A Korean boy band moves stock markets. A Japanese whisky distiller reshapes global spirits. A 22-year-old idol is worth more to Dior than a Hollywood A-lister. Thailand’s entertainment exports are building global fandoms faster than Hollywood can greenlight a sequel.

Asia’s cultural industries aren’t emerging anymore — they’re dominant. And most Western business coverage still treats them as a trend piece.

Soft Power Asia is different.

This podcast decodes how it actually works: K-pop touring economics, the ROI of idol ambassadorships, the anime and manga industry’s global expansion, how Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster turned retail into performance art, why Southeast Asian streaming content rivals Hollywood’s reach, and what happens when a country’s beauty industry becomes an engine of economic statecraft.

Each episode: one story, ~35 minutes, no fluff.
Business analysis for people who take culture seriously — and cultural context for people who take business seriously.