Asia Insight - Season 8
Season 8
Network
Episodes29
DatesJan 19, 2019 - Dec 26, 2019
Episodes
Season 8Episode 140 min
Poachers Turned Eco-Guides in Cambodia
Jan 19, 2019
Season 8Episode 240 min
Hong Kong: Running Out of Space
Jan 26, 2019
Season 8Episode 340 min
Counting on Red Fruit: China's One Belt One Road Initiative
Feb 2, 2019
Season 8Episode 440 min
Vietnam: Reviving the Water Puppets
Feb 9, 2019
Season 8Episode 540 min
The Changing World Wholesale Market: Yiwu, China
Feb 15, 2019
Season 8Episode 640 min
Reviving a Silk Road Tradition
Feb 22, 2019
Season 8Episode 740 min
The Change in China's Online Video Bloggers
Mar 1, 2019
Season 8Episode 840 min
South Korean Youth Struggling for Work
Mar 15, 2019
Season 8Episode 940 min
Marriage and Migrant Workers - Tajikistan
Mar 22, 2019
Season 8Episode 1040 min
Individuality and China's Unwed Women
Mar 29, 2019
Season 8Episode 1140 min
Shanghai's "Children of the Stars" with ASD
Apr 5, 2019
Season 8Episode 1240 min
Protecting Asian Elephants in Laos
Apr 18, 2019
Season 8Episode 1340 min
Guardians of Taiwan's Migrant Mothers
May 2, 2019
Season 8Episode 1440 min
The "War on Drugs" in the Philippines
May 23, 2019
Season 8Episode 1540 min
Growing Prosperity with Organic Farming - Cambodia
Cambodia's fast-growing economy has led to a construction boom that is drawing workers to Phnom Penh and other cities in search of jobs. However, the mass migration to urban areas has resulted in many farmers giving up agricultural work and abandoning farms. Aiming to restore pride and prosperity to rural areas, agricultural scientist Yang Saing Koma trains farmers how to grow organic food. Mixing modern and traditional methods, he shows how growing pesticide-free fruits and vegetables can put more cash in farmers pockets, while also meeting consumer demand for fresher and safer produce. In this episode of Asia Insight, we follow Koma's efforts to improve lives in rural Cambodia.
Jun 27, 2019
Season 8Episode 1640 min
Fishing with Dolphins: Myanmar
The Irrawaddy River (also known as the Ayeyawady River) in Myanmar in the only place in the world where humans and dolphins fish side by side. Today, this unique tradition is in danger. Myanmar's economy has undergone rapid growth, and the river has become polluted, sending the dolphin population and their food sources into decline. Only 20 fishermen with the knowledge of this traditional fishing method remain. We follow seasoned fisherman Maung Lay as he works alongside the dolphins, and learn about the initiatives looking to preserve them.
Jul 12, 2019
Season 8Episode 1740 min
The Entrepreneurs Reenergizing China's Rural Communities
With a growing gap between rural and urban incomes, residents of China's farming communities have been steadily moving to the big cities, leading to widespread rural decline. Seeking to stem this tide are a new breed of local entrepreneurs - young, educated farmers turning to new technology and marketing methods in an effort to work smarter, and bring new efficiency to the produce business.
Jul 18, 2019
Season 8Episode 1840 min
A New Esports Hub: Hong Kong
Fighting, racing, soccer, shooting: esports, or competitive gaming, is taking the world by storm. With around 130 million potential competitors, the industry is expected to be worth 3 billion US dollars within the next few years. In Hong Kong, partnerships between the public and private sector are looking to expand the scope of esports and turn the city into a local hub. One start-up has partnered with the government to build one of Asia's biggest dedicated esports facility, while one of Hong Kong's biggest conglomerates has begun hosting an esports event, even creating their own professional team. Meanwhile one private investor has opened an esports coaching school. Explore the world of professional gaming in Hong Kong.
Jul 25, 2019
Season 8Episode 1940 min
Homegrown Cotton for a Homegrown Brand: Myanmar
The ancient city of Bagan in central Myanmar was registered as a World Heritage Site in July 2019. The religious city is home to some 3,000 Buddhist pagodas and temples -- and now, a new clothing brand: "Cotton Bagan" is attracting attention from foreign visitors and local customers alike. 22-year-old Pyay Soe Hein founded the brand 2 years ago. The company uses locally grown cotton, woven, cut, and sewn by local artisans. He hopes to promote and encourage the country's textile industry by providing 100% Myanmar-made clothes. Discover how a young entrepreneur and his partners are making waves in this new market.
Aug 1, 2019
Season 8Episode 2040 min
Performing Your Story in China
In July of 2018, a new theater group was formed in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. The subject of their performances is their own audience: Through improvisational theater, they express personal experiences suggested by the audience members, helping to give voices to the struggles of average people. However, they hit a major setback when a show was halted by the police, after which almost no theater would consent to renting them space. Now the group pushes on to find a new place in their home city, where they work to increase understanding and empathy among both loyal fans and new audience members.
Aug 8, 2019
Season 8Episode 2140 min
Opening Doors to Independence - Disabilities in Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, is home to the Center for Disability Research and Capacity Development (DRD), an NGO led by Vo Thi Hoang Yen. As well as providing university scholarships and support for job-searching, Yen and her 13 staff are developing a digital map with detailed accessibility information for locations around Vietnam. Many people in Vietnam believe that people with disabilities are being punished for transgressions in a past life, leaving them marginalized and unable to find work. By encouraging Vietnam's disabled population to become independent, Yen and the DRD are looking to change Vietnam's attitude towards disability.
Sep 5, 2019
Season 8Episode 2240 min
Changing Lives of Fishermen on the Yangtze River
China's Yangtze River has seen a decline in species due to pollution and overfishing, which the government responded to with a ban on industrial fishing. Although intended to improve the local environment, this measure had the side effect of taking away the livelihoods of the fishermen living around the river. Now, desperately seeking the means to support their families, some of the fishermen have begun utilizing their knowledge through conservationist work to preserve vulnerable species such as the finless porpoises of the Yangtze River.
Sep 12, 2019
Season 8Episode 2340 min
Hongkongers Seeking Freedom in Taiwan
In recent years, Hong Kong has seen an increase in demonstrations such as the Umbrella Movement, which protest the degree of control China wields over the region. Many of those involved in the movements or simply seeking a better way of life have chosen to relocate to Taiwan, which can protect their human rights with a democratic government. Despite their pride as Hongkongers, the new immigrants leave careers behind to hopefully gain freedom that will extend to their children's generation.
Oct 3, 2019
Season 8Episode 2440 min
Taiwan's Bookstore Revolution
As bookstores around the world continue to dwindle in number among declining sales of physical books, Taiwan has been hit particularly hard: In 2012, two-thirds of all regions there lacked bookstores. But thanks to a government policy promoting small retailers, so-called "community bookstores" have begun to sprout up. Some include literary salons or cafes, while other have special concepts like trading local produce for books. All are places where paper books bring about new communication between people.
Oct 24, 2019
Season 8Episode 2540 min
From Trash to Treasure: Indonesia
Surabaya, a city in Indonesia, runs a bus service that doesn't cost money to use. Instead, the fare is paid in plastic bottles. The goal is to promote waste reduction and recycling. 20 years ago, the city streets were overflowing with garbage, so the local government took action. They introduced a system to transform everyday kitchen waste into compost. They set up waste banks, where people can sell recyclables. We take a look at the incredible success of Surabaya's eco-friendly initiatives.
Nov 15, 2019
Season 8Episode 2640 min
Extras in China: The Hengdian Drifters
Just like in any other country, Chinese youth dream of becoming famous actors, and many chase their dreams to Hengdian, a town that serves as a center of movie filming in the country. The jobs that await the vast majority are "extras," nonspeaking roles for just dollars a day, and barely enough to put food on the table. In this episode, we meet the thespians who have moved hundreds of miles only to be faced with the conflict of either abandoning their dream, or soldiering on as wordless members of the masses.
Nov 21, 2019
Season 8Episode 2740 min
Fighting Transgender Discrimination - Thailand
Thailand has a reputation as a haven for transgender people. But the reality is that many continue to experience discrimination, forcing them to hide their sexual identities. Determined to change this situation, transgender people are taking action. Making use of the Gender Equality Act of 2015, they are winning access to jobs previously closed to them, along with the right to wear clothes that match their sexual identity. In this episode, we hear from transgender people standing up to discrimination in a changing society.
Nov 28, 2019
Season 8Episode 2840 min
Homegrown Sustainable Forestry: Indonesia
Indonesia has lost around 30% of its forest coverage in the last 50 years, in part due to illegal logging. Since 2004, environmental NGO Telapak has worked with rainforest residents to curb this destruction. Locals have set up cooperatives to manage, fell and sell their own trees as part of a community logging initiative, providing a stable income that's higher than what illegal logging can pay. There are now 10 cooperatives around Indonesia totaling 7,000 members. We visit a 1,500-strong cooperative in central Java to discover how local forestry initiatives are helping residents protect the environment and earn a living.
Dec 5, 2019
Season 8Episode 2940 min
Forgotten Dancers
Since the early 2000's, a new pastime has skyrocketed in popularity among China's elderly, becoming a social phenomenon. Known there as "plaza dancing," those who gather in town squares for social dancing do so for various reasons, whether to gain a brief respite from caring for infirm parents, or to reclaim the dreams of their youth. Indeed, the square dance has put a new spring in the step of senior citizens across China.
Dec 26, 2019
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