Asia Insight - Season 15 / Year 2026

After a military coup d'etat in Myanmar, a growing number of citizens have rushed to the Chinese border city of Ruili, struggling to rebuild their lives as they hope for the day when peace returns.

Fifty years after the end of the Vietnam War, many people still search for family separated in the chaos. YouTuber Tuan Vy uses his channel to track down clues and reunite loved ones.

Large-scale development in Hong Kong's northern area is building a high-tech industrial base, boosting the economy and jobs. Though mainlanders hold high expectations, some locals face eviction.

Government-approved online casinos have provided a major source of national revenue in the Philippines, but their availability has brought a crisis where citizens develop severe gambling addictions.

Thailand is experiencing an unprecedent boom in pet ownership, and pet-friendly hotels, movie theaters, and other facilities are on the rise. We explore how this is affecting local life.

A population imbalance has occurred in China where men outnumber women, and men in farming villages face difficulties when trying to marry, with expectations from women such as a condominium and car.

South Korea's Jeju Island is home to the free-diving women fishers called "Haenyeo." As their numbers dwindle due to aging, a new generation attempts to carry on the culture in their own way.

Many Chinese families choose educational migration to Chiang Mai to enroll their children in international schools, avoiding intense academic pressure and giving new options for their futures.

In Taiwan, traditional puppet theater is enjoying a resurgence, capturing the hearts of young fans, and finding new audiences through video and social media.

As Myanmar's civil war drags on, some soldiers are defecting, unhappy with the military's violent oppression of civilians. They are joining the fight for democracy from the country's border regions.

Bangladesh has held its first general election since antigovernment protests in which 1,400 protestors were killed. We join young voters who carry on the will of those who lost their lives.

In South Korea, the labor shortage has caused a spike in foreign workers. Many of them work under harsh conditions, and grass-roots efforts are underway to ease tensions between foreigners and locals.

In Mongolia, citizens with disabilities struggle with accessibility and isolation. One group of people with disabilities has launched an NPO to support members' independent lives and social inclusion.

With nearly 15,000 a year, Indonesia has the third most cases of leprosy in the world. We meet survivors working to support patients, and fight discrimination.

In recent years, young entrepreneurs have flocked from all over China to Liangzhu, an area that has become known for AI-based business development, searching for newfound freedom and opportunities.