Siems Luckwaldt

Soft Power Asia

Society EN ↓ 3 episodes

Icons, Idols, Influence – Decoding Asia's Culture Economy Three words that explain why a Korean boy band moves stock markets. Why a 22-year-old idol is worth more to Dior than a Hollywood A-lister. Why Thailand's entertainment exports are building global fandoms faster than Hollywood can greenlight a sequel. Asia's cultural industries aren't emerging anymore — they're dominant. And most Western business coverage still treats them as a trend piece. Soft Power Asia is different. I'm Siems Luckwaldt , a German journalist who's spent over two decades covering luxury, lifestyle, and the business of...

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Siems Luckwaldt

Episodes

The 227-Million-Dollar Seat: How Fandom Replaced Fame in Luxury 04.04.2026 38:28

At Paris Fashion Week last October, eight of the top ten fashion influencers were Korean or Thai. The first Western celebrity appeared at number six. A twenty-three-year-old Thai actress with 2.4 million Instagram followers generated more than double the media value of Kylie Jenner — who has nearly 400 million. Meanwhile, BTS's V produced $274 million in value for Celine through Instagram posts al...

The Billion-Dollar Comeback: Inside the Economics of BTS's Return 15.03.2026 29:50

A concert announcement triggers a 5,000% hotel-search spike — before tickets are even on sale. A president sends a diplomatic letter requesting more shows. Another president intervenes to stop price gouging. Parliament passes new legislation. Netflix books a 630-year-old royal palace for a global livestream. And one investment bank projects a 550% profit surge — for the label, not the tour. All be...

Trailer: Asia's Culture Economy, Decoded 09.03.2026 8:21

Asia’s cultural industries aren’t emerging anymore — they’re dominant: The boy group BTS triggers a $3.8 billion economic ripple. A Korean eyewear brand builds art installations instead of stores — and Google bets $100 million on it. A Thai TV genre about queer romance turns into a billion-baht export industry. Korea overtakes France as the top cosmetics exporter to the US. More than half of Netfl...