Policy, Pop & Dumplings

Chinamaxxing: How has the world found itself in a very Chinese time of their lives?

Hot water over iced lates. Slippers indoors. Traditional medicine over Western pharmaceuticals. Why is everyone suddenly romanticizing Chinese lifestyle choices—and why does it feel political? This week, Gunjan and Paroma unpack Chinamaxxing through the lens of shifting cultural power. From Fareed Zakaria and Jon Stewart on Western liberalism’s fraying moral authority to bell hooks on “eating the other,” we ask: is this appreciation, appropriation, or something stranger? A geopolitical vibe shift disguised as wellness trends? When choosing herbal tea over coffee starts to feel like picking a side, what does that say about whose culture holds capital now? Credits and Show notes: 1. All About Love, New Visions, Bell Hooks [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17607.All_About_Love] 2. Mala Project by Sticky Rice [https://www.zomato.com/ncr/mala-project-by-sticky-rice-golf-course-road-gurgaon/order]

Culture Debrief for the Year of the Horse: Babies, Bangers & 10-Second Attention Spans

In this episode, we ramble on about what actually defined 2025 for us and our feeds - birth-rate panic, short feeds, intense fandoms, and taste flexing as the new status symbol. We also talk about how K-systems are quietly influencing everything from music to streaming to soft power. If 2025 felt chaotic, this is the breakdown for everything that happened and everything we are gearing up for. Credits: Noona, You Are a Woman to Me (2025) [https://mydramalist.com/801140-nunan-naege-yeojaya] My Korean Boyfriend (2026) - Available on Netflix Two is already too many - Phoebe Arslanagic-Little [https://worksinprogress.co/issue/two-is-already-too-many/?fbclid=PAdGRleAPdRS5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAaebrdl5BbHd3Kxht0wXmSrUL-fJsZqgh-dRASwIWBiaAsQM9K1683BoWGWBxg_aem_Wt8VkH42Vwg9YWNuLymfEw] Billionaires can't love anymore: China bans your favourite CEO romance. [https://newswav.com/article/billionaires-can-t-love-anymore-china-bans-your-favorite-ceo-romance-A2601_noZAH7] ‘Parasocial’ is Cambridge Dictionary’s Word of the Year 2025 [https://www.cambridge.org/news-and-insights/parasocial-is-cambridge-dictionary-word-of-the-year-2025] Declining Consumer Demand Pulls Luxury Brand Valuations Down (Forbes, 2025) [https://www.forbes.com/sites/pamdanziger/2025/10/24/declining-consumer-demand-pushes-luxury-brand-valuations-down/] Gentle Monster [https://www.gentlemonster.com/int/en] Learn languages on Preply [https://preply.com/en/home] When Life Gives You Tangerines (2025) - Available on Netflix Taiwan Travelogue - Yáng Shuāng-zǐ, 楊双子, Lin King (Translator) [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205363984-taiwan-travelogue] Toronto International Festival of Authors [https://www.destinationtoronto.com/events/annual-festivals-and-events/toronto-international-festival-of-authors/]

The Hierarchy Trap: Beyond Bullying

Across East Asia, school, barracks, and work often run on rank, rivalry, and endurance. In this episode we n trace how South Korea’s mandatory military service, Japan’s senpai-kohai culture, and China’s exam pressure shape what “strength” and “justice” look like for young people. We discuss why bullying and revenge narratives resonate, and how pop culture can turn private harm into public debate and try wrapping our heads around what it would take to build real belonging instead of fear. Instagram: @policypopdumplings. Email: policypopdumplings@gmail.com Credits: Ta Park, Van My et al. “Promising Results from the Use of a Korean Drama to Address Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors on School Bullying and Mental Health among Asian American College-Aged Students.” International journal of environmental research and public health vol. 17,5 1637. 3 Mar. 2020, doi:10.3390/ijerph17051637 Hong MY and Goo J (2024) The significance of school bullying prevention program: a narrative inquiry from the perspective of a school police officer at a Youth Police Academy in Korea. Front. Educ. 9:1408275. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1408275.

When School Becomes Survival: Korea’s Education Crisis Through the Lens of K-Dramas.

This episode explores how Korean dramas are turning classrooms into mirrors of society. Through stories of bullying, competition, and survival, we ask: can fiction spark real conversations about what students face behind closed doors? And when does storytelling stop reflecting reality and start shaping it? Credits: The Glory, Available on Netflix Weak Hero, Available on Netflix All Of Us Are Dead, Available on Netflix Sky Castle, Available on Netflix Class of Lies, Available on Netflix Lord of the Flies [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7624.Lord_of_the_Flies]

The Cultural Console: East Asia's Gaming Dilemma

South Korea’s gaming culture shaped a generation and then found itself at the center of a national debate. From PC bangs that became social lifelines to curfews that sparked controversy, this episode looks at how a country known for its esports glory began rethinking its own creation. And what if gaming addiction isn’t really about games at all but everything around them? Credits: Addiction by Design - Machine Gambling in Las Vegas [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13748038-addiction-by-design] K-pop Demon Hunters, Available on Netflix Welcome to N.H.K. [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/710499.Welcome_to_the_N_H_K_]