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Synopsis
An in-depth portrait of Asia today, covering its dynamism as a center of growth as well as its traditions tossed around by the advance of globalization.
Episode 32 : Cleaning Up the Tofu Industry: Indonesia
November. 11,2016
Tofu is a staple of Indonesian cuisine. Over 80,000 companies nationwide make it. Most are family-run. Wastewater from the process is a major environmental problem. It's dumped into rivers, polluting them with organic matter. The Indonesian government has created a system that uses bacteria to dissolve the pollutants and produce methane, which is sold to local households. We look at a pilot project that has huge community support.
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Episode 30 : The Men who Carried a City: Chongqing, China
October. 21,2016
Chongqing, located by the Yangtze River, was once densely packed with rows of shops, connected by streets too narrow for cars to travel. Deliveries were performed largely by Bang Bangs: laborers carrying heavy wares with their poles. But now that urban redevelopment has moved populations and provided greater accessibility, the Bang Bangs are fading from the marketplace, and those who struggle on are faced with harsh working conditions and a lack of jobs. In this episode, we feature the men who proudly carry on their shoulders the last traces of a dying legacy.
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Episode 28 : Free Land in the Far East
September. 30,2016
In June 2016, Russia's parliament enacted a remarkable new policy: The Far East One Hectare Law grants all Russian citizens the right - free of charge - to one hectare of land in the vast, undeveloped Far East. The law, a pet policy of President Vladimir Putin, is aimed at reversing population decline and promoting economic development. This program looks at how people - young and old - are responding to this unprecedented offer.
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Episode 26 : Raising the Curtain: Vladivostok, Russia
September. 16,2016
The biggest city in the Russian Far East, Vladivostok, gave birth to a new opera and ballet theater in October 2013. The very first International Mariinsky Far East Festival was held at this theater during the summer of 2016, and Valery Gergiev served as the festival's artistic director. The world's top class artists, along with the young artists at the theater gave performances for 12 days. We followed these dedicated artists who are given a rare opportunity to perform on the big stage, as well as the citizens for whom this festival was something very special.
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Episode 25 : Myanmar: Sowing Seeds of Benevolence
September. 02,2016
One civic group based in Myanmar's capital Yangon provides a unique form of social service. The Free Funeral Service Society (FFSS) carries out memorial services for any family too poor to afford one. They also run free health clinics, offer vocational training, and provide disaster support.
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Episode 24 : Chinese Youth Seek Fame and Fortune on the Internet
August. 26,2016
In China, a country known for its restrictions on media, a new wave of ambitious young men and women is bucking the trend as "Wang Hong", or internet stars. Using video streaming to engage viewers directly, the best among them earning recognition and revenue gained from gifts sent by their devoted fans. At the same time, they struggle to gain acceptance from the older generation. In this episode of Asia Insight, we follow the aspirations of internet-based creators as they appear on the international scene.
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Episode 23 : Kids and Cosmetics: South Korea
August. 05,2016
South Korea is famous as a hotspot for the beauty industry, and the number of children using cosmetics is soaring. Research shows that over half of female junior and senior high school students have used makeup, with 70% of them starting at junior high, and the trend even having spread to elementary schools.
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Episode 22 : Assisting the Recovery of Drug Addicts in China
July. 29,2016
In the shadow of rapid economic development, the use of illegal drugs has become a serious social issue in China. In fact, the number of recreational drug users apprehended in 2015 rose by 20% in just 1 year to 1.06 million. Professional social workers assist these addicts in their reintegration into society, although encouraging former users to stay away from drugs can be a difficult process. In this episode of Asia Insight, we follow the efforts of social workers aiming to get former drug users back on track.
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Episode 20 : One-child Choice: New Child-rearing Trends in China
July. 15,2016
Residents of China raised in the one-child policy generation are now giving birth to a new generation, which they hope will be even more successful than their own.
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Episode 19 : IT Innovations in Indonesia
June. 17,2016
Indonesia's capital city, Jakarta is said to be the most congested city in the world. Although it has a population of around 10 million, it still lacks an adequate public transport system. Motorbikes are the quickest way to get around and this has led to a helpful new innovation: a smartphone application through which customers can conveniently book motorbike taxis.
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Episode 17 : Young South Koreans Struggle with the Economic Gap
May. 20,2016
In recent years a new term has been popularized among the youth of South Korea: "abandoned generation". New graduates face harsh odds competing for coveted positions at large firms, in a society where their social station is intrinsically linked to the size of their employer. Suicides among youth are especially high, and those who are not among the chosen few to attain elite positions are treated as failures. This episode follows the young men and women of South Korea who toe the line between success and failure.
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Episode 16 : Bringing Mongolian Cashmere to the World
May. 13,2016
Around a fifth of Mongolia's population is employed part-time or full-time in livestock farming and it is also the world's 2nd largest producer of raw cashmere, responsible for 40% of the global output. In spite of Mongolia's abundance of raw cashmere, it suffers from a shortage of facilities to manufacture products for sale.
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Episode 15 : Shanghai's Street Stock Salon
May. 06,2016
Each weekend, hundreds of people gather in public locations in Shanghai to exchange financial speculation in what is known as the "street stock salon". The so-called forecasters lack formal certification, but their energetic predictions draw countless onlookers, many of whom are seeking to recover from China's massive stock market crash of 2015.
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Episode 14 : The Man behind Vietnam's Beauties
April. 15,2016
The commercial city of Ho Chi Minh, the largest in Vietnam, the source of new cultural trends. There is a man known as "King" for producing fashion models.
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Episode 13 : Internet Plus Enriches Chinese People
April. 08,2016
In March of 2015, the word "Internet Plus" first came into use in China, encouraging new economic development by seamlessly integrating financial services into the internet. Cottage industries sprung up almost immediately as both consumers and entrepreneurs responded hungrily to the opportunity. Join us as we take a look at the diverse uses of Internet Plus, and the flexibility it has delivered to the lives of Chinese people.
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Episode 12 : Thailand's Halal Drive
March. 25,2016
In Thailand, there are currently nearly 5,000 companies producing Muslim-friendly Halal products and the government is pushing to expand production to boost export earnings.
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Episode 11 : The Golden Age of Cambodian Cinema
March. 18,2016
In the 1960's, Cambodia was a peaceful and prosperous country; various forms of art flourished, and more than 300 domestic movies were made during this decade. With the rise of the Pol Pot regime in the 1970's, the country was thrown into turmoil and much cultural heritage was lost. In this episode of Asia Insight, we follow the efforts to restore movies from Cambodia's Golden Age of Cinema, in the hope of creating a new culture for the future.
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Episode 10 : China's Ever-growing Overseas Travel Business
March. 11,2016
Economic development in China has seen a growth in the tourism business. In 2015 alone, roughly 120 million Chinese traveled overseas from mainland China and ranked as the highest spending tourists in the world for the 4th consecutive year. However, many countries require that Chinese tourists meet certain conditions before entry visas are issued and it is travel agencies that assist tourists in the obtaining of these visas. In this episode of Asia Insight, we take a look at the Shanghai branch of Spring Tours, one of China's largest travel agencies.
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Episode 9 : China's College Graduates: Seeking a Different Lifestyle
March. 04,2016
Competition for employment in China among university graduates is becoming fierce as many vie for placements at leading corporations. Some, however, are seeking different paths with less focus on social status and job security. We follow the lives of 3 graduates who are contributing to the environment and culture, as they attempt to pave the way for a new generation of entrepreneurs.
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Episode 6 : Saving White Beach: The Philippines
February. 05,2016
Boracay, a small island in the Philippines, is experiencing a boom in tourism thanks to the reputation of its White Beach as one of the most beautiful seashores in all of Asia. However, its growing popularity has been accompanied by a major problem: The natural coral that is a key to maintaining the white sands is being rapidly diminished by factors such as the resulting pollution. We follow a group of scientists and residents literally fighting the tide for the sake of Boracay's natural environment.
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Episode 5 : The Marriage Problem among China's Only Children
January. 29,2016
Within the bustling activity and prosperous economy of Beijing, China's young men are facing a new challenge: solitude. Men born during the "one-child policy" have been raised with such singular attention that they find themselves lacking understanding of the female heart, and unable to find a spouse. Women, meanwhile, are putting an emphasis on their careers, with less incentive to settle down. A new market is springing up to impart social skills to this young generation of men. In this episode, we take a look at the hurdles faced by China's generation of only children when facing marriage.
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Episode 4 : Farming in a Freezing Climate
January. 22,2016
In the harsh Mongolian winter, temperatures can reach 40℃ below zero, an impossible climate for cultivating fruits and vegetables. To meet the growing demand from consumers for fresh domestically grown produce, the government recently initiated a winter-greenhouse scheme to support farmers who want to grow all year round. We follow the tentative efforts of the Mongolian farmers who are hoping to benefit from this innovative project.
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Episode 2 : Hong Kong Citizens Flock to Taiwan
January. 08,2016
In recent years, Taiwan has been attracting more and more immigrants from Hong Kong. Affordable housing is just one benefit the region has to offer, and the number of residency applications has greatly increased, particularly from applicants in their 30's and 40's. What is it that convinces Hong Kong citizens at the height of their careers to relocate their entire families? We look at the motivations for this bold change, and the challenges they face in the process.
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Episode 1 : Human Trafficking: Victims of the Storm
January. 01,2016
In 2013, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded struck the Philippines, killing more than 6,000 people and destroying some 1 million homes. Typhoon Haiyan was soon followed by a social scourge; human traffickers moved in to the affected areas to prey on disaster victims. A government task force is combating the traffickers, who are using ever more cunning methods. We go to the front lines to investigate the new menace facing typhoon-hit areas.
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