People & Events

1. Netflix’s Crash Landing on You put Son ye-jin’s strong female character front and centre, while Itaewon Class touched on racism: the K-drama themes from 2020 we hope to see more of this year

   The year 2020 was a powerful one for K-dramas, not least because an increasing number of them began premiering worldwide on Netflix. The fact that most of the viewing population was stuck at home only helped to amplify the global K-drama craze.The good news is, at the same time K-dramas have also gone beyond stereotypical romance-centred plots, adding meat to their storylines by weaving in themes and issues that genuinely deserve attention – from tackling feminist themes to focusing…

2. K-pop’s next BTS or Blackpink? The entertainment companies behind Exo, Red Velvet and Mamamoo are set to unveil new bands this year – here’s what we know already

   Good news, K-pop fans: this year will see a flurry of new idol groups debuting with many of South Korea’s biggest entertainment companies – including SM, JYP, YG and Big Hit – all planning to unveil fresh acts, while international music labels are also getting in on the action.Some groups will be comprised of the winners of television audition shows, while others will be launched with performers that have honed their singing and choreography skills for years as trainees vying to become the next…

3. 20 millionaires and billionaires who went from rags to riches, from Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and Hollywood stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Leonardo DiCaprio, to Apple’s Steve Jobs

   Despite being some of the most recognisable names in Silicon Valley, Hollywood and beyond, these millionaires and billionaires weren’t always living the high life.Rather, these celebrities and entrepreneurs made it big after coming from nothing – from the seedy streets of LA to the middle-income Bayview projects.Here are 20 of the US’s most inspiring rags-to-riches stories.Growing up Ambani: 5 important lessons Mukesh and Nita taught their kids Halle BerryYears before Halle Berry won an Oscar,…

4. Netflix’s Bling Empire star Kelly Mi Li is a highly accomplished businesswoman who produced a film with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son, turned Jim Morrison’s former home into a bar and loves dogs

   If you’re experiencing Crazy Rich Asians withdrawal symptoms, Netflix’s new series Bling Empire is going to be right up your alley. The show premiered on January 15 and already promises to be seriously binge-worthy. Jeff Jenkins (executive producer of Keeping Up with the Kardashians ) is at the helm, and the show follows Los Angeles’ wealthiest (and most wild) Asian and Asian-American socialites.While the cast of the new reality series has been kept under wraps by Netflix until now, we can…

5. Meet Netflix’s Bling Empire cast member Jaime Xie: the teetotal, vegan, Fortinet heir and equestrian champion making waves on Instagram and YouTube

   Netflix’s newest reality series, Bling Empire, follows the lives of Los Angeles’ wealthiest Asians and Asian-Americans as they navigate between traditional Eastern values and … well, having lots of money and being in front of a camera for reality TV.By the first episode, which debuted on January 15, you may have already picked your favourite cast members for the season, but we’re here to make the case for young luxury tastemaker, Jaime Xie. Although Bling Empire is expected to bring us the high…

6. How does RuPaul make and spend his Drag Race millions? The LGBT icon has a net worth of US$60 million – but how much comes from fracking and farming on his Wyoming ranch?

   When it comes to drag, nobody is more successful than RuPaul. Thanks to the growing global success of reality show RuPaul’s Drag Race , RuPaul – born RuPaul Andre Charles – has brought the art of drag from niche into the mainstream, and has laughed all the way to the bank while doing so.As an actor, drag queen, model, author and recording artist, RuPaul, 60, is estimated to have a net worth of US$60 million and is widely considered to be the most commercially successful drag queen in the world…

7. BtoB’s Yook Sung-jae was born into a rich family before he made his fortune: how the Mystic Pop-up Bar star manages to live a wealthy yet meaningful lifestyle

   Melodies – BtoB’s fan base – already knows that Yook Sung-jae comes from a well-off family. However, their perception of him changed in an episode of All Year Live that aired in November 2020, because it revealed just how rich his family really is. Fans have subsequently dubbed him a “diamond spoon” – a title reserved only for chaebol families (those that run Korean conglomerates).Entrepreneurial drive clearly runs in Yook’s family. His father is a successful businessman and CEO of an IT…

8. Are all the Trumps fleeing to Florida? Donald Jr., Kimberly Guilfoyle and Tiffany have all been spotted property hunting, after Ivanka and Jared Kushner’s ‘Billionaire Bunker’ buy

   Florida, which is emerging as a growing tech and finance hub that could one day rival Wall Street, has been attracting scores of new residents amid the pandemic thanks to its sunnier vistas and lower taxes.The entire Trump family could make the already long list of people abandoning big cities for the Sunshine State even longer.Ivanka Trump’s severed ties – from Anna Wintour to Chelsea ClintonDonald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle, are house hunting in Jupiter, Florida. His ex…

9. Melania Trump’s legacy: what did Donald Trump’s wife achieve as US first lady and how will her Be Best campaign be remembered?

   Every first lady in modern times has made it their priority to carve out a niche for themselves; Michelle Obama chose to get young people moving as part of her push for healthy lifestyles, while Jackie O pushed the “just say no” to drugs campaign. Both sought not only to change the mindset of Americans, but to get policies implemented to create the conditions for real change. For Melania Trump, it was her Be Best initiative – which focused on opioid abuse, well-being and the online safety of…

10. The real Uncle Roger: who is Malaysian comedian Nigel Ng, behind the YouTube sensation forever remembered for mocking the BBC’s approach to fried rice?

    Uncle Roger has made millions chuckle across the world with his overwrought, OTT and often hilarious reactions to cooking clips – a larger-than-life caricature, played for laughs perhaps, but based on a grumpily plain-spoken character many of us might have met in real life, likely in our own families.So who’s the comedian behind the browbeating traditionalist? You might have heard than Uncle Roger’s creator, Nigel Ng, caused a stir recently after deleting a video from Chinese social media…