of
Thailand’s opposition Pheu Thai Party, attends an election campaign.
Through various polls,
including ones conducted
internally, Thaksin is 100
per cent certain that the
party will emerge victorious. But he has stated
clearly too that Pheu Thai
will not form a one-party
government but seek to
form a coalition with
smaller parties—except
Bhum Jai Thai, whose de
facto leader Newin Chidchob betrayed Thaksin after the army coerced him
into helping form the current Abhisit Vejjajiva administration.
Thaksin is believed to
about the past.”
He is also believed to
have talked with leaders
of the yellow-shirt People’s Alliance for Democracy and believed to be
ready to have the Pheu
Thai Party announce a
proposal to remove feuding shirt colours in order
to forge reconciliation.
Thaksin is also believed
to have “cleared” himself
with the army and the “amart”, the established old
elite. He has also instructed red-shirt leaders and
key Pheu Thai members to
“not do anything to make
soon due to the risk of assassination.
“Even if they want me
back today, I won’t go,” he
was quoted as saying by a
source.
He will perhaps wait to
see if his sister wins and
whether she can clear “the
big matter” with the established elites or not, in
order to ensure safety
before returning.
Through this strategy,
Thaksin is willing to swallow the bitter past in order to aim for a long shot
that he believes is more
worthwhile.
• 19
POLITICS
By Ravi Velloor
The Straits Times
Mamata Banerjee
J. Jayalalithaa
Mayawati
The Rise Of Women
The male-dominated Indian politics is now
seeing a change in landscape
T
POWERFUL DUO: Delhi state
chief minister Shiela Dixit (L) and
Congress party president Sonia
Gandhi in a 2001 file photo.
20 •
he wins by mercurial
Mamata Banerjee in West
Bengal and former screen
siren J. Jayalalithaa in
Tamil Nadu in India’s recent
state elections have put no less than
four of the country’s most important
states into the hands of women—more
than ever before.
Uttar Pradesh, India’s largest state,
has been ruled for the past four years by
Mayawati, 55, a former school teacher
who represents a caste that is at the bottom of the Indian social order. Delhi has
Sheila Dixit, 73, now in her third term as
chief minister.
Jayalalithaa, 63, takes charge of Tamil
Nadu for the third time after inheriting
the political mantle of the late chief minister M.G. Ramachandran, her screen
partner and political mentor.
But no ascent has been quite so dramatic as that of the high-strung Banerjee, 56, in West Bengal.
Her Trinamool Party trounced the entrenched Marxist-led government in the
state, ending 34 years of Left rule. The
headline in the Indian Express newspaper said: ‘Bengal makes herstory’.
“This is a woman without a godfather,”
political commentator Neerja Chowdhury tells The Straits Times. “She doesn’t
come from a political family. And she
has thrived in a male-dominated society
and violence-prone state, rising almost
literally through hand-to-hand combat.”
The four chief ministers add to the list
of top women leaders in Indian politics—a list which is growing. The country’s president and speaker of parliament are women. So too are the head of
the ruling Congress party and the leader
of the opposition.
The personalities of the four chief
ministers vary widely.
Mayawati, called ‘Behn-ji’ or Elder
Sister by supporters, was born poor.
Hugely combative, she is known for a
coarse style that includes a fondness for
diamonds, expensive real estate and
Chanel and Prada bags.
Jayalalithaa has a lofty dignity and is
something of an enigma: a highborn
June 3-16, 2011
June 3-16, 2011
The Man Who May Succeed Indian PM
NEW DELHI: A dismal defeat in a in recent state elections.
crucial parliamentary by-election
While PM Singh is safe for now,
and middling-to-poor perfor- the end of President Pratibha Pamances in recent state elections til’s term next year may give Conhave put the spotlight on the rul- gress an opportunity to wave Sining Congress
gh upstairs.
party’s tainted
That would
image and its
create an openneed for a fresh
ing for possibly
face at the top.
Antony to take
Some think
charge of India
that person
until the 2014
may be A.K.
parliamentary
Antony, the depolls.
fence minister
The defence
and Gandhi
minister, goes
family loyalist
the thinking,
with one of the
is a safe stopbest reputagap until Contions in Indian
gress can go to
politics.
the polls with
“Among all
an entirely
senior Congress
new slate of
Indian defence minister AK Anthony
figures he has
faces, presumthe cleanest imably led by
age,” said political analyst Mahesh R a h u l G a n d h i a s t h e p r i m e
Rangarajan of Delhi University.
minister-in-waiting.
Antony’s recent decision to cut
Said K. Gopalakrishnan, former
out the Americans from the short- editor of a newspaper in Kerala,
list of suppliers for Indian combat Antony’s home state : “Congress is
jets, despite enormous pressure, desperate to win back its pro-poor
Rangarajan said, “shows he is no- image and Antony’s left-of-centre
body’s stooge”.
image gels well with (party chief)
Dr Manmohan Singh’s govern- Sonia (Gandhi)’s own thinking
ment is hurting, two years into and priorities. Besides, he enjoys
his second term as prime minis- the full trust of the Gandhi family.”
ter. Widespread corruption in the
Antony rose through student
preparations for last year’s Com- politics in Kerala, a state where he
monwealth Games and in the served as chief minister no fewer
allotment of scarce electronic than three times.
spectrum for cellphone services
In 1977, when the 37-year-old
allegedly cost the state billions politician was appointed to the poof dollars in over-spending and sition, he was the youngest chief
lost revenue.
minister of a state in India.
Singh has appeared helpless in
A lawyer by training, he came to
the face of the ensuing scandals. be known as an upright, if someThere is also a feeling that the times inflexible administrator. In
economist-turned-politician has a 2006, he was handed the defence
technocrat’s approach to manag- portfolio, a move seen as improving the economy in a nation where ing the Congress party’s image by
parties have always used the lure having a Mr Clean take charge of a
of large-scale subsidies and food ministry tainted by several corrupdoles to win hearts and minds.
tion scandals.
All this has cost Congress votes —RAVI VELLOR
• 21
photo by HOA NG D INH Nam /afp
PH OTO S BY A FP
❖❖ New Delhi
Brahmin in a state where backward
castes have dominated political life
for nearly half a century. Fifteen
years ago, news reports suggested
that ‘Amma’ (Tamil for ‘the lady’) had
spent the equivalent of USS$34 million on her foster son’s wedding gala.
However, beyond their considerable weight, there is little in common
between the two.
In contrast, Dixit—’Aunty-ji’—is a
study in elegance: a Sikh woman
born into a hallowed family of Congress-wallahs, barely 1.5m tall and
with an upper-class English accent.
Known as an efficient chief minister
and hugely popular on her home turf,
Dixit, however, has come under a
cloud thanks to the scandal-tainted
Commonwealth Games hosted by
her city last year.
And then there is Banerjee, a lawyer.
To Bengalis, she is simply ‘Didi’,
or sister, a simple woman in her
cheap cotton sari, a cloth bag on her
shoulder and plastic or rubber flipflops on her feet.
To the Marxists, she has proved to
be a nemesis, a high-strung woman
who gives as good as she gets. Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh is said to
be never comfortable in her temperamental presence, unsure when Banerjee, also the railway minister in
the federal Cabinet, will have an
emotional outburst if a pet scheme is
questioned or an idea shot down.
Once, during an argument over
women’s rights in parliament, she famously dragged a political opponent
by the collar.
Regardless of their various angularities, political pundits say the rise
of so many women to key positions
can only be positive for India, a country steeped in male domination.
“Despite some of the adverse attention they get on lifestyle or corruption, on the whole they tend to be
cleaner in public life because they
tend to be less associated with the
dubious networks that breed corruption,” says political analyst N.
Bhaskara Rao.
He adds: “I suspect they will do
better than their male peers in an India where electoral behaviour is increasingly based on performance, not
campaign promises.”
CHANGING ASIA
By Rupak D. Sharma
Asia News Network
LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL:
Chinese people jump while taking a
group photo in Hangzhou.
New Boom
Towns
The lesser-known
cities in China are
emerging as the
country’s most
attractive markets
A
Photo by A F P
❖❖ Bangkok
fter scuttling places in
China for almost three
years, Central Retail Corp
of Thailand finally decided to open its new department store in Hangzhou.
This was the first time the Thai
retail conglomerate had set its foot in
the world’s second largest economy
and like many other businesses it had
initially intended to use mega-cities
like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou or
Shenzhen as its launch pad.
But after doing some window shopping it found out it was not that easy,
partly due to rising real estate prices
in big cities and difficulty in finding
idle locations.
So after considering the options
they decided to settle in Hangzhou,
Tos Chirathivat, CEO of Central Retail Corp tells AsiaNews.
Now, almost after a year into operation, the 1-billion-baht (US$33.3 million)
department store located in MixC
Mall has not been able to emulate the
success story of its stores in Thailand.
But Tos doesn’t regret his decision to
pick up a second-tier city to penetrate
into a market with over 1.3 billion customers.
22 •
“It takes time for the business to
pick up and we are in China not in
Thailand,” he says referring to the
Southeast Asian country where Central Group, one of the largest and
most successful operators of department stores, is a household name.
He says he is ver y optimistic
about business prospects in Hangzhou and is confident in winning
the confidence of clients in the
next three years.
Hangzhou, with a population of 7.9
million people, may be known as a
second-tier city but its economy has
been growing at an average rate of 10
per cent per annum for the last 19
years. And its per capita income now
stands at over $10,000. That’s why
many say it’s an understatement to
call places like Hangzhou second-tier
cities as they offer first-class business
opportunities.
The story is the same in other lesser known cities in China. Take
Chengdu, capital of the southwestern
Chinese province of Sichuan, for instance. Here, rise in per capita income
to 20,835 yuan ($3,215) last year, from
8,128 yuan ($1,255) in 2001, has pushed
up annual retail spending to 241.8 billion yuan ($37.3 billion), from 62.8 billion yuan ($9.6 billion) in 2001.
Because of this rising aff luence,
places like CapitaMall Jinniu—set
up by Singapore-based CapitaMalls
Asia—is now seeing daily traffic of
40,000 visitors on weekdays and
June 3-16, 2011
55,000 on weekends. This is a huge
cr y compared to the period five
years ago when it was virtually
struggling to find tenants.
A 2009 report by real estate consultancy Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) says
that over the next decade China’s 40
secondary and tertiary ranking cities
will provide enormous development
potential.
Among the 40 rising urban stars,
Chengdu, Qingdao and Zhengzhou
are expected to stand out as prime
logistics centres since they all possess
strategic locations, access to large
population bases and growing roles
as railway hubs or ports, the report
says. Similarly, Tianjin and Chongqing have visions of becoming the
June 3-16, 2011
economic centres of northern and
western China, respectively, while
Nanjing is predicted to turn into
idle location for regional headquarters of various companies.
These forecasts show tremendous
opportunities in these cities and
many doing business in China have
already started making moves to
avoid being sidelined.
For instance, Asia’s largest luxury
hotel group, Shangri-La Hotel, has announced plans to open 10 hotels
mostly in second-tier cities such as
Chongqing, Yangzhou and Changzhou, while luxury goods maker Louis Vuitton has already expanded its
network to second-tier cities like
Tianjin, Xian and Xiamen. Even Tos’
Central Retail Corporation is planning
to open two more stores in Shenyang
this year. And in the coming days
more businesses from around the
world will try to join this bandwagon also because many of these cities
are now being connected to the firsttier cities like Beijing, Shanghai,
Guangzhou and Shenzhen with highspeed transport services.
Last year, a high-speed rail network joined Hangzhou to Shanghai,
halving travel time to 45 minutes.
Now Wuhan is connected to the
southern Chinese city of Guangzhou
with a similar network which has
shortened the travel time between
the two cities from 11 hours to three
hours. These are also attractions that
are luring many to second-tier cities.
All these reasons are prompting
many market watchers to say that
China’s second- and third-tier cities will help the countr y to maintain its growth momentum as
g rowth potential of mega-c ities
like Shanghai, Shenzhen and
Guangzhou begin to stagnate.
But will the fast-paced growth of
these cities make everyone happy?
As seen over the years, one major
drawback of this prosperity has been
rising property prices. Last year, for
instance, the property prices in
Hangzhou rose to an average 25,840
yuan ($3,921.78) per sq m—the highest
among 110 Chinese cities surveyed. If
property prices keep on going
through the lid, the city, which was
ranked No 1 in 2009 Happiness Index, may soon turn into a place with
gloomy people.
Another survey has made an even
worrying forecast: It says by 2020,
more than 90 per cent of China’s
commercial property trading will take
place in second- and third-tier cities.
This definitely presents ample opportunities for real estate players, but
what about ordinary people whose
only wish is to own an apartment in
a decent place?
How the government will manage
these challenges while continuing to
generate economic opportunities,
will be key for the sustainable development of second- and third-tier cities in China.
• 23
BUSINESS
By Yu Ruan and Karen Yip
China Daily
The Challenges
Of Succession
Handing over the reins
of power is becoming
troublesome in China
NEXT-IN-LINE: Owners of many SMEs
in China find it hard to pass the baton to
the younger generation, which serves as
a major challenge for the future of small
businesses.
L
Photo by A F P
❖❖ Beijing/Shanghai
i Da felt that he had learned
and seen enough to make a
life decision after just one
year at a university in France:
turn down his father’s offer
to take over his business.
His decision sent shock waves
through the private clubs, tea houses
and foot-massage parlours where the
swashbuckling first-generation entrepreneurs of Wenzhou, Li’s hometown in the Chinese province of Zhejiang, love to gather and exchange
tips on properties, stocks or coal.
These ageing entrepreneurs, who
have spent their lifetime building up
businesses that have aided in China’s
rapid growth, want nothing more
than to hand over their businesses to
their children.
Yet these handovers, which seem so
natural in the minds of these Chinese
entrepreneurs, don’t necessarily proceed as smoothly as they expect.
24 •
Li’s father was willing to send him
to any university he chose on the condition that he would come back to
work at the family-owned factory
that produces lighters of many sizes
and shapes in bulk, says Li. But upon
graduating from University of Paul
Valery-Montpeller, Li stayed behind
to work in Paris.
Embracing the French lifestyle,
Li broke the news to his father that
he had no interest in his family
business. Instead of returning to
Wenzhou, the 24-year-old Li decided to start his own bakery specialising in French bread.
“I don’t want to follow my father’s
lighter business as I am not a smoker
who can devote his passion toward
the lighter,” Li says. “I also failed to
see the potential development of the
lighter industry as a whole.”
Li is not alone in trying to break
out from under his father’s shadow.
According to a survey conducted by
an international bank in 2008, only
about 40 per cent of the heirs to businesses in China are willing to take
over the family businesses.
The rest were facing difficulties in
finding a successor largely because of
conflict with first generation shareholders or inability of Western-educated children to cope with the
unique style of development in China.
Take Youngor, one of the largest
garment makers in Ningbo, East China’s Zhejiang province, for instance.
The company, with total assets valued at about 60 billion yuan (US$9.2
billion), is steeped in the management style that reflects the personality of Li Rucheng, founder and chief
executive officer of the company.
“Although I share only 8.5 per cent
of the holdings of my company, I still
have to consider and choose the next
generation carefully to ensure that he
or she is able to inherit the Youngor
June 3-16, 2011
spirit,” says Rucheng.
The lack of abilities and experience
among the next generation worries
the current entrepreneurs most, because their actions will directly affect
the customary operations of the enterprise immediately.
Mao Lixiang, the founder of Ningbo FOTILE Kitchen Ware Co Ltd,
says that for more than 90 per cent of
private family enterprises, how the
second generation handles the business would influence the sustainable
development of the private economy
in the country.
But even if the succession is well
planned, the ferocity of the business
environment in China poses extra
challenges to companies, says Joseph
Fan, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
A change in local government officials, unforeseen recession or macroeconomic changes, or starting the
succession in a hostile business enviJune 3-16, 2011
ronment can find companies unable
to turn against the tide.
When Lou Zhongfu first built
Dongyang-based Zhejiang Guangsha
Co Ltd in the 1970s into the multiindustry group it is today, he had the
foresight to show his two sons the
ropes in the hope that they could take
over from him when he retires.
However, the listed Zhejiang
Guangsha Co Ltd performed poorly
over the years, which were predominantly affected by uncontrollable events. When the Dongyang
local government changed hands in
2001, 2005 and 2007, even the wellconnected Lou had to rebuild connections several times over while
watching the company’s debt rise
due to various outstanding infrastructure projects.
Since 1993, Guangsha Group has
invested 400 million yuan (US$61.6
million) in the construction of infrastructure such as Dongyang Chil-
dren’s Park, Xishan Park,
Guangsha Baiyun Culture
City and Tiandu City Huanle
All Season Park.
The listed company performed poorly in the stock
market over the years and reported losses of 177 million
yuan ($27.2 million as per
current exchange rate) in
2005 and 272 million yuan
($41.8 million as per current
exchange rate) in 2006. In
the same year, the company
found itself embroiled in
credit scandals over defaults
involving large loans.
In 2010, the listed Zhejiang
Guangsha started to install a
new set of board members
and is expecting to turn the
corner, backed by an experienced team.
Fan expects fights for control of Chinese mainland
companies to be more severe than their other Asian
counterparts due to a vacuum in values in current Chinese society.
“We used to say family
businesses tend to survive up
to the third generation. With
poor family governance, businesses
in China can only last one generation,” he says.
He predicts that mos t of the
Chinese entrepreneurs may sell
their businesses before retirement
and transfer their capital out of
the country.
“It’s very unfortunate if this were to
happen. You can sell assets but not
brains. Intellect cannot be passed
down to the next generation,” he says.
In addition, the one child in most
Chinese families mean that it will be
tough going for entrepreneurs to pass
on to family members.
It’s understandable that most
founders of businesses in Asia and
Europe desire to keep them within
their families.
It’s not surprising that most founders of companies believe that blood
runs thicker than water.
With reports from Yu Ran and Karen Yip
• 25
BUSINESS
By Wang Yan
China Daily
photo by Chi na Daily
Job Hunting
Made Easier
Late last year, domestic media covered a thriving trend known as bairen
chong menmian, “white guy window
dressing”: Job agencies offered whiteand dark-skinned men and women
from Europe, North America, Australia and Africa to Chinese business
owners, who hired them to pose as
employees or partners at important
meetings with dignitaries or potential investors.
According to previous reports,
companies have been using the
ethically questionable tactic for some
time to boost credibility or present
an image of being internationally
connected.
The employers coming to the job
fair, Xia said, were definitely looking
for talent beyond appearance.
He named the Gezhouba Group, a
hydroelectric construction company,
as an example. “It is their first time
here to hire foreign experts. In the
past they had no such needs. Now,
with fast development, they are looking for management, marketing and
technical talents.
“During our first three sessions
a few years ago,” Xia said, “the job
hunters were mainly college
graduates. Now, about half have
completed grad school, and 8 per
cent have PhD.”
∫∫ More than language
Jeff Tennenbaum and Katarina
Job fairs are helping foreigners look for
employment opportunities in China
S
26 •
June 3-16, 2011
Posa were among the hirers. The
company they work for, The Language Key, is a training centre
based in Hong Kong that provides
business English courses and other
training to company executives and
government officials.
Posa, who had just returned from a
job fair in Shanghai and was heading
to another job fair in Guangzhou,
said the team has been busy searching for talent.
“This is our fourth time attending
the job fair. The Shanghai one exceeded our expectations. We interviewed 80 to 100 candidates in one
day, and we are calling probably 15 to
20 for interviews. We are very happy
with the result.”
Posa, who is the company’s recruitment and special projects manager,
said the company is looking, not for
teachers, but for trainers with a professional business background.
She also said one of the things they
look for in their professionals is experience in China or Asia. “It’s really
easier if the trainers understand the
Chinese way of thinking.”
Tennenbaum, chief financial officer and vice-president for corporate
development of the company, said
more people are coming from overseas in search of jobs.
“We see a greater number of people
coming to China for business experiences. Especially after the financial
crisis, many are going
abroad for job opportunities and to
broaden their horizons, to get some
China and Asia experience,” he said.
Tennenbaum said
his company delivers
training in several
languages. The biggest demand is for
English, but the company is hiring trainers with various language and cultural
backgrounds.
I’M FOR SALE: This handout photo shows a young foreigner
discussing opportunities at a job fair sponsored by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs in Beijing in April.
June 3-16, 2011
∫∫ ’I want to learn’
Numbers from
Safea’s research centre show that job
seekers attending the job fairs increased from 450 in 2005, the first
year, to 2,700 in 2010. The biggest
one-year increase occurred in 20082009, jumping from 1,500 to 2,200.
And a total of 8,500 job seekers have
attended 11 job fairs. Their work experience was varied: 37 per cent had
10 years or more, 29 per cent had four
to 10 years and 31 per cent had one to
three years of experience.
Baron was in the remaining 3 per
cent, with no full-time working experience after graduation. Yet he has set
his mind to “get a job in China before
going back to England at some point”.
“As someone who wants to progress a career within the business
field, it’s vital that you have a very
solid understanding of Chinese
businesses, Chinese customs and
the Chinese culture. I really just
want to learn as much as I can, to
help me sort of develop my future
career,” he said.
“From a business standpoint, it’s a
particularly exciting time for China.
The opportunities for development
and for developing a career are very
strong here. Within the next 20 years,
maybe even a shorter time, China is
going to have the strongest economy
in the world.”
Among his expectations from this
China experience, similar to many
other foreign job seekers interviewed
by China Daily, are to improve his
Chinese language skills.
∫∫ Hired yet?
Xia said the hiring rate for this
year’s job fairs in Beijing, Shanghai
and Guangzhou, will not be known
until June or July. “Our previous
years’ surveys on the hiring rate show
80 per cent of the employers had
found satisfactory talent,” he said.
How successful was Baron’s job
hunt? “OK,” he said. He has received emails from several potential
employers, and recently he was
interviewed by Asian Metal, a research and consulting company in
the metals industry, for a consultancy position.
Baron said he was not sure whether
a job offer would come out of it, but
that he expects to start a job—some
job—in July or August.
• 27
P hoto by China Daily
job fair a few years ago,
all offers were for
teaching positions that
only focused on language skills or the cultural background of
the applicants. It didn’t
change much even after the third fair, when
about 95 per cent of the
openings were for
teaching positions.
Now teaching positions make up only half
of the offers.”
Those positions, he
said, include jobs in the
media, information
technology, manufacturing, finance and
medicine.
Safea started holding
job fairs for foreigners
in January 2005. Only
SEEKING OPPORTUNITIES: This handout photo shows participants at a job fair sponsored by the State
17 employers and 25
Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs for foreigners in Beijing in April.
foreign job hunters
showed up. “In contrast, we saw about
1,200 to 1,500 job hunters coming to
the job fair this year,” Xia said.
His office said 460,000 foreign experts were working in China last year,
up from 440,000 in 2008, and the
Safea job fair is the only one in the
country that targets foreigners. The
April fair was the eighth in Beijing and
the 11th nationwide, and more than
130 employers set up stands, looking
to fill about 1,600 job vacancies.
The hirers came from Beijing,
Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Liaoning,
Heilongjiang, Anhui, Fujian, Shandong, Guangdong, Jiangsu and other
❖❖ ❖ Beijing
sity of Nottingham Ningbo, China.
cities and provinces. Among them
pring marks the high season
Shuttling among the employers’ were representatives of the Beijing
for recruitment in China, booths at a one-day April job fair in Economic and Technology Developwhen college students rush Beijing, Baron said he is equally open ment Zone, Shougang Group, China
to job fairs before gradua- to jobs in any suitable field, although Gezhouba (Group) Corp and China
tion in June. Stephen Bar- his primary choice is in management Agricultural University.
on, 25, was part of the throng.
consultancy.
The difference is that the fair he
He came to the right place at the right ∫∫ Higher skill level
Based on his observations at the
went to was especially for foreigners. time, at least in Xia Bing’s opinion.
Baron came to China from EngXia is director of the Information job fair, Xia said: “Domestic compaland in September 2009. He is study- Research Centre of International Tal- nies have developed to the level where
ing Chinese at Tsinghua University in ent at the State Administration of they have a solid need for foreign exBeijing, and expects to complete the Foreign Experts Affairs (Safea), spon- perts in terms of professional knowledge and skills.” In the past, he said,
programme in July. He graduated sors of the job fair.
with a master’s degree in internation“The job offers are becoming ever some companies hired laowai (slang
al business in 2010 from the Univer- more varied,” Xia said. “In our first for “foreigner”) for show.
TECHNOLOGY
By Cho Ji-hyun
The Korea Herald
MapleStory
Cross Fire
It’s Game Time
South Korea’s online game
industry looks overseas but
localisation in foreign
markets remains the
biggest challenge
S
❖❖ Seoul
outh Korea’s online game
industry is increasing efforts to dive into overseas
markets in a bid to seize
bigger business opportunities in the Internet era.
Well-known local online game
publishers and developers, such as
Neowiz Games, NEXON and
Hangame, have said targeting foreign markets is a top priority for
this year.
“We have no reason to ignore the
overseas online game market as it
has tens of thousands of potential
players, and it continues to grow at
a fast pace,” Neowiz’s chief executive officer Yoon Sang-kyu recently
told Korean media.
Neowiz announced last week that
it reached its highest quarterly
28 •
earnings of 147.7 billion won
(US$136 million) in sales and 33.8
billion won in operating profit in
the first three months due to sharply rising overseas business.
The firm’s total sales in the overseas markets recorded 70.3 billion
won, up 141 per cent from the first
quarter of last year.
Cross Fire, Neowiz’s online firstperson shooter game, was the biggest contributor, securing up to 2.7
million people in China registered
to play the game simultaneously.
Largely due to its success in the
Chinese market, the game has
entered about 20 markets abroad,
s a i d Ne ow i z s p o k e s m a n K i m
Chang-hyeon.
“We’re first targeting the Asian
markets, which are closer by distance and where the online industry
June 3-16, 2011
is active,” he said. “However, the
western and South American markets are not left out from our list
since they have a fast growth rate.”
Currently, Neowiz has two overseas offices in China and the US
studying the market situations there
and developing mobile applications.
It also has a subsidiary in Japan
which was created after a merger
with Japan’s GameOn Co earlier in
2007. The subsidiary employs over
250 people, said Kim.
NEXON, South Korea's top online
game company by revenue, has
also branched out to 70 nations,
recording an average of 30 per cent
growth per year.
The company has established offices in America, Europe and Japan
and it is now attempting to gain
more ground in North America with
online games such as MapleStory.
Last year, the company’s overseas
sales took up 64 per cent of overall
sales, showing the importance of its
presence in foreign markets.
Hangame, a popular online game
portal launched by NHN Corp, is
also getting ready to release mobile
games and is publishing games in
Japan in the latter half of this year,
said Hangame spokesman Lee Sanghoon. Considering each country’s
June 3-16, 2011
characteristics and culture, it will
roll out global versions, in addition
to local versions, of some of its mobile and online games, said Lee.
The company has three overseas
offices in Japan, China and the US.
To support the move to reach beyond Korea, the culture, sports and
tourism ministry and the Busan
Metropolitan City Government is
hosting a global game exhibition
called G-Star 2011 at the BEXCO
Convention Centre in Busan from
November 10-13.
At the event, participants will be
able to try out online games, arcade
games and board games as well as
console games displayed by over
300 game firms. Last year, a total of
316 companies from 23 countries
participated in the exhibition.
Industry sources say G-Star is a
place where game publishers and
developers feature their latest lineup for the first time and make their
names known. It is also the biggest
trade show for the game industry.
Despite the industrial craze to debut in markets other than Korea, localisation is the key to success, industry sources say.
“Considering that games are cultural content, localisation is the biggest fate-determining factor for the
foreign markets,” said Lee of
Hangame. “It is important not only
to offer contents that fit the sentiments of the people, but also to run
services that match their taste.”
As an exemplary case, NHN hired
a popular Japanese voice actor
when servicing the Korea-developed games in Japan as part of its
localisation efforts.
Making an early move and picking the right partners was another
strategy put into practice by Neowiz Games.
The Korea-based online game
publisher partnered with one of
the biggest firms known for online
business in China and unveiled the
game Cross Fire in 2008 after a
year-long development period to
localise the product, said its representative Kim.
“We’re continuously looking to
meet such potential partners to target other markets for the partnership and this could bring the most
optimised system and contents,” he
said. “The situations involving the
Internet networks and how people
use their personal computers all differ by nation, however, we strive to
make further efforts for localization
by adding touches of changes
throughout the process.”
• 29
TECHNOLOGY
By Cake Evangelista and Rachel Miranda
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Women
Take Back
The Tech
Socio-civic groups
and the police have
warned of the
growing use of
networking sites
as a means to
perpetrate violence
against women
W
❖❖ Manila
hen Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook, he surely
wa s n’ t ex p e c t i n g
this.
The massively popular social
networking website is no longer
just a place to connect with friends
and family. Socio-civic groups and
the police have warned of its growing use in the Philippines as a
means to perpetrate violence
against women.
Facebook and other information
and communication technologies
(ICTs) have made women more
vulnerable to abuse, reported Terret Balayon, executive director of
t h e Wo m e n ’ s C r i s i s C e n t r e
30 •
(WCC), during the ‘Take Back the
Tech vs eVAW’ forum on the occasion of International Women’s
Month last March.
“We view ICTs—Internet and social media—as (new) sites and tools
for violence against women,” she
explained.
Balayon said the WCC, the first
crisis centre in the Philippines that
works with women survivors of
physical and sexual violence, has
begun looking into how electronic
media intensify or compound violence against women.
“Abuse happens faster and is
more damaging through electronics, because the abusers are protected by anonymity,” she said. “There
are so many negative effects on the
victims, and you can’t just say, ‘then
switch it off’, because the Internet is
part and parcel of life today.”
Cases of electronic violence
against women (eVAW) have ranged
from harassment through text
messaging to prostitution transacted online.
Emmeline Versoza, acting executive director of the Philippine Commission on Women, explained the
various ways eVAW is perpetrated.
“We’ve heard about cyber-mobile
harassment, or sending unwanted
text messages or multimedia that
contain sexual or threatening messages and we do not even know who
sends them,” she said.
Cyber-mobile stalking happens
through the hacking of personal acJune 3-16, 2011
counts on social networking sites
and using location trackers on cell
phones, she added.
Versoza said eVAW was also promoted through some computer
games. “There are other indirect
forms of eVAW like stereotypes and
sexual representations of women in
online games. In these games, women are portrayed as prostitutes and
sexual objects and players earn
points when they kill a prostitute or
those depicted as victims.”
Other major issues in the fight
against eVAW are “cyber-prostitution, pornography, and unauthorised production and distribution of
images”, she said.
Chief police inspector Efren Fernandez II of the Criminal InvestigaJune 3-16, 2011
tion and Detection Group (CIDG)
for northern Metro Manila also cited the use of Facebook and cell
phone messaging to set up meetings
between sex workers and clients.
“If you’re a regular customer, you
can send messages through SMS,”
he said. “And likewise, women who
are trafficked often have Facebook
accounts where predators communicate with them using the technology for sexual trade or sexual satisfaction,” he added.
Fernandez, former head of the police’s cybercrime unit, warned of
cybersex dens posing as legitimate
Internet shops to lure the unwitting,
as well as various forms of online
fraud such as the use of software to
hide or change identities on online
dating sites. The software can alter
faces and voices, even changing a
user’s gender to fool others.
“Are you sure it’s really your
friend that you are chatting with
online? If not, then you might
have a problem,” he said. “This is
one of the considerable dangers
of online dating.”
Adding to the problem are “gaps”
in existing laws to combat eVAW.
While laws such as the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children
Act (Republic Act No. 9262) exist,
the Women’s Legal and Human
Rights Bureau (WLB) said cyberspace is still beyond their reach.
The WLB is an NGO that provides
legal assistance for women and promotes feminist legal advocacy in
the Philippines.
“The laws don’t include ways in
which ICTs are used, so how can
they be effective?” asked WLB programme officer Chang Jordan. She
pointed to the recent dismissal of
the case against former doctor
Hayden Kho as an example of how
existing laws can fail in protecting
women’s rights. Kho was a key figure in a 2009 controversy along
with Filipina actress Katrina Halili
and several others over sex videos
that were distributed online without the women’s consent.
Under RA 9262, only the direct
perpetrator can be charged, she not-
ed, and since Kho claimed it was not
he who had uploaded the sex videos, no case could be filed against
him. The controversy, however,
spurred the passage of RA 9995, or
the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009 last year.
With government support lacking
and legal resolutions absent, women and the youth have learned to
use the same technologies to help
heal themselves and fight back.
Through grants given by the
Association for Progressive Communications and the Foundation
for Media Alternatives, various
NGOs have launched projects that
seek to empower women and children using ICTs.
The overseas Filipino workers
(OFWs) support group CMA set up
a text messaging-based helpline for
distressed overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East. CMA Executive Director Ellene Sana said
among the cases received by helpline are reports of sexual harassment of women OFWs by their employers. Because of the helpline’s
success, the CMA has coordinated
with the department of foreign affairs to aid the OFWs in need and to
replicate the project in countries
outside the Middle East.
Another project of the community-based collective Wedpro is digital storytelling for abused children
in Olongapo City.
“We talk of the negative impact of
technology but meanwhile, this project uses technology precisely to
heal our youth,” Wedpro gender
specialist Aida Santos said. The videos were created by the Olongapo
City youth who used them to tell
stories of their experiences of
abuse, alienation, child trafficking
and abandonment.
One of the videos presented during the forum was Pagnanasa, written, produced and performed by Allen. The three-minute film recounts
his experience of sexual abuse from
his stepfather.
Another film, Bakit Ganun, tells of
the violence and neglect suffered by
a boy at the hands of his parents.
• 31
LIFESTYLE
INDONESIA
By Features Desk
The Jakarta Post
Anatomy Of A
Modern Man
Today’s men have started
rethinking their priorities
T
Photo by A FP
❖❖ Jakarta
he stereotypical man’s man
is so passe. The masculine
mystique of the 21st century no longer subscribes to
outdated notions of guys
who scruff and huff and puff through
life as if their bodies were mere vehicles for their egos to get around.
No, today’s metrosexual, retrosexual, ubersexual, pomosexual man
knows how to treat his body well and
make it look like God’s greatest gift to
the world. Well, at least he aspires to.
This new man is not ashamed of
spending quality time in front of a
mirror, checking that his belt matches
his shoes, and his tie matches his
shirt. What’s more, he always smells
nice, and takes an interest in the
world outside sport. In short, the
modern man is, well, cultured.
“The old stereotypes of what men
are and should be are no longer valid
in our modern society,” says Dwi Sutarjantono, editor-in-chief of Esquire
Indonesia. “However, don’t make the
mistake of thinking the stereotypes
are gone, or that they are radically
turned into something entirely different. Right now, the expectations of
how a man should look and behave
have been adjusted to the way our
culture has evolved.”
These expectations include new
standards of moral conscience, gender
equality, personal grooming and hygiene, life experiences and emotional
intelligence. The men we looked up
to back in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s—
even the 1990s—wouldn’t survive a
day in the life of a modern man. They
wouldn’t even know where to start.
32 •
Except James Bond, that is: He seems
to have known the answer all along.
 What makes a man
British novelist Ian Fleming had it
all figured out when he created the
suave, sophisticated secret agent who
loves death-defying adventures as
much as he does women and cocktails. But back in the 1950s when
Fleming first published what would
become the basis of the world’s most
successful film franchise, James Bond
came under some close scrutiny.
The idea that a man could be so
well-groomed and as adept at scaling
cliffs and beating up thugs as at seducing beautiful women and reading
Baudelaire seemed implausible, if not
entirely bogus. Fast forward 50-odd
years, and James Bond would blend
in at a regular (upmarket) pub.
“The icons of most desirable men
today have gone from burly to elegant,” adds Dwi. “So it’s not so much
a change as an improvement.”
According to Suryapratna Muryo, a
historian and sociologist at Hassanudin University in Indonesia, our perceptions are influenced by our environment and the media. The feminine
mystique has long been attacked by
feminists everywhere because it depicts women as having to live up to
socially imposed traits, rather than
those they were born with. The masculine mystique is the same, he says.
“The problem is, we don’t have
masculinists who argue against stereotyping,” says Suryapratna. “The man
who hunts and gathers and raises his
spear before his voice is no longer the
image we should associate with the
METROSEXUAL: A
Pakistani beautician applies
a facial make-up on a male
customer at a beauty salon
in Karachi.
man we are becoming. Most modern
men couldn’t care less about traditional masculinity. Things like honour
are subsequently ignored. And so are
images of men roughing it in the wild.
The men of today walk with their
chins held high and their sense of
couture even higher.”
This implies not so much that men
are losing their values, but rather are
rethinking their priorities. We have
long accepted and reproduced the
idea that men are simple creatures
with animalistic desires who lack the
capacity to relate to others and are
not supposed to cry, whine or beg.
“There are different perceptions of
how men should be in various cultures,” says Suryapratna. “But even
those different perceptions provide a
connecting thread of values. They are:
leadership, courage and responsibility.
In any culture, men are expected to
demonstrate at least one of these three
most cherished values.”
 From scratch to catch
So it’s not all about a stylish haircut
and toned pecs. Good looks, without
the right attitude and style, won’t win
any hearts.
Last year, a new men’s magazine
launched by Britain’s Bauer Media,
June 3-16, 2011
Gaz7etta, named this new breed “the
4D man”, describing him as “confident, individual and (with) varied interests and passions”, “increasingly
interested in culture” and “more
health conscious”.
Kevin Braddock, writing in The
Guardian, challenged the notion of
needing a new name for modern
man, or whether he is even new. He
noted that “it is possible for men to
inhabit more than one of those commodified identities… within the
space of an evening”. After all, he
notes, “preening in front of the mirror with aftershave; talking honestly… about relationships; grappling
with a kebab and shouting rock
songs on the night bus: haven’t men
been doing that for years?”
Over the past 25 years, social changes and attempts to pin down trends
have turned the masculine image into
something of a mix-and-match. More
recently, fashion has become a big
part of it, with international designers
creating more wardrobe options for
men—even man bags.
“ Ho w yo u d re ss i s h o w yo u
choose to express yourself. You
don’t have to overdo it, you just
have to be decent and presentable,”
says D wi. “And the most cultiJune 3-16, 2011
va t e d m e n s h o u l d a t t a c h s o m e
importance to the way they dress,
because it represents who they are.”
Even political leaders are now featured in style magazines, and their
public appearance and dress are scrutinised. Several magazines have cited
French President Nicholas Sarkozy as
the most elegant world leader in modern times. Also on the list are US
President Barack Obama and Russia’s
Vladimir Putin.
But while the modern man might
be great for the media, marketers and
advertisers, is he sexy?
 What women want
While some women are attracted
to a kind of Marlboro man with a
hulking body and monosyllabic answers, most prefer to find someone
they can connect with on a personal level.
“In the 1990s and early 2000s there
were plenty of books that specifically
discussed the differences between
men and women,” says 'Tiara', a fashion reporter at a women’s magazine
in Jakarta. “Most of these books became popular because they turned
stereotypes into jokes.”
The books highlighted things we
already kind of knew, such as how
men are better at reading maps and
women at multi-tasking, or how
men dedicate their lives to sport
and women to fashion. But fun as
they are to read, books like these
quickly become outdated.
“I think modern men and women
are growing together on a horizontal
level,” adds Tiara. “We’re still seeking
partners based on chemistry, but a
great deal of that chemistry stems
from physical, intellectual and cultural
compatibility.”
For one thing, a woman now likes
a man to be good in the kitchen.
“Men and their spatulas,” Tiara
says. “Men and their favourite pots
and pans. That’s hot.”
Aaron Mario, founder of a
London-based image consultancy
who has contributed several selfhelp articles to men’s magazines,
notes that men make some mistakes
as they grapple with the new notion of being well-groomed.
“One of the most common mistakes is when we think we can get
away with outdated hairstyles or
keep untrimmed facial hair,” he
says by email. “Because people take
notice of these things.”
Even men need makeovers, he
says. “Basic knowledge such as not
to overspray yourself with cologne,
or to clean your teeth and keep
your breath fresh is essential in the
life of a modern man.”
But there is such a thing as going
too far.
“Men who know how to dress is
appealing to me,” says Era Shinta, a
casting agent. “But men who place too
much importance on how they look
turn me off. I think it’s more difficult
for men, in that (women) expect them
to look good, yet appear effortless in
getting that look.”
“What women look for in a man is
confidence, not narcissism,” says
Mario. “And the true trait of the modern man is how to look great without
making it look like he spends a whole
lot of time on it.”
But is it attractive?
“If it wasn’t,” says Tiara, “George
Clooney would be out of job; and so
would three-quarters of Hollywood’s
leading men.”
• 33
ENTERTAINMENT
INDIA
By Coomi Kapoor
The Star
RISING STARS:
Ranbir Kapoor (R) and
Sonam Kapoor are two
of Bollywood’s shining
celebrities today.
Fresh Faces In Bollywood
Offsprings of
established
actors who
had their
break in the
film industry
in recent
years are now
slowly making
a mark for
themselves
34 •
A
❖❖ New Delhi
ge is catching up with
the current crop of
Bollywood heroes. The
Khans—Shah Rukh,
Salman and Aamir—are
all in their 40s, and no longer look
pleasing on the eye when romancing
damsels half their age on the big
screen.
If they still do, and occasionally
pull it off at the box office, it is due
to the accumulated goodwill earned
over the year.
With youths constituting the core
of the cinema-going audiences, film
makers per force introduce younger
actors in the hope that they will
click at the box office and soon
replace the ageing stars.
That is why new stars seem to
emerge after every decade or so.
Now that the Khans are nearing
the end of their unquestioned reign
as superstars, a young crop of heroes
and heroines are waiting in the
wings to take their place.
For instance, Ranbir Kapoor, the
26-year-old son of Rishi and Neetu
Kapoor, a popular star-pair of the
‘70s and ‘80s, seems ready to grab the
number one slot in Bollywood.
His pedigree might have ensured
the initial break, but it is his talent
coupled with immense good looks
that have helped him consolidate his
position as the brightest prospect
among the new heroes.
Sons and daughters of other
established actors who have got a
break in the industry in recent years
are now slowly beginning to make a
mark for themselves.
Sons of very talented actors
Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin
Shah are already seen doing character
roles in films.
Prateik, Raj Babbar and the late
star Smita Patil’s son, has also done a
couple of films.
However, the film industry, when
all is said and done, is neither a
respecter of talent nor pedigree, but
of lady luck alone.
So long as an actor continues to
pull in audiences, he is assured of
success in Bollywood.
Once his films begin to flop, he is
dumped like a hot potato by
producers.
June 3-16, 2011
Thus, Amitabh Bachchan’s son,
Abhishek, despite getting a
number of films because of whose
son he is, has been dubbed a flop
and may find it hard to get work
under good banners.
The classic case of box office
success being the predominant factor
in any actor’s career is that of the
late hero Rajendra Kumar.
In the ‘60s and ‘70s, his films did
so well that he was nicknamed Silver
Jubilee Kumar.
But once he featured in three
box office duds in a row, he
found no takers.
Likewise, Rajesh Khanna in the
‘70s and ‘80s was the original
super star.
However, once lady luck turned
against him, he was shunned by
ON HER OWN: Sonakashi Sinha
has made a splash in last year’s hit
movie ‘Dabbang’.
producers.
On the other hand, Ranveer Singh,
a gangly youth who hit pay-dirt in
his very first film, Band Baaja Baaraat
(BBB), is the new star on the block.
So is the female lead opposite him
in BBB, Anushka Sharma.
The film was a surprise hit of 2010
and catapulted both Ranveer and
Anushka to stardom.
Produced under the most prestigious Bollywood banner of Yash Raj
Films, BBB’s lead actors have now
been signed up for yet another film
by it.
Another big new star who
emerged last year due to the stupendous success of the Salman Khanstarrer Dabaang is Shatrughan Sinha’s
daughter Sonakashi Sinha.
June 3-16, 2011
Though Dabaang was a herooriented film, Sonakashi’s presence in the film as Salman’s love
interest was enough for producers to line up outside her door
with new film offers.
It is lady luck, you see.
Since she was the heroine in the
biggest hit of last year, even though
her role was not very significant,
casting her in their films might rub
off Dabaang’s success on them, the
producers hope.
Also, the basic character of the
film industry is undergoing a subtle
but significant change.
Thanks to the mushrooming of
multi-screen theatres across the
country, it is now possible for
producers to make niche films,
targeted at select audiences.
LOVE TEAM: Ranveer Singh (L)
and Anushka Sharma are also the
new stars on the block.
During the single-screen era, when
each theatre seated close to a
thousand people, producers felt
obliged to cater to the lowest
common denominator.
It was financially risky to make
meaningful art films.
Then, the accent was on saleable
stars, formula story-lines, songs
and dance sequences around trees
and, generally, on an escapist,
feel-good fare.
Now, due to a large educated
middle class and growing economic
prosperity, film makers are experimenting with esoteric themes and
tasting success.
For instance, Peepli, an ironic take
on the 24/7 news television, made by
a completely new team of directors,
writers and actors made a huge
splash on the multiplex circuit.
Traditional cine-goers shunned it
while the educated middle classes
embraced it.
Made on a shoe-string budget, it
made pots of money for its producer,
actor Aamir Khan.
Small wonder then that a whole
new crop of young actors and
directors have found acceptability in
Bollywood.
Aside from the lead actors of BBB,
a number of new faces are set to
make their debut this year.
Since the male heroes have a
much longer shelf life than their
female counterparts, already heroines like Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra and Sonam Kapoor
are established stars.
Breaking into the citadel of male
stars is a tougher task. Among the
new male actors are Arjun Kapoor,
Nishant Dahiya and Saaqib Saleem.
Given that films remain a very
chancy business, the presence of big
stars on the marquee is not a
guarantee of box office success.
Akshay Kumar, for example, is one
of the most pricey and saleable stars.
After starring in a string of big hits,
he featured in three straight duds, all
of them big-budget, big-banner films.
So, casting a newcomer in his
place as the male lead is a better
prospect because the latter would
not cost even a small fraction of the
fee and there is an even chance that
the film might hit the jackpot.
Unlike earlier times when the
Dharmendras and the Manoj Kumars
had to struggle hard for that elusive
break in films, sleeping on footpaths
and generally facing humiliation from
producers, present-day aspirants for
stardom get to showcase their talent
on the myriad general entertainment
television channels.
Shah Rukh Khan first got public
exposure in a TV serial, Fauji, in the
‘80s before he got his break in films.
Nowadays, it is routine for
wannabe film stars to do television
while doing the rounds of producers
and directors for that all-important
break.
• 35
ENTERTAINMENT
SINGAPORE
By Boon Chan
The Straits Times
Gems With Oomph
Ten upcoming Asian films to get excited about
S
❖❖ Singapore
2. TWISTED
Director: Chai Yee Wei
Cast: Mark Lee, Mimi Choo, Linda
Liao
Genre: Horror action comedy
Why we’re excited: Singaporean film-
maker Chai was the first to deliver the
goods among the inaugural batch of
recipients of the Singapore Film Commission’s New Feature Film Fund in
2008. Twisted comprises three stories
linked by a drug dealer character
played by Lee. It is, to some degree, a
return to a genre he has a natural affinity for. Hopefully, it will be a hoot.
Director: Peter Chan
Cast: Donnie Yen, Takeshi Kaneshi-
ro, Tang Wei, Jimmy Wang Yu
Genre: Martial arts
Why we’re excited: Plot-wise, this
sounds a little like a cross between
Reign Of Assassins (2010) and Detective
D e e A n d Th e
Myster y Of The
Ph antom Flame
( 2 0 10 ) . Ye n i s
the highly
skilled martial
arts master trying to live an
ordinar y life
while Kaneshiro
is the detective
trying to solve Chinese director
t h e d e a t h s o f Peter Chan
two bandits.
The true casting coup, though, is
having Wang play the role of the
villainous master. He shot to fame
as the One Armed Swordsman in
the 1967 film of the same name and
is probably hoping that Wu Xia will
do for him what Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) did for his contemporary Cheng Pei-pei.
1. POETRY
3. NIGHT MARKET HERO
Kim Hira
Genre: Drama
Wang
long time coming. Lee, South Korea’s
one-time minister of culture and tourism, won the best screenplay award
for Poetry at Cannes Film Festival last
year for his artful rumination on
beauty and violence. The film also
garnered top prizes at the Asian Film
Awards and Asia Pacific Screen
Awards. His last film was the wrenching Secret Sunshine (2007), about a grieving woman wrestling with faith.
of writer-director Yeh is proving to be
this year’s breakthrough Taiwanese
film a la Cape No. 7 in 2008. It follows
a group of vendors at a night market
as they band together to battle greedy
politicians and property developers. It
is a light-hearted look at a quintessential institution of Taiwanese life, the
night market, and the film had a
strong run at the box office when it
was released there in January.
Director: Lee Chang Dong
Cast: Yoon Jeong Hee, David Lee,
Why we’re excited: This has been a
36 •
Director: Yeh Tien-lun
Cast: Blue Lan, Chu Ke-liang, Lotus
Genre: Comedy
Why we’re excited: The debut feature
5. I SAW THE DEVIL
Director: Kim Ji Woon
Cast: Lee Byung Hun, Choi Min Sik
Genre: Crime thriller
Why we’re excited: Writer-director
Kim has impressively tackled a wide
variety of genres in his films, from
westerns (The Good, The Bad, The Weird,
2008) to mob movies (A Bittersweet Life,
2005) to psychological horror flicks (A
June 3-16, 2011
9. SLEEPWALKER 3D
Director: Oxide Pang
Cast: Angelica Lee
Genre: Thriller
Why we’re excited: The Pang Broth-
Director: Kim Ji Hoon
Cast: Ha Ji Won, Ahn Seong Gi, Oh
ers broke through with The Eye (2002),
a creepy horror thriller that spawned
two sequels and a lacklustre Hollywood remake starring Jessica Alba in
2008. The original starred Lee who is
now Mrs Oxide Pang. With their
marriage, three’s a crowd, so it is Pang
going solo as director with his wife
playing a woman who is haunted by
a recurring dream of her standing
alone in a wasteland. Of late, the
brothers have had a rather patchy record—Child’s Eye (2010) and The Detective 2 (2011) were not exactly bona fide
winners. Perhaps reuniting with his
once-muse, now-wife on celluloid
might inspire Pang to greater heights.
Genre: Sci-fi thriller
Why we’re excited: In his last film,
10. WHERE THE ROAD MEETS THE SUN
ther Sun Yat-sen for the third time on
celluloid after The Soong Sisters (1997)
and Road To Dawn (2007). Chan’s involvement suggests this could be an
entertaining affair with action setpieces to look out for.
6. SECTOR 7
Ji Ho
Provid e d to Th e Ko re a He ra ld
P hoto by AFP
South Korean
director Lee
Chang-dong
4. WU XIA
Photo by AFP
o far, not bad. Almost halfway through the year, and
audiences have had Asian
film gems such as Jiang
Wen’s exhilarating Let The
Bullets Fly and Lee Jeong Beom’s compelling The Man From Nowhere.
From next month to the end of the
year, there is the usual slate of horror
and action flicks from the region.
Thankfully, there is also more in store
beyond formulaic crowd-pleasers.
The Straits Times picks 10 upcoming
Asian films to get excited about, starting from the hottest selection. Beyond
the 10 titles which stand out, however, there are also a number of curiosities on the radar, including the inyour-face 3-D Sex & Zen and one-time
MediaCorp darling Fiona Xie as a
stuntwoman in the action comedy Fist
Of Dragon.
Tale Of Two Sisters, 2003). In I Saw The
Devil, it appears he has not flinched
from the violence of the crime thriller.
In fact, he reportedly had to cut the
film before the Korean authorities
okayed it for a theatrical release.
May 18 (2007), Kim took on the sensitive topic of the 1980 Gwangju massacre of students and other anti-government protesters by armed troops.
Here, he tackles a monstrous creature
wreaking havoc on an oil rig. Details
of the production of the 3-D flick have
been carefully kept under wraps and
the creature itself has yet to be seen.
This is one of the most highly anticipated releases in South Korea this
year. If it is anywhere near as good as
Bong Joon Ho’s superlative creature
feature The Host (2006), it would be
pretty darn good.
7. 1911
Directors: Jackie Chan, Zhang Li
Cast: Jackie Chan, Li Bingbing,
Winston Chao
Genre: Historical drama
Why we’re excited: This year marks
the centenary of the 1911 Xinhai Revolution, which saw the fall of the Qing
Dynasty and the rise of the Republic
of China. Naturally, this cries out for
a sweeping historical epic to mark the
occasion and Chan rises to the challenge in his 100th film. He plays the
role of Huang Xing, one of the founders of the Kuomintang political party
and the Republic of China. Chao
plays revolutionary and founding faJune 3-16, 2011
Director: Yong Mun Chee
Cast: Eric Mabius, Laura Ramsey,
Will Yun Lee
Genre: Drama
8. LEGENDARY AMAZONS
Director: Frankie Chan
Cast: Cecilia Cheung, Cheng Pei-pei
Genre: Period action
Why we’re excited: If we ignore the
dire Chinese New Year comedy All’s
Well Ends Well (2011), this marks actress Cheung’s proper comeback
since she became a wife and mother,
not to mention the 2008 Edison
Chen sex photo scandal. The film is
based on the Song Dynasty Chinese
opera Lady Generals Of The Yang Family, in which the women of the Yang
clan take up arms after the men are
massacred. Cheung plays the celebrated daughter-in-law woman warrior Mu Guiying while the iconic
Cheng is the 100-year-old matriarch
She Taijun.
Why we’re excited: When it comes to
a debut feature, many filmmakers
stick close to home turf and deal with
what they are familiar with. Singaporean writer-director Yong has instead
chosen to make an ambitious crosscultural film about four men whose
lives intersect at a rundown Hollywood hotel. She has also smartly given her film a dusting of Hollywood
glamour by casting Mabius in her
film. The actor is best known for his
turn as the womanising Daniel Meade
on the fashion magazine soap Ugly
Betty (2006-2010).
• 37
ENTERTAINMENT
SOUTH KOREA
By Jocelyn Lee
The Straits Times
K-pop Carbon Copies
More and more Taiwan-based pop stars are
repackaging themselves in the mould of
their Korean counterparts
A
❖❖ Singapore
COPYCATS? Taiwanese boyband Sigma flew
to Korea to learn from a dance choreographer
who had worked with the likes of superstar Rain
and girl group Wonder Girls.
June 3-16, 2011
HIGHLY SYNCHRONISED: Many
Taiwanese bands are copying the dance
moves of pop groups like South Korea’s
Wondergirls.
James Kang, marketing director
of Warner Music, which manages
Hoh and Guo, says: “Taiwan has
long been the place that Chinese
artistes go to for their training.
However, over the years, we have
seen increasingly similar dance
moves in the hordes of artistes
that emerge from there every
year. Therefore, training in Korea
injects fresh elements into Derrick
and Jocie’s appeal.
“Korean acts are known for
their sleek dance moves and
interesting choreography. Sending
our artistes to train there helps
achieve something that is out of
the box for the Chinese music
industry.”
He cites as examples the “hot
and highly synchronised dance
moves complete with trademark
movements” of Brown Eyed Girls’
Abracadabra and Super Junior’s
Sorry Sorry.
Derek Shih, marketing director
of HIM International Music,
agrees that Korean dance moves
are outstanding, “which is why
we decided to tap on their skills
and professionalism to come up
with the dance moves for our
new boyband, Sigma”.
For their self-titled debut album,
released late last year, Sigma,
which comprises Judy Chou,
June 3-16, 2011
Mrtting Li and Tommy Lin, flew
to Korea to learn from a dance
choreographer who had worked
with the likes of superstar Rain
and girl group Wonder Girls.
Chou says in Mandarin: “The
training was not easy and we
practised really hard. It is great
that we get to learn from a
top-notch teacher. Korean acts
have very polished and sleek
dance moves and we hope to be
like them. We aim to be just like
Korean boyband Big Bang. They
can sing and dance well and are
multi-talented.”
Besides that, the adventurous
and unconventional styling of
Korean acts—such as the bold use
of eyeliner, daring hairstyles and
an androgynous image—is also
another distinctive factor.
Members of boyband Shinee
got many fans talking about their
outrageous, brightly coloured
hairstyles in their latest studio
album "Lucifer" (2010). Girl group
2NE1 are also well known for
their loud, in-your-face stage
costumes and edgy haircuts.
Hoh has since copied such
styles, going from boy-next-door
in his first album to sporting a
daring haircut with a more
colourful getup recently.
The catchy tunes sung by
Korean acts with insidiously
repetitive phrases and use of
unusual lingo have also found
their way into, for instance,
Taiwanese boyband Lollipop F’s
song "Four Dimensions" (2010),
which repeats the words "Crazy!
Go crazy! Go crazy!" in its
chorus.
It is common to find a word or
phrase being repeated many times
in the chorus of a Korean pop
song. The entire chorus of T-ara’s
hit Bo Peep Bo Peep consists of "Bo
peep bo peep", while boyband
Super Junior’s famous song Sorry
Sorry has them repeating the
words over and over again.
Fans do not mind the K-pop
imitation, saying that incorporating
K-pop elements can raise the
standard of Chinese pop.
Student Jaslyn Tan, 19, says:
“Korean pop groups are very
well-trained and they seldom
make mistakes during performances. It is great that Chinese
pop acts are taking a leaf out of
their books.”
Marketing manager Cindy Lin,
23, adds: “I am all for improving
the standard of Chinese pop.
However, the industry may end
up being saturated with too
many Taiwanese artistes sporting
Korean styles.”
• 39
Photo by A F P
Provid ed to Th e C hina P ost
38 •
s if Korean pop
stars do not have
enough competition
from their own
countrymen in the
crowded entertainment industry, they now have to contend
with Mandopop singers who
are copying their look and
sound.
More and more Taiwan-based
stars are repackaging themselves
in the mould of their Korean
counterparts—singing fast
infectious tunes with sleek
dance moves complete with
more adventurous styling.
The record labels of Taiwanese
boyband Sigma and Singapore
talents Derrick Hoh and Jocie
Guo sent them to Korea to
learn from dance choreographers for their new albums.
Hoh also sought the expertise
of Korean boyband Shinee’s
stylist for his second album
"Change", released this year.
In addition, Taiwanese artists
are also collaborating with
Korean stars to incorporate
Korean pop elements into their
songs. Wilber Pan recruited
Nichkhun from Korean boyband 2PM to feature in his new
song, Drive, from his newly
released album, "808".
Danson Tang worked with
Amber from Korean girl group
f(x) for his song "I’m Back",
released last year.
Industry insiders admit they
are riding on the surge of the
Korean pop wave.
By Yasminka Lee
Asia News Network
Tales From
The Other Side
I
‘Hallyu’ is sweeping
the hermit kingdom
and transforming
the thinking of North
Koreans in ways that
politics couldn’t
40 •
❖❖ Bangkok
f we are to believe the hype,
Korean Wave or "hallyu" has taken
over the world, including Kim
Jong-il’s hermit kingdom.
Apparently, bootleg copies
of South Korean dramas and
variety shows have made it to the
other side, particularly Hyesan in
Yangang, a North Korean province
that borders China.
According to reports, a single
DVD—which contains five episodes—
costs 4,000 won (about US$3.70). That
is twice the amount North Koreans
pay for a kilo of rice and with reports
June 3-16, 2011
one reads about food shortage in the
poverty-stricken communist nation,
that may be called addiction or
simply wrong priorities.
But who cares? North Korean teens
and young women are said to be so
entertained by what they see from
the other side of the heavily fortified
militarised zone.
One of the most popular shows is
High Kick, a sitcom that was shown
in the South between 2006 and 2007.
It revolves around the everyday life
of the Lee family and a source
quoted by Radio Free Asia said the
show gives them “something to laugh
out loud about”.
I don’t know about the laughing
part but I watched one episode
where a little girl wanders around
a supermarket and discovers to
her delight that there is a lot of
food for free tasting. Now think
of the stereotype North Korean
who may not be able to afford
three square meals a day and only
dreams about galbi (pork or beef
ribs), is that still funny?
Or perhaps Kim Jong-il’s people—
like the rest of humanity—have
anchored their reality on the fantasy
that entertainment offers, choosing to
fill their hunger pangs in an alternative universe. Some, however, have
chosen the bolder move by escaping
and defecting to the South.
A new book called “Hallyu,
Shaking North Korea”, published
by the Korea Institute for National
Unification revealed that pop
culture has changed the way
North Koreans think.
A report by The Korea Herald noted
that North Korean defectors developed fantasies about South Korea
while watching Koreans “eat white
rice with several side dishes and
wear different clothes when leaving
home or going to bed”.
The book’s researchers, Kang
Dong-wan and Park Jeong-ran,
conducted in-depth interviews
with 33 defectors who were
asked questions to evaluate the
effect of their exposure on South
Korea’s visual media.
When asked how often they
June 3-16, 2011
watched Korean television or movies,
34 per cent said they did everyday
while 41 per cent replied they
watched once or twice a month.
Among the most popular dramas
were Autumn Fairy Tale (2000) and
Stairway To Heaven (2003). Two of the
most watched movies were The
General’s Son (1990) about a street
gangster becoming a gang leader
during the Japanese colonisation
period, and The Hole (1997), about the
conflict between a daughter-in-law
and a mother-in-law who is obsessed
with her son.
Of course there is mention of
Winter Sonata, which made Asian
superstars out of Bae Yong-joon and
Choi Ji-woo. One of the defectors
quoted in the book said it was this
drama that spurred him to risk his
life and go to South Korea.
“I watched Winter Sonata in
North Korea and I even recall
the name of the leading actor,
Bae Yong-joon,” said the defector
who was identified only by his
surname Kim.
Now, what happened to the North
Koreans that were taught by their
‘Dear Leader’ that making contact
with the outside world is dangerous?
For sure, there are those who have
no idea what the outside world is
like and continue to believe that they
come from a “spiritually pure race”
that sets them apart from the rest of
the immoral world. But for those
who have taken a peek on what the
outside world is like, it must be akin
to being told that the world you
knew was a mirage and everything
you believed about it was a farce,
including your beloved leader.
No one can blame those defectors
then who pointed out in the book
that their reason for escaping to the
South was because of what they saw
in those videos.
North Korean authorities are of
course aware of what has been
happening. According to the daily
Chosun Ilbo, police have launched a
crackdown since September last year
and caught a group of students in a
university computer lab watching the
South Korean disaster film Haeundae.
The report said that secretly
distributing or watching South
Korean shows is a crime equivalent
to “promoting the ideology of the
enemy state”. Naturally, Kim Jong-il—
who is said to be a huge movie
fan—is exempted from that rule.
This crime used to carry a
sentence of five years in prison camp
but this has since been reduced to
three months or less of unpaid
labour, TIME magazine noted. It
quoted a Seoul-based defectors’
organisation as speculating that this
may be because Kim’s regime cannot
afford to send so many people to
prison camps.
“When students are caught, they
buy cigarettes for police officers to
escape labour sentences, and sometimes even give officers the bootleg
to watch themselves,” the magazine
quoted one North Korean university
student in Seoul as saying. “I used to
believe strongly what the government
told us—that foreign films are crazy
and violent. We used to be terrified
of watching South Korean dramas...
But I’ve opened my mind.”
The authors of "Hallyu, Shaking
North Korea" do believe that the
“capitalistic and democratic
ideologies portrayed in South
Koreans’ lives may change the
perceptions of the North Koreans”.
But Simon Cockerell, general
manager of Koryo Tours in Beijing,
debunked the belief that North
Koreans are so naive to think that
what they watch in these dramas and
movies represent actual life in the
South. “They know it’s entertainment,” he was quoted as saying in a
2009 TIME article.
Some netizens also doubt if
pop culture will really transform
the hermit kingdom where
multilateral talks and other
efforts are so far not succeeding.
A netizen posting as “KraterosHellas” said: “Kim Jong-il might have
some interest for SNSD (Korean pop
girl group also known as Girls’
Generation). But I doubt (hallyu) will
change North Korea. Fat chance.”
asianpopdom@gmail.com
• 41
FOOD
By Khetsirin Pholdhampalit
The Nation (Thailand)
Still, the molecular kitchen can resemble a laboratory. Among the gadgetry is the sous vide water bath,
which keeps meats and vegetables
moist and flavourful. They’re vacuum-sealed and then cooked to precision at low temperature.
A “rotary evaporator” distills the
herbal essence. An immersion blender
turns food into foam. A “whip creamer” makes it frothy. A “pacojet” food
processor purees frozen sweets and
savouries.
“Only 10 per cent of those modern techniques are used here,” says
Pavita 'A nne' Sae Chao, head chef
at Sra Bua. “We use gelatin to create a surprising look and melt-inthe-mouth texture, and soy lecithin
to turn lychees into a light foam,
and liquid nitrogen to keep food
c o o l a n d c re a t e f o g . T h e m a i n
Gaggand Anand spoons out
grilled prawns to serve with
coriander foam at his
restaurant, Gaggan.
Watcha
Cookin’,
Einstein?
Molecular gastronomy is sweeping Bangkok,
but the chefs still know the difference between
laab and the laboratory
C
Photos by E KK ARAT S UK PE TC H/ TH E NATIO N (T HA ILA ND)
❖❖ Bangkok
Tom Yum Seafood
comes in three
different jellies at
Sra Bua.
42 •
elebrated chef Ferran Adria
might be closing El Bulli, his
restaurant in Spain that was
the world’s leading laboratory for “molecular gastronomy”, but Bangkok is just getting started on this culinary revolution.
It still looks excitingly futuristic to us,
even as Adria switches from cooking to
teaching how it’s done.
Many restaurants around town are
now serving familiar dishes with
fresh sensations—gels, foamy mousse,
powders and “spherification”. If you
haven’t had red curry in the form of
frozen ice cream yet, you’re missing
something extraordinary.
Indian tradition joins in the fun:
chicken tikka topped with coriander
foam, or raita in a wobbly sphere that
bursts in the mouth.
T hen there’s French foie gras
powder and a green salad with a
slow-cooked egg and “truff le-oil
powder” on top.
Molecular gastronomy has all the
allure of modern science, although
most chefs realise that’s a scary combination of words for diners—it might
suggest that chemicals are being added (which they’re not)—so they proffer terms like “modern twist” and
“progressive cuisine”.
They respect the distinction between
home cooking and foam cooking.
June 3-16, 2011
Sra Bua's red curry
comes in frozen
scoops with baby
lobster salad and
lychee foam. Liquid
nitrogen keeps it cool.
Aston Gastro Bar's
berry consomme is
cooked 'sous vide' and
served with whipped,
frozen 'espuma'.
purpose is a dazzling presentation.”
Sra Bua—a sister restaurant to Kiin
Kiin, the Michelin-star Thai-food
mecca in Copenhagen—serves greencurry mousse in a clay “flowerpot”
with a sprig of asparagus sticking out.
The “soil” is cookie crumbs and the
asparagus is your “shovel”.
It serves a Tom Yum Seafood Array
as three pots of jelly—one with a
prawn, one a mushroom and the other
a shard of galangal—and a bowl of hot
and tangy broth. Its tom kha is chilled
in froth and comes with green and
white asparagus.
And these are presented on one
plate with fog-generating liquid nitrogen beneath to keep the curry frozen.
It looks amazing.
June 3-16, 2011
“Molecular cooking has been fading
for years in the West, but it’s just now
appearing in Thailand,” says Pavita.
The big trend in Europe now involves
Asian herbs and organic foods that are
cooked to optimise the health and nutritional benefits.
“Food is fashion,” she points out, “so
people should keep an open mind to
every new approach.”
At the new Indian restaurant Gaggan on Soi Langsuan, you can watch
chef Gaggan Anand in his kitchen
through a big window. There’s the tandoor oven—and there’s that rotary
evaporator that draws out the essence
of his herbs, and his immersion blender, which makes those aerated foams.
The Kolkata native was the first Indian to intern at El Bulli’s culinary research centre in
Spain. That was
The rocket salad
with spicy Italian
sausage at the
99 Rest Backyard
Cafe is topped
with powdered
truffle oil.
last year, and he’s
going back next
month for more
inspiration.
“I called El
Bulli and told
them I wanted to
make new style
of Indian cooking
at the top level,” says Anand. “I
want to change people’s perception
of Indian food.
“I use scientific knowledge to improve the food, but some of the classic
dishes, like clams masala, are still
cooked the traditional way. The modern techniques should be used properly and in the right proportion.
There’s no need to transform every
dish into foam, mousse or jelly!”
Customers tucking into his raita
might disagree, however. This is where
spherification comes in, and the result
is terrific. Sodium alginate and calcium
chloride are used to encase servings of
spiced yoghurt in spheres that burst in
the mouth.
Then you can get a tandoor-grilled
river prawn marinated with redchilli extract, and sous vide Scottish
w ild salmon w ith Bengali-st yle
mustard and vanilla ice cream infused with tobacco smoke.
Another new eatery, the 99 Rest
Backyard Café, has another El Bulli
alumnus in the kitchen, Ian Kittichai.
He uses wheat-derived maltodextrin to
turn the oil of truffles into a powder
that’s sprinkled over rocket salad. No
more oiliness but the flavour
is still intense.
Ian’s pan-seared Atlantic
salmon fillet is cooked for 12
minutes in a sous vide water bath at just 52 degrees,
then buttered and served
with sugar peas and pearshaped tomatoes in safflower sauce. The sauce is
safflower and low-fat milk
with thickening xanthan
gum. It’s like creamy butter
but with far less fat.
The new techniques improve food’s taste “significantly”, he says, and help
ensure consistent results.
Zra Jiraratana trained in
classic French cuisine, but
the new methods are put
to excellent use at his Aston Gastro Bar. Foie gras
is slow-cooked and
whipped into a mousse in
a vacuum device. A berry
consomme is cooked sous
v ide with red wine and ser ved
w i t h wh ip p e d , f roz e n a n d j a s mine-f lavoured”espuma”, all enshrouded in fog.
“So far,” says Zra, “I’ve just used
the molecular techniques for some
dishes, but I’m ready to go ‘extreme’
if the customers are ready. If you’re
open-minded, you’ll enjoy the different tastes.”
• 43
TRAVEL BITES
PHILIPPPINES
By Jofelle P. Tesorio
Asia News Network
Another interesting night
spot is the Librar y, the
grandmother of all comedy
bars in the Philippines. Famous gay comedians in the
country have, one way or
another, been performers in
the Library. The brand of
comedy of the performers
has improved over the years,
taking so much consideration that clients are not only
limited to Filipinos.
Around the Library are
different bars frequented by
gays, owing to the fact that
Malate is the venue of the
yearly Gay Pride Parade.
Other bars feature up and
coming bands. They say,
when you’re in the Philippines, you have to see a
Sunset at Manila Bay
band perform to agree that
the Filipinos are really a
nila’s oldest districts, Malate is rich in bunch of talented singers and perhistory and culture. Walking around, formers.
 2 See the sunset in Manila Bay.
you will find old Spanish houses.
Some are already converted into The best sunset in the Philippines (or
stores, apartments and shops but the probably next to Boracay) is in Manila
original look of the structures has Bay. Just a stone’s throw away from
been retained. Then there’s the Parish the Malate Church, is a long bay walk
of Our Lady Remedios or the Malate where you can watch the sun sets.
Church, the centre of activities during The bay walk used to host a strip of
the Spanish colonial period. The set- bars and cafés but they were removed
ting of many Filipino movies, this when the new Manila government
church is also popular among women was installed. Today, the bay walk is
just an empty strip with hawkers sellwho want to conceive.
At night, Malate transforms into a ing different stuff and occasional jogglitzy dame in full colours and mo- gers and walkers.
 3 Pay homage to the Black Nazation. It was once known as a place of
‘ill-repute’ because of the presence of rene of Quiapo. About 15 minutes by
Ermita and Mabini Streets, the red taxi from Malate is the Quiapo Dislight district likened to Patpong of trict. The Old Downtown is where
Bangkok. But the mayor, Alfredo Lim, you find products—from DLSR camwho has a moniker of ‘Dirty Harry’, eras to bootleg DVDs—at bottom-rock
swept clean Mabini and Ermita prices. But the beehive of activities
Streets, ordered the bars padlocked here centres on Quiapo Church,
and vowed never to open them again. where the Black Nazarene is stored.
Without the nightclubs, many say The Black Nazarene, a life-sized, darkMalate is now less visited by tourists coloured wooden sculpture of Jesus
but there are alternative bars to spend Christ, is believed to grant miracles to
the night away. Among them is Hob- people who touch it. Every January
bit House. By the name itself, you can 9, thousands of devotees throng to
guess the bar's theme. Their staffs are Quiapo for the annual parade of the
mostly vertically challenged but are Black Nazarene.
Quiapo is the microcosm of the Philefficient enough to get your orders
without taking notes and can carry ippines—steeped in religion but a mixed
you all the way to the door in case bag of other influences. In this place,
you will see and smell humanity.
you had too much to drink.
Manila Is
Charming, Too
The Philippines’
capital is not short
of interesting
places to visit
F
❖❖ Manila
or many travellers, Manila is
always off their list of mustsee destinations unlike other
cities in Asia such as Bangko k , S i ng a p o re , Ku a l a
Lumpur, New Delhi or Ho Chi Minh.
The once grand capital of the Philippines has lost its luster over the years
because of bad publicity. It’s not easy
to get around Manila because public
transportation is bad enough to shy
away tourists coupled with snailpaced traffic at any given time of the
day. There’s also the issue of security
and lack of places of interests. But
security is always a problem everywhere, especially in urban areas in
Asia. Manila is just a jump-off destination to tourists’ places like Palawan,
Boracay, Cebu or Bohol.
But the city is not as bad as many
people think it is. In fact, by discovering the city, you will find it disarmingly charming. It has to grow on
you. The smell and sights of the city
is different and once all have sunk in,
“you will keep coming back to Manila”, to borrow a line from a famous
Filipino song Manila.
In case you are stuck in the city, by
choice or by any other reasons, here
are some of the things to do and places
to visit:
 1 Discover Malate. One of Ma44 •
June 3-16, 2011
 4 Visit SM Mall of Asia. It is not
really fun to go to crowded malls but
you have to see the one that is touted
as the biggest in Southeast Asia. Just
15 minutes by taxi from Malate, MOA
as it called, sits on the edge of Manila
Bay. Aside from hundreds of shops,
it has a huge ice skating rink, dozens
of cinemas and an open space for
concerts that can house more than
50,000 people. MOA also has an alfresco area with cafés, restaurants and
bars with a perfect vantage point of
the Manila Bay.
 5 Rummage through cheap
books in Recto. Manila’s university
belt is crowded with shops and stalls
selling books, school supplies and
even fake diplomas. A second-hand
book from best-selling authors can be
bought in Recto for as low as 30 pesos
(80 US cents). If you don’t intend to
complete due to lack of proper funding. These days, the walled city is used
to showcase Philippine culture. Tours
around Intramuros are arranged daily
by the Philippine Tourism Authority.
There are also Filipino-themed restaurants inside.
 7 Walk under acacia trees at the
University of the Philippines. The
country’s premier state university in
Diliman, Quezon City has more empty and green spaces than classrooms.
The campus is called by students and
alumni the ‘Diliman Republic’ because it has its own rules and regulations and has a separate set of police
force and village council. The best
day to walk under acacia trees along
the main street of the campus is during car-free day every Sunday. Walking or jogging inside the campus gives
a certain sense of calmness and a feel-
Quiapo Church
Intramuros
buy books, being in Recto is like being lost in the underbelly of the Philippine educational centre.
 6 Be enthralled in Intramuros.
The walled city of Intramuros is just
about 15 minutes by taxi from Quiapo.
There are also jeepneys that ply the
route of Malate to Intramuros or from
Quiapo to Intramuros. Going there,
you will see the city hall of Manila
with its imposing clock tower. Built by
the Spaniards in the 16th century, Intramuros literally means a city within
walls because of its thick high walls
and moats. As a city itself, it was the
centre of political, military and religious power the Spanish period. Inside Intramuros is the Baroque-style
Manila Cathedral. But much of Intramuros was damaged by the Japanese
Imperial forces during World War II
and restoration efforts have been inJune 3-16, 2011
ing that you are not in Manila. The
Ateneo de Manila University in nearby Katipunan Avenue also has a huge
ground to walk or jog but it is quite
strict with outsiders without specific
purposes of going inside the campus.
 8 Ride a jeepney. You’ve never
been to Manila if you haven’t tried it.
The most popular mode of transportation in the Philippines is patterned
after the US jeeps left during the
World War II. It is known for its colourful and eclectic decoration and
crowded seating. Payment to the driver is done by passing on the money
and the change to the person closest
to the driver. It is actually a subtle image of Philippine culture of bayanihan
(working together) and sense of community and the Filipinos’ love for
clutter as seen in the jeeps' designs.
 9 Dine on Filipino food. Even
Filipinos say their own cuisine is considered the sad sack of Asia because
of its lack of popularity compared to
Indian, Chinese or Thai dishes. It is
not true. Filipino dishes are not popular because it has not been promoted
abroad but it doesn’t mean that
they’re not as tasty as its Asian counterparts. Manila, as the centre of the
country, has hundreds of restaurants
especialising on authentic Filipino
dishes. Even fast food chains like Jollibee or Mushroom Burger have some
Filipino dishes on their menu. Try
ordering kare-kare (vegetables with tendered oxtail, other meat or sea food
cooked in peanut sauce and flavoured
with shrimp paste) at Ken Afford
along Katipunan Road in Quezon
City or at Gerry’s Grill, which can be
found in any major mall. Almost all
restaurants in Manila offer other Filipino must-taste
dishes such as
adobo (pork or
chicken cooked
in soy sauce, vinegar and spices),
sisig (minced pig
ears, cheek, cartilage with lots of
spices usually
served in sizzling
p l a t e ) , sinigang
(sour soup with
pork or sea food
and vegetables)
and crispy pata (deep-friend crunchy
pork leg served with soy sauce, vinegar and spices dip).
 10. Have an excursion to Corregidor Island. Many Filipinos have not
been to this island just one hour away
by boat. This historic island was fortified with several coastal artillery and
ammunition to defend Manila from
attacks in the event of war. There is a
daily tour to the island organised by
travel agencies. Boats to Corregidor
leave every morning from a port near
the Philippine International Convention Centre along Manila Bay.
So next time you visit Manila,
there’s no reason not to be immersed
with its culture and traditions, even
t h o ug h s o m e a re n o t f o u n d i n
travel books.
travelbites.asia@gmail.com
• 45
EXPLORE
LAOS
By Chusri Ngamprasert
The Nation (Thailand)
we board the Pak Ou, a 34m-long
barge with open air seating for 40
people. The boat has a bar, toilet facilities and a galley. With coffee tables
between each pair of facing bench
seats, we have space to place our
drinks and snacks for the long hours.
A lazy traveller, like me, eyes the huge
seat over the large compartment
where the luggage is stored. As soon
as every item of baggage is loaded, I
jump on the huge seat, curl up under
the blanket, and settle down with a
good book.
The drizzle has just stopped when
we reach the Hmong village of Ban
Hoei Lampane. Children shout and
point at our barge and in less than
five minutes the villagers, mostly
women and children, are rushing
leagues has slipped on the mud-caked
walkway, As his attempts to right
himself prove hilariously unsuccessful, we decide to call it quits and
make our way back to the boat.
Before sunset we arrive at Luang
Say Lodge in Pak Beng, a small port
village halfway between Huay Xai
and Luang Prabang. The bitterly cold
weather has most of us lingering
around the fireplace rather than going
back to our non-heated rooms.
The next day, we visit the morning
market, a 10-minute drive from Luang
Say Lodge. The tiny market is full of
life since it is close to the Pak Beng
pier where the public boats travel to
Luang Prabang and Huay Xai everyday. With roads in this part of the
country scarce, the Mekong is the
TRADITIONAL
PRODUCTS: Tourists
walk around a Hmong
village where girls sell
handwoven clothing.
(Below) A tourist tries on
a native wristband.
A Slow Boat To Luang Prabang
photos by Ch us ri Ngamp rase rt/ The Natio n (Thaila nd )
Forget the fast flight
to the old Lao capital
T
❖❖ Bangkok
hrough the mist and frequent rain showers, the
Pak Ou boat chugs leisurely along the Mekong
River towards Luang Prabang in Laos. The drumming of the
motor is like a lullaby while the softly
rocking boat feels like a giant hammock. The guides and cabin crew
cover the boat with a clear plastic
sheet to protect us from the rain but
the playful chilly breeze sneaks
through the sides and numbs our noses. The guides hand us poncho-like
blankets to keep us warm, a welcome
46 •
down the steep slope
to the bank, brandishing hand-made
wristbands and bags
and shouting the
prices in their own
language.
Unlike the villagers, who can run up
and down the muddy slope with no problems, 30 of us
struggle up the bank only to be confronted by a walkway that reminds
me of the sticky chocolate river in
Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. As
I’m about to step on the driest spot I
can find, the sound of something falling makes me stop. One of our col-
gesture as we spending seven to eight
hours a day on the river during our
two-day trip.
Our trip starts in Thailand where
we board a small long-tailed boat in
Chiang Rai’s Chiang Khong district
to cross the Mekong to Huay Xai on
the Lao side of the border. The
weather gods are not on our side and
the small craft is buffeted by rain,
wind and the rough current. The
women passengers shriek with fear
as we pitch and roll, but the ordeal
is over in five minutes and we are
safely on the other side.
After going through immigration,
June 3-16, 2011
June 3-16, 2011
main transport channel for all the villages
on the river,
The sun is kissing
the yellowish river as
we leave Pak Beng
and the cruise is infinitely more enjoyable
with no rain. Our
first stop is Ban Baw,
a village well known for cloth-weaving and rice whisky. Along both sides
of the walkway, villagers lay the woven cloth on the floor to showcase its
colourful pattern to passing visitors.
Unfortunately, the whiskey brewer is
off today, so we miss the chance to
taste the famous mountain dew.
The last stop before reaching Luang
Prabang is Tham Ting or Ting Cave
where thousands of Buddha images
are stored. The temple, 30 minutes
away from Luang Prabang, was originally dedicated to the spirits of the
river and was converted into a Buddhist temple during the 15th century.
“There are two caves burrowing
into the cliff. The cave on the lower
level contains more Buddha images
but the cave on the upper level was
the temple where the king of Luang
Prabang performed a Buddha bathing
ceremony at Laos New Year. The king
would pour fragrant water into a
beautifully decorated wooden vessel
in the shape of a naga, which was
placed over the Buddha images.
“The Buddha images you see here
are just a fraction of the real number
since when the Mekong’s level is high,
it will flood this cave and some Buddha images are gone with the tide,”
our guide explains.
The Mekong’s shifting bed, huge
jagged rocks and her unpredictable
waters often stir fear in the hearts of
those who live along her banks, as
she runs through from the Tibetan
plateau through China’s Yunnan province into Burma, Laos, Thailand,
Cambodia and Viet Nam. But the
river is also a benevolent mother,
who has been feeding millions people
for hundreds of years.
And as we continue our journey
into the land of a million elephants,
the charm of the Mekong slowly seeps
into our souls.
▼ IF YOU GO
Mekong Cruises operates three
boats from/to Huay Xai and Luang
Prabang. The renovated boats have
a capacity for 40 people on
comfortable seats and benches.
Each cruise departure has both a
French and English speaking guide
able to answer questions and point
out any sights of interest along the
way.
For allinclusive package information, call (+662) 689 0425 or visit
www.LuangSay.com.
• 47
TRAVEL
BRUNEI
By Yasminka Lee
Asia News Network
replied in an accent that sounded like
Singaporean. “But you will hear a lot
of Chinese songs on radio and there
are shows on TV too.”
Chinese make up 11.2 per cent of
the estimated 400,000 population
while Malays are the majority (66.3
per cent). The rest come from indigenous groups (3.4 per cent) and other
nationalities (19.1 per cent).
One of the famous Bruneians, aside
from the King of course, is actor-singer
Wu Chun, who shot to pop culture
consciousness through the 2006 Taiwanese drama Hana Kimi—an adaptation of the Japanese manga “Hanazakari no Kimitachi e”.
“Welcome to Brunei,” Wu greeted
Sultan Omar
Ali Saifuddin
Mosque
something,” he noted. “For me, I
don’t really take time to relax except
when I’m eating or travelling.”
Even back home in Brunei, Wu
does not stop working as he manages
the two branches of Fitness Zone. He
still enjoys relative anonymity although in recent years, Bruneians became aware that one of their own is
very famous in Taiwan, Hong Kong,
China and the rest of Southeast Asia.
“The first year, they didn’t really
know because in Brunei, they seldom
write news about Chinese showbiz. I
was very surprised to see my dramas
showing in local television. They
bought all of them but only after the
second year that they’ve been shown
in 1958. It also features a golden dome
and an interior of Italian marble walls,
carpeting and... an elevator!
And yes, all that glitter in both
mosques is real gold.
Photos are not allowed inside the
mosques but it’s a must to ponder
and appreciate the domed ceiling inside the SOAS Mosque with its magnificent stained glass. On the lagoon
beside the SOAS Mosque is a stone
boat, which is a replica of a 16th-century mahligai barge. The mosque is a
very familiar landmark often seen in
Brunei postcards.
Near the SOAS Mosque is Kampung Ayer made up of small villages
linked together by foot-bridges and is
Stone boat in front of the SOAS Mosque
Can’t Say Goodbye
To Brunei
Home to two of the most
majestic mosques in the world,
this small Southeast Asian
country has its charm
A
P HOTO s BY J ENNEE RU B RI CO
❖❖ Bandar Seri Begawan
nyone who has lived in
a kampung (village) will
find something familiar
in Brunei, particularly
its capital, Bandar Seri
Begawan.
I arrived at a small international
a i r p o r t wh e re p a ss e ng e r s we re
mostly transiting to European or
Middle Eastern countries via the
f lag carrier Royal Brunei Airlines,
or small tour groups from Indonesia and Malaysia.
An Indonesian tour guide behind
48 •
me in the queue at immigration
said that these are usually short
day tours with only about three
hours spent in BSB before f lying
back to the country of origin.
Kiong, my taxi driver assured me
that one can go from one end of the
city to the other on foot in one day
and that everything is within five
minutes by car. But you would probably get strange looks from locals if
you walk because pedestrians are not
common except downtown where
the rows of shops and restaurants are.
Majority of Bruneians own a car
and unlike in other cities, there
are no readily available taxis that
you can hail outside the airport or
anywhere else.
Jackie, another taxi driver I booked
on another day, noted that for every
family, it is normal to own cars more
than the number of family members.
Thus, the number of cars in BSB is
said to exceed its estimated 140,000
population.
Brunei has in fact one of the
highest car ownership rates in the
world and this has been attributed
to the absence of a comprehensive
transport system, low import tax,
inexpensive maintenance and low
price of unleaded petrol.
The country, which borders the
South China Sea and Malaysia, is rich
in petroleum and natural gas. Crude
oil and natural gas production account for just over half of GDP and
more than 90 per cent of its exports.
Concerns of its natural resources
being depleted aside, Brunei is no ordinary kampung but a wealthy country
where there are even more heliports
(three) than airports (two).
As we drove out of the airport, a
Chinese pop song was playing on the
radio. I asked Kiong, who is Chinese,
if he knows the artistes.
“I don’t know lah, I’m not realy familiar with those pop stars now,” he
June 3-16, 2011
Kampung Ayer
me when we met at a café next door
to Fitness Zone, which he owns.
Wu was born and raised in Brunei,
where he is known as Goh Kiat Chun
or GKC for short. He played for the
country’s national basketball squad
and was modeling in Singapore when
he was discovered and recruited to
be an actor in Taiwan.
In 2005, before doing Hana Kimi,
Wu appeared in two other dramas
including Tokyo Juliet, his first lead role.
The past six years have been a whirlwind of dramas and movies, as well
as albums and concerts with his
group Fahrenheit, until Wu reached
the point he wanted to slow down
and spend more time in his hometown. He finds life simpler here compared to Taiwan, where he has been
mostly based for work.
Br uneians, he said, a re quite
laid-back. “Some people want a
more relaxed life but it may be
ve r y h a rd f o r t h e m t o a c h i e ve
June 3-16, 2011
in Taiwan. So locals started to know
me,” he said.
Many of his fans and members of
the media visit Brunei to see him and
two sights that he recommends are
located right in BSB: the Jame’asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque and the Sultan
Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque.
The Jame’asr Hassanal Bolkiah
Mosque, also known as the Kiarong
Mosque, was built in 1988 and officially launched in 1994 to commemorate the silver anniversary of
the reign of the sultan. The mosque
is the largest and most magnificent
in Brunei and is distinctive because
of its sea-blue roof, golden domes
and minarets. T he grounds surrounding the mosque feature fountains, which makes it a nice quiet
spot away from the hustle and
bustle of everyday life.
The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin
Mosque (known locally as the SOAS
Mosque), on the other hand, was built
considered one of the cultural heritages of Brunei. It is amazing to see the
houses on stilts as if oblivious to the
development going on around them.
Malls and hotels have sprung up all
over BSB, although many Bruneians
still prefer to do their shopping in
Singapore or Bangkok.
Because of his popularity outside
his country, Wu has been an effective
ambassador for Brunei, not only attracting fans to come over but even
his friends from Taiwan’s entertainment business. Last year, actress Rainie Yang, who he worked with in the
upcoming drama Sunshine Angel,
brought her mother for a vacation in
the country last year.
While Brunei may be an unlikely
choice for a vacation due to its limited
choice of attractions and lack of an
accessible transport system, it does
have its hidden charm as my friends
who are based there told me. And
Wu could attest to that.
• 49
DATEBOOK
BAN G KO K
The Story of Colours
Asscociate professor Sannarong Singhaseni is presenting for
the third time a solo exhibition composed of 30 pieces created
from 2010 to 2011. The artist uses colours to denote to
emotions, feeling, time and season. The collection is divided
into four groups: yellow and orange (brightness of spring), pink
(sweetness of summer), dark green (coolness of rainy season)
and blue (coldness of winter).
Where: Jamjuree Art Gallery, Chulalongkorn University
When: June 8-21
S EOU L
Tea World Festival
Organisers advise visitors to carry a large
bag for all the freebies available!
Seoul’s COEX Center hosts the Tea World
Festival every year. There are exhibitions,
talks, competitions and different kinds of tea
from around the world at 200 stalls.
When: June 2-5, 10am-6pm
Where: COEX Convention & Exhibition
Centre
Info: http://www.teanews.com/2011/
TO KYO
Great Japan Beer Festival
It’s not all sake in Japan. Sample over
120 local and international craft brews at
Tokyo’s Great Japan Beer Festival in Yebi-
su Garden Place. Be one of the first to
try the winner of the Japan Beer Cup!
When: June (annual)
Where: Yebisu Garden Place
Info: http://www.beertaster.org/
S H A NG HA I
Shanghai International Film
Festival
This competitive feature film
festival kicks off and ends with
celebrities strutting down the
red carpet. For those who aren’t
quite famous enough to attend
the opening and closing
ceremonies, the film screenings
are held in venues across
Shanghai.
When: June 11-19
Info: http://www.siff.com/
50 •
SI N GAPORE
Great Singapore Sale 2011
It’s time to indulge once again in the
annual Great Singapore Sale. For eight
glorious weeks, enjoy up to 70 per cent
discount on just about everything,
everywhere from the central shopping
belt of Orchard Road and Marina Bay to
the Southern Waterfront and suburbs.
Follow #GreatSingaporeSale on Twitter
to find and share the best deals and
shopping tips.
When: May 27-July 24
Info: www.greatsingaporesale.com.sg
June 3-16, 2011
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