From hotpot horror to a hologram bride, these offbeat Asia stories were well-read in 2018
- Some ended in tragedy while others seemed more like the stuff of fiction
HOT MESS
Hotpot is a huge part of Asian dining culture that’s best enjoyed with friends and family. But the experience of gathering around a steaming vessel of flavourful broth to cook your own vegetables, seafood or meat isn’t always a pleasant one – as a pregnant woman in eastern China’s Shandong province discovered when she found a dead rat in her family’s meal.
A hotpot gathering took a tragic turn in Japan, when a corporate executive dunked an employee’s face into a hotpot, scalding him badly. It sparked outrage over workplace harassment and the employee filed a compensation lawsuit, seeking damages and demanding an apology from the president of the company.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
American missionary John Chau, 27, was killed in an abortive attempt to convert a tribe of remote hunter-gatherers on India’s North Sentinel Island. Chau’s death sparked debate among evangelical Christians on what lengths missionaries should go to in order to spread their faith. Chau’s supporters believed in his mission but other religious scholars have questioned the approach he took.
This is not the first time that the Stone Age tribe has killed intruders – the Sentinelese reject contact with the outside world and are known for attacking anyone who comes near their island.
Seven people who helped Chau illegally reach the Sentinelese have been arrested by Indian authorities. Fishermen say the tribals fired arrows at Chau and then tied a rope around his neck to drag his body across the beach.
MAKING A STINK
Durian, known by some as the “king of fruits”, is infamous for its distinctive smell and taste. This year, an oversupply of the delicacy – caused by a combination of unusually hot weather and heavy rainfall – pushed down prices.
While this was good news for durian enthusiasts, detractors were less impressed – comparing the fruit’s pungent odour to gym socks and open sewers.
In Australia, a university library was evacuated after students and teachers got a whiff of rotten durian and reported a suspected gas leak.
And an Indonesian flight was delayed when passengers refused to fly because of the overpowering smell of durian in the cabin.
HERE COMES THE BRIDE?
A civil servant in Japan “wed” his holographic sweetheart this year at a US$18,000 ceremony that was attended by 39 friends and relatives – though not his parents. He was among 3,700 people who had registered with a Japanese tech developer to marry their favourite virtual characters, despite the nuptials having no legal standing.
DIRTY DANCING
A video of two skimpily dressed women dancing in front of a Muslim holy site incensed residents and local Muslim groups in the Malaysian city of Kota Kinabalu. The mosque, which is popular among tourists – both local and foreign – temporarily banned visitors for disrespecting local culture.
