This blog offers selected features of alternative Asian TV segments, news stories, editorials, photos and more from Japan, Korea, India, China and many other Asian countries. This blog also includes some WTF Japanese, North Korean online videos, entertainment news, beautiful Chinese and Japanese models, and much more.
Via CNN May 13, 2013
In a long overdue change of format, CNN recently released a short documentary on homeless children in the DPRK entitled "Orphaned and Homeless in North Korea". This very short but powerful docudrama features two students who were abandoned by their parents many years ago in "The Hermit Kingdom". The first is Yoon Hee a 19-year-old escapee who found a foster home in South Korea. The other is an anonymous young man who feels fortunate to receive the South Korean government's support and education. Both are students at the Hangyeore School a special school for children and teenagers from North Korea.
Principal Gwok Jong Moon summarized the situation for many young escapees: "Although freedom was given to them in South Korea, severe [academic] competition, delayed development, educational disparity and discrimination makes it extremely difficult for them to adjust properly. So we provide those students education through special programs, emotional and psychological treatments, and social and cultural adaptation skills."
This documentary is only four and a half minutes in duration, but it is one of the first, or possibly the first feature released by CNN on this very important subject. Hopefully, there will be more like this released by more mass media entities in the near future. "Orphaned and Homeless in North Korea" was produced by Nick Scott and narrated by Jonathan Binder. It was translated by Jin Kang, Sindy Kang, Sarah Kim, Annie Sunin Lee and InHee Yoo.
See also:
Shocking Undercover North Korean News VideoPremiere of "Camp 14 - Total Control Zone"Canadian DPRK Documentary "The Defector"
Via Gawker May 22, 2013
In a funny scene that could have been an outtake from Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me If You Can" film, a clever "Psy"-Borg pretender was recently spotted at the Cannes Film Festival. Somehow this unidentified man fooled everyone at the world's largest movie grand prix into believing that he was the world famous Psy (a.k.a. Park Jae-sang) the singer/songwriter from South Korea. The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the look alike imposter had been spotted at parties and with celebrities who all wanted to take pictures with the web's 'horse-dance guy' all over the seaside resort town.
"Me and [Psy] at the @Chopard party in #Cannes!!" tweeted a starstruck Naomie Harris (28 Days Later, Pirates of the Caribbean, Skyfall).
Via Asahi Shinbun May 19, 2013
Of the 20 films vying for this year's coveted Palme d'Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival, two of them are popular Japanese full-length features. One is about a very difficult family situation and the other is an exciting cop thriller by Takashi Miike.
In Shield of Straw / "Wara no Tate" 藁の楯 leading man Tatsuya Fujiwara plays a cold-blooded killer named Kiyomaru Kunihide who murders the granddaughter of a very powerful political figure (Tsutomu Yamazaki). A few weeks after the murder, Kiyomaru realizes that the politician has offered one billion yen (approximately $9.7 million dollars) to anyone who kills him.
Fearing for his life, he turns himself into the Fukuoka Police and then is to be transferred to Tokyo by five elite security police. But along the way they keep running into groups of citizens and other police who want to get the reward and get revenge! Also one of the security police starts to question the morality of protecting such a vile criminal. Below is the Japanese trailer, but you don't need to understand Japanese to enjoy this exciting preview:
A light favorite for this year's top prize, "Soshite Chichi Ni Naru (Like Father, Like Son)" stars Masaharu Fukuyama as the hard-working husband Ryota and his faithful wife Midori played by Machiko Ono.
Their idyllic family life is suddenly turned upside down when the hospital where their son was born admits that Keita was switched at birth and is not their biological son. The couple is then faced with a difficult "nature vs nurture" decision in either swapping the boy they have raised and loved for six years for their real biological son or keep him. Ryota and Midori then meet the couple, played by Yoko Maki and Lily Franky, who have raised their real son and the film unfolds into humor and humanity. A powerful soft family drama competing against many violent films including the above, "Soshite Chichi Ni Naru (Like Father, Like Son)" is director Kore-eda Hirokazu's fourth film to compete at Cannes.
"I wanted to create this total upheaval in the morality of the main character," Kore-eda told journalists. "I wanted to create a real shock in his mind."
Apparently Japan's JLeague soccer association is getting somewhat desperate for more herbivorous men to actually "go outside" and at least pretend to become beer guzzling, teriyaki eating carnivorous soccer fans again. Why else would they have Konami produce three (3) videos of some cute Japanese girls engaged in "soccer ball juggling"??? Oh and some genius decided to add a miniature GoPro video camerainside the soccer ball in order to produce some cute and enticing close ups of the soccer girls' body parts (see above ninja shot).
Also Konami is running a Football All Stars 2013 Campaign that, among other things, will be giving away single tickets that will be good for 101 seats at some JLeague games!
Yes that's right! Now all these grass eating men will be able to bring 100 of their best friends to a JLeague soccer game.
Rrriiiiiiiggghht.....
Obviously, someone forgot to mention that most modern-day Japanese herbivores actually don't have any friends.
See also:
Japan's Horse Racing Dating GameJapan's Forever Alone Virtual Girlfriend DatingJapan's Play-With-Yourself Toilet Game
Photo courtesy of Udo Artists News.
Last night Germany's legendary electronic music group Kraftwerk performed their sixth of eight shows at Tokyo's Akasaka Blitz. Their setlist included their eighth studio album "Computer World" which was first released in May 1981. Many believe this to be Kraftwerk's peak period. Kraftwerk is one of the first groups to popularize electronic music and are considered pioneers in the field. Below is a video from last night's performance of their 1974 worldwide hit "Autobahn":
Video courtesy of Peter Jacobs.
Related:
Kraftwerk Live in Tokyo @ NO NUKES
May 8, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOur new Asian Music TV Online AMTVO video cast is now playing on TiVo, the home of the TiVo Digital Video Recorder.
This union of high quality video production accompanied by worldwide state of the art broadcast technology will work together in an effort to bridge the gap between internet and television broadcasts. The TiVo service is available in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada (except Québec), Mexico, Australia, Spain and Taiwan at present. TiVo Series1 and Series2 DVRs have also been modified by end users to work in Australia, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and South Africa. The Series4 TiVo Premiere was released to the public on March 28, 2010.
First launched in December of 2001, RobPongi.com began as a local Japanese videos website which gained a great amount of popularity in a very short time. Through the years many videos from it have been featured on several television networks throughout the world including G4 TV in the US, ITV in the United Kingdom and The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Indeed, since the initial launch, RobPongi.com has grown to become a well-known Asian TV Videos online portal with many new plans for further expansion in the near future.
UPDATE: Asian Music TV Online AMTVO is now also playing on iTunes.
UPDATE: AMTVO is now playing on Channels.com - The Best Shows On The Web.
See also:
2013 Top Video Sharing Sites List
Here are two new Hardware Girls photos published very recently. The first is the electrifying Yun*Chi glowing in hot pink neon light. The next is a beautiful photo of Shikako all caught up in colorful cables. Lingerie by Neon Opera Tokyo. The first photo was taken in the Team Lab and the second one was taken in the CSSL in Osaka, Japan. Both photographs were done by Japanese photographer Julie Watai.
See also:
Fairy Tale Antenna x Julie WataiYun*Chi Releases Shake You Mini Album
Via China Uncensored May 3, 2013
Most likely you have heard at least some of Kim Jong Un's recent political sabre rattling and his plans to destroy the US, South Korea and Japan blah blah blah ad nauseum. However, very recently it has become more and more quiet up North as with each day that passes, no "enemy states" of "The Dear Leader" have yet to spontaneously burst into flames or just surrender. Oh wait a minute! Actually France did surrender to North Korea last month. So that makes the score North Korea 1 vs. The Rest of The World 0. So it appears as though North Korea is "winning". OK, fine.
Now back to the main theme here. Which is, most likely, you've heard of the legendary movie "The Godfather". Well, there is a very dark, shadowy figure who is, among other thugs things, Kim Jong Un's "Chinese Godfather". And today is our lucky day as we all get to meet the man with a sinister plan, the man who enjoys throwing political dissidents into Masanjia Labor Death Camp and other illegal prisons. The man who was the former head of the CCP's Super Secret Police who once commanded an annual budget that was larger than China's military! The man who once controlled the entire nations' oil industry! The man - as Chris Chappell so hilariously describes him - as a "people person. That is, he is a person who spends a lot of his time torturing - people." And, finally, the man who has enough political and economic power to start a nuclear World War Three (or at least another Korean war), ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the one, the only Zhou Yongkang:
Oh No! THAT GUY! O_O
See also:
North Korea's Ex-Super Spy Kim Hyon HuiDPRK's Moranbong Band Destroys The World
In the past we have seen The Vice Guide to Travel go to North Korea where founder Shane Smith sang "Anarchy in the DPRK" in a hilarious parody of the Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the UK".
Then, on a more serious note, Vice Media Japan traveled to Fukushima to meet two farmers. One is still living and working his farm inside the evacuation zone in Tomioka. The other farmer lives just outside the zone in temporary housing. While there they made a chilling documentary "Alone in the Zone."
Now Vice Extended pulled out all of the stops and recently visited the "Doll Sweet Factory" in Dalian, China. And Vice Correspondent Thomas Morton basically said it all with this gem:
"Here in Dalian though it's a factory town so they've created the ultimate girl. She's, uuhh, made of silicone. And, uuhh, you fuck her."
Check out this short and NSFW documentary:
See also:
New Japanese Bukkake Doll Aya AyaChina Sex Toy Factory NSFW PhotosJapanese Virtual Web Sex Technology
Via The Sun April 30, 2013
Born and raised in hell on earth - Camp 14 Total Control Zone - escapee Shin Dong-hyuk has just released a new dance pop tune entitled "Vanish The Night". Working with England's well-known pop unit Ooberfuse, they wrote a song together that protests against Kim Jong Il. With this new release they hope to illuminate the North Korean government's infamous human rights violations and tell the world more about the murder and abuse that Shin witnessed first hand prior to his escape in 2005.
He said: “Our song is a message of hope for the ordinary people of North Korea whose suffering often goes unnoticed and whose cries are largely unheard.
“Don’t forget us.”
Well it is not quite as engaging as Psy's mega monster-sized worldwide hit Gangnam Style. But it is close and a damn good song with a great beat that you can dance to:
NOTE: This music video includes some grim footage. Viewer discretion is advised:
"Videos are Very effective and Important in Online promotion of any site. A one video matter more than thousand other submissions and posting. A visual effect attracts more peoples to your site than any other textual matters. Here are some of important sites where you can post your best videos and even attach it to your site. you can post a variety of video's in below list. Here is (the) latest Video Submissions Sites for 2013."
Actually, this list has been circulating the interwebs for at least two years now. Here is the same list from 2011. Well, obviously, we are in the club! And anyone can make a video submission by inquiring at Google+. If your submission is approved we will publish it here or, if it is exceptionally good, we will publish it on Robpongi.com!
See also:
Japanese Virtual Web Sex TechnologyJapan's Forever Alone Virtual Girlfriend Dating
A couple days ago, KreativMagazin a Hungarian Kreatív marketing and communication magazine, released a very entertaining new Japanese TV commercial entitled "Japanese Advertising's Best Kept Secrets". At first, it appears to be what it is titled as, but then we find out...
Well known for years by it's many funny and brilliant TV commercials, Gin No Sara is a nationwide sushi delivery company that has 365 stores all over Japan. The above is actually a compilation of several new TV commercials for this company. You can see all the short ones only in Japanese at Gin No Sara CM. For more info please visit their official Japanese website.
See also:
WTF Japanese Milk Commercial #2
Tommy Lee Jones Acts Like a Boss for Suntory
This union of high quality video production accompanied by worldwide state of the art broadcast technology will work together in an effort to bridge the gap between internet and television broadcasts. The TiVo service is available in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada (except Québec), Mexico, Australia, Spain and Taiwan at present. TiVo Series1 and Series2 DVRs have also been modified by end users to work in Australia, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and South Africa. The Series4 TiVo Premiere was released to the public on March 28, 2010.
First launched in December of 2001, 
