The Cultural Algorithm

Japan, famously known as the "Land of Rising Sun" is located at edge of the Asian continent. From China's perspective, it creates the illusion that the sun rises from Japan. Its citizens call their country "Nippon" or "Nihon," which literally translated means "source of the sun." Contemporary culture is a combination of influences from Asia, Europe and North America. Although for most of the population, Japanese is their first language, it's mandatory to study Japanese as well as English in school. The country is famous for its code of etiquette, rich culture, cuisine, cherry blossoms and its anime and movies.

Russian writer Yevgeny Zamyatin published “We” in 1921. The story follows the totalitarian society, One State, its architecture is made-up almost entirely of glass. The citizens are under mass surveillance and society functions strictly by logic and reasoning which justify the common law . The book is as contentious now as it was when it was released. The fallout after the novel circulated forced Zamyatin to move to Paris as his career in Russia was declared dead. He was blacklisted in his homeland. Though he eventually died penniless and in poverty, “We” is considered one of the greatest Dystopian masterpieces. So, what is it about Dystopia that makes people-particularly those in power-so uncomfortable? In many ways, Dystopian stories are political satires that explore possibilities of what can go wrong in that environment. In 2019, Netflix India released “Leila,” based on the book of the same name by Indian journalist and novelist, Prayaag Akbar. The story follows a woman named Shalini in her quest to find her daughter, Leila, kidnapped by a totalitarian regime. The regime known as Aryavarta is controlled by supreme leader, Doctor Joshi, who rules with an iron fist. People are segregated based on their religion and forbidden to mate beyond the confines of it. Those who do not obey the law are punished and children of those unions are forcefully taken away. The series contains considerable imagery and symbolism derived from Hinduism. So, it was not unexpected when far-right Indian organizations started striking out at the series, calling it ‘Anti-Hindu’ and accusing it of spreading #Hinduphobia, which went on to become a Twitter trend. “Leila” dares to ask uncomfortable questions. Netflix India’s horror offering, “Ghoul” released in 2018, follows characters in a not too distant future overtaken by sectarianism. In this story, words like ‘anti-national’ are used openly to label anyone daring to challenge the State’s authority. While the central plot focuses on the dark mysteries of one detention facility inmate, the sharp political jabs asserted throughout hit their mark. The world of “Ghoul” is one where intellectuals are routinely rounded-up, heckled and profiled. A time where literature is contraband and book burning the norm; a grim projection of what can be. The need for Dystopian content is now. When Yevgeny Zamyatin wrote “We,” sealing his own fate, he bravely set out to question Stalin and his policies. When objections are raised about a fictious regime in “Leila,” citizens ought to question why .

Singapore is the world's fourth strongest financial market with the highest concentration of millionaire households. Evolving greatly from its humble beginnings, the tiny island nation is one of Asia's richest and most robust countries. Singapore has the second highest per capita gross domestic product. A highly economically developed country, it hosts a rich cultural heritage. Tracing its roots back to the third century, Singapore has witnessed civilizations, wars, foreign occupation and liberation before finally emerging as a powerhouse.

STX Entertainment is merging with Eros International, India’s largest film studio, after a “trying year,” according to Variety , and will henceforth be known as the Eros STX Global Corporation. In 2019 viewers saw some midbudget films from STX, including “Hustlers” and “Ugly Dolls.” The merger with Eros International will bring both studios into a higher financial bracket, currently slated around $300 million for future revenue. What This Means Merger specifics include a “stock-for-stock” and publicly traded, independent content. Eros STX Global is currently set to remain on the New York Stock Exchange, according to Yahoo Finance and will maintain offices in Mumbai and Burbank. The newly consolidated company will also have a new distribution presence in the United States, India and China. As new content is created, existing partnerships with NBCUniversal, Google, Apple, YouTube, Amazon and Microsoft will expand. Eros STX Global Corporation 2020 slate consists of 40 feature films and over 100 hours of original episodic content. Company Expansion New team members are excited. Robert Simonds, the new Co-Chairman and chief executive officer, spoke with Variety about the now vast resources the companies have brought to the table. “Together we will have the relationships, management expertise and resources to create new content and grow rapidly in the largest and most attractive global markets,” said Simonds. “On Day One, we will have the ability to tap into our significant combined libraries and draw upon our deep relationships with A-list actors, directors and producers across the globe to create even more compelling content for millions of consumers.” As a combined entity, the company is excited about creating new opportunities in China. Although STX has had limited success in China, Eros aims to bridge that gap. Eros has a good track record in distributing successful Indian films in China. Eros India CEO Pradeep Dwivedi explains that “Asian sensibilities of movies are very different from American sensibilities. There is a certain understanding of the cultural ethos of China that we believe we can work with much better compared to STX.” Content Expansion Taking a cue from the ongoing success of super-hero films, the company is also keen on building franchises based on stories from Indian mythology , eliminating the socio-religious aspects and adapting them for universal appeal much like the DC and Marvel models. While STX’s recent film releases have garnered some attention, this union with Eros will serve to strengthen their viewership. Eros Now, a popular streaming platform, brings in roughly 188 million registered users around the globe. This association will increase that market share. The existing Eros Now platform deals with Indian content, it plans to soon launch a standalone English-language subscription based offering. In March, Eros announced that it had signed NBCUniversal to join this tier. STX content will follow. Eros also has a new technology deal with Microsoft. As part of the tie-up, Microsoft will build an online video platform for Eros using Azure technology, which will offer interactive voice search features in multiple Indian regional languages. It will also create an AI-powered platform that will enable high-speed subtitling and translations of Hollywood content. This will be available to customers in price-sensitive mass markets like middle India, Africa, Latin America and migrant workers in the Middle East. Eros STX Global Corporation plans to complete the merger by the end of second quarter, 2020.

Censorship in media has long been a sensitive matter in India. This is especially true for political topics. Recently, India witnessed countrywide unrest triggered by passing a controversial citizenship law aiming to grant citizenship based on religion. The Citizenship Amendment Act or CAA has people in India divided over its constitutionality and apparent violation of the country's secular foundation.

Located around 500 miles off Asia's southeast coast, the beautiful archipelago country of the Philippines includes over 7,000 islands. It is Asia's largest Christian majority nation with a population of 93 million. Filipino society is shaped by nearby Japan and China as well as India, the Middle East and Borneo. It is also interesting to note major Hispanic influences in the country's culture and ethnicity owing to its former colonial occupation.

OTT platforms are steadily expanding their international presence. Content providers want to be relevant in local markets by connecting with audiences through content that is culturally relatable. Platforms want to engage consumers to not only passively watch the content but also to share, comment and debate. However, it seems in their quest to provide cutting edge entertainment to customers, OTT platforms in India are ruffling some feathers on the wrong side of the political spectrum.

The land of K-pop, Korean Cinema and kimchi. South Korea is one of the most culturally exquisite countries in the world. During the past decade, the world has witnessed the phenomenal rise of the Korean Wave, dubbed as "Hallyu." Global awareness and popularity of South Korean culture, entertainment and most significantly music is rapidly growing. Additionally, K-beauty has become a household topic of discussion as well. So, let's discuss what makes the South Korean Wave such a success.

On a recent trip to Hanoi, Vietnam, I booked a walking tour to explore the city. My guide was a young university student named Linh who came to Hanoi from a neighboring province a year earlier. As our group walked, Linh excitedly started talking about a TV series "8-Year-Old Bride" that was hugely popular in Vietnam. She further explained that the series was not produced locally, but rather in India. Curious, I decided to find out more about it.