: Traditional Hollywood critics lost ground to digital commentators who understood the cultural contexts of the media they reviewed.

The year 2021 was a watershed moment for Asian entertainment. While the world remained partially locked down, the engines of K-pop, J-dramas, C-entertainment, and Thai media roared louder than ever. But amidst the billion-dollar machine of Netflix K-dramas (like Squid Game ) and BTS’s chart dominance, a quieter, more intimate trend emerged: .

TikTok and YouTube served as crucial promotional tools, with K-pop challenges and drama highlights driving virality.

: Favorability for Asian (specifically Korean) content reached an all-time high in 2021. This global sensation paved the way for other regional dramas to find international audiences on platforms like Netflix.

One of the streamed shows that gathered millions of viewers in 2020 South East Asia, also gaining overwhelming popularity in Japan... Crash Landing on You