Middle Earth - China’s cultural industry podcast
128 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago -Your source of insight into China's culture industry: Hear from people creating and producing content in the world's second biggest cultural market. Hosted by Aladin Farré, and presented by The World of Chinese magazine.
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Episodes
#98 How has China's pro-wrestling scene changed (with Following the yuan)
April 22, 2024 10:00 - 29 minutes - 20.2 MBBefore Covid, WWE and UFC were key to push the envelope of MMA in China, now, independent promotion companies like Middle Kingdom Wrestling are left to pick up the momentum. Featuring - Adrian Gomez: Middle Kingdom Wrestling - Founder To go further - Middle Earth episode #65 China’s winter sports market : How to get 300 million snow enthusiasts? - Middle Earth episode #51 Pop Mart : How to Make an Addictive Toy (featuring Yang Yaling) With thanks to Yang Yaling of Following the yuan for...
#97 China’s (high-end) fashion industry
March 08, 2024 02:00 - 37 minutes - 26 MBWith a forecast revenue of 370 billion USD in 2024 market size, roughly three times the size of the US market and Europe, China's apparel market is home to up and coming fashion brands as well as big brands buying up international competitors. What can insiders share from that industry? Featuring - Li Boyan: Fashion Photographer - Lucrezia Seu: Plush Consulting - Founder - CK Zhang : 张本赛含之 SAIANZI - Founder To go further - Middle Earth episode #93 Invisible Summit: One Blind Person’s Jou...
#96 How Chinese micro-series are trying to reach international audiences
February 08, 2024 02:00 - 47 minutes - 33 MBPotentially succeeding where Quibi failed, several Chinese apps (DramaBox, Reelshort) alongside others (Pocket FM, Good Novel) are pushing for 1-minute episodes of micro-series. Often depicted as being of trashy quality, they do seem to attract some eyeballs. Yet, what are the creative conditions to produce such Fifty Shades-esque stories, and is the market where we think it is? Featuring - Jack Li: Scriptwriter - Anaïs Clément : Actress and Theatre Maker - Yang Tingting: TWOC - Journalist...
#95 Chinese Web Novels: The Hidden Golden Goose? (Publishing industry - part 2)
January 08, 2024 02:00 - 37 minutes - 25.9 MBStarted as a grassroots movement in the early Chinese internet, web novels slowly became a powerhouse of China’s cultural industry by producing powerful IPs. How did this industry came to be? Featuring - Tage : Author - Wei Xiaoma : IP Licensing Manager - Yang Zeyi : Technology Reporter To go further - Middle Earth episode #92 How writers, bookstore owners, and printers survive in China’s publishing industry - Middle Earth episode #69 The Seducing Power of IPs - Middle Earth episode #90 ...
#94 Traditional Chinese Medicine – The Needling Truth
December 08, 2023 02:00 - 39 minutes - 26.8 MBWith a 800 billion yuan market size and 1/5 of the doctor’s workforce, TCM is a force to be reckoned with in China. How did the field keeps reinventing itself and why does Chinese youth gets more attracted by it? Featuring - Martin Eriksson : TCM doctor - ShaoYefan (邵叶凡) : TWOC - freelancer - Wu Yanmin : Ori-Bio - Co-founder To go further - Middle Earth episode #82 Understanding China’s national park & scenic areas - Bitter No More: How Young Chinese Became Obsessed With TCM, article by ...
#93 Invisible Summit: One Blind Person's Journey to 8,848 Meters
October 08, 2023 09:00 - 40 minutes - 27.6 MBNew documentary Invisible Summit 《看不见的顶峰》tells the epic story of how Zhang Hong became the first blind Asian person to climb the world’s tallest mountain. On this podcast, director Fan Lixin (LAST TRAIN HOME) discusses how he filmed Zhang’s extraordinary journey and what he learned during the making of the movie. Featuring - Fan Lixin (范立欣): Documentary Director - Liu Yuan (刘元): Producer To go further - Middle Earth episode #78 Revving Up China’s New Biker Culture - Middle Earth episode ...
#93 Up to 8000m, filming INVISIBLE SUMMIT (看不见的顶峰)
October 08, 2023 09:00 - 39 minutes - 27.4 MBSoon hitting Chinese cinemas, INVISIBLE SUMMIT (看不见的顶峰) tells the story of Zhang Hong, a blind masseur that fought against destiny and climbed Mt. Everest. Tune in to listen how director Fan Lixin (LAST TRAIN HOME) managed to film until the end this story bigger than life. Featuring - Fan Lixin (范立欣): Documentary Director - Liu Yuan (刘元) : Producer To go further - Middle Earth episode #78 Revving Up China’s New Biker Culture - Middle Earth episode #72 Film Distribution: How to Succee...
#92 China's publishing industry
September 22, 2023 02:00 - 44 minutes - 30.9 MBBy reading 4,7 books per year, Chinese made their books market second the US. But if the sheer size of the industry could make anyone envious, is it easy to get a piece of the pie? Featuring - Chen Qiufan (陈楸帆): Writer & Futurist - Liu Jue: TWOC – Managing editor - Su Wan (苏皖): Maziren Bookstore (码字人书店) - Owner To go further - "The Dark Room Problem" short story written by Chen Qiufan (陈楸帆) and published by The World of Chinese Magazine - Middle Earth episode #25 How to publish a book ...
#92 How writers, bookstore owners, and printers survive in China’s publishing industry (Publishing industry - part 1)
September 22, 2023 02:00 - 43 minutes - 30.2 MBChina’s book market is the second largest in the world, with people reading around 6 billion books a year. But how easy is it for small publishers, bookstores, and writers to get a piece of this pie? And how are digital alternatives to physical books impacting writers and small businesses and writers? Featuring - Chen Qiufan (陈楸帆): Writer & Futurist - Liu Jue: TWOC – Managing editor - Li Suwan (李苏皖): Maziren Bookstore (码字人书店) - Owner To go further - Middle Earth episode #95 Chinese Web No...
#92 How writers, bookstore owners, and printers survive in China’s publishing industry (part 1)
September 22, 2023 02:00 - 44 minutes - 30.9 MBChina’s book market is the second largest in the world, with people reading around 6 billion books a year. But how easy is it for small publishers, bookstores, and writers to get a piece of this pie? And how are digital alternatives to physical books impacting writers and small businesses and writers? Featuring - Chen Qiufan (陈楸帆): Writer & Futurist - Liu Jue: TWOC – Managing editor - Su Wan (苏皖): Maziren Bookstore (码字人书店) - Owner To go further - "The Dark Room Problem" short story writte...
A new show!【票房指南09】《封神第一部》中国电影终于打造出自己的指环王了吗？
September 08, 2023 02:00 - 36 minutes - 24.9 MBNot sure if you could stand my broken Chinese, but I started a new show regarding China's latest box office called 票房指南 as a part of an ongoing effort to become a true 网红... The Middle Earth Podcast will return next week. Links Subscribe to 票房指南 on podcast app 小宇宙 : Link Subscribe to 票房指南 on social media Bilibili : Link 原本担心这会是一部古装特效烂片，看过后却成为今年暑期的一大惊喜。 但是，《封神第一部》还有哪些地方可以改进？号称30亿预算的封神三部曲能实现盈利吗？ 涉及到的电影： 《阿修罗》2018年 《指环王》2001-2003年 《蜘蛛巢城》1957年 《七武士》1954年
#91 How to Publish a Magazine for 100 Issues
August 22, 2023 02:00 - 43 minutes - 29.9 MBIt's not every day that a magazine publishes its 100th issue—but Middle Earth's distributor, The World of Chinese, has reached this important milestone after 17 years of publication. We want to look at how an English-language magazine based in Beijing sustains itself and evolves into a multimedia platform (including podcasts) for human-centered stories from China. Featuring - Hatty Liu: TWOC - Former managing editor 2019-2023 - Liu Jue: TWOC - co-managing editor - Doug Hughes: Internationa...
#90 Women in China’s Cultural Industries
August 08, 2023 02:00 - 53 minutes - 37 MBWomen perform up to 50 percent of the jobs in China's cultural industries, but are they getting equal opportunities and compensation as men? In this episode, guests from the world of film, TV, visual arts, and journalism discuss the barriers female leaders and employees still face in their industries, and the benefits of more gender diversity in the workplace. Featuring - Li Muyuan : Gushi FM - Producer - Hatty Liu : Journalist & Former TWOC Managing Editor - Luka Yang : Visual Artist & ...
#89 Georges Berne: 4 decades of lighting design accross the world (Winland Art Podcast)
July 22, 2023 15:00 - 40 minutes - 27.8 MBToday I plug in a new show that I'm working on where we interviewed Georges Berne, a true master in the art of lighting design who worked on the Mona Lisa. Today, he reflects on his long career and shares his thoughts on his work. Winland Art Podcast Architecture is solidified art, and art is the soul of architecture. Created by the Carte Blanche art team from in Beijing, Winland Art Podcast show focuses on the global art stage. In our show we discuss the challenges faced by those working i...
#88 Is Anyone Tipping China's Content Creators?
July 08, 2023 02:00 - 45 minutes - 31.4 MBA billion internet users means a lot of followers for some content creators in China. But with ad revenue dropping China’s economy is slowing down, are tips and patrons a viable alternative for creators? Featuring - Lulu | 璐璐 : LHH Speak Easy ( 璐璐的英文小酒馆 ) - Founder - Luigi Liu : BtoZ-Movie - Founder To go further - "Career Fans" article by The World of Chinese Magazine - Middle Earth episode #87 How local government & foundations sponsor culture in China - Middle Earth episode #50 Xia...
#87 How local government & foundations sponsor culture in China
June 08, 2023 02:00 - 40 minutes - 27.8 MBCulture is expensive, and China makes no exception to that. Without the support of public and private entities, many artists could not create anything or be overly commercial. After getting through the regulations hurdle, what kind of art are supported by the big companies and local governments? Featuring - Yilin Chen : Winland Group - Art Project Director - Elie Rosenberg : Impromptu - Co-Founder - He Xin : former real estate consultant To go further - "Dream Factory" article by The Wo...
#87 How local government & fundations sponsor culture in China
June 08, 2023 02:00 - 41 minutes - 28.5 MBCulture is expensive, and China makes no exception to that. Without the support of public and private entities, many artists could not create anything or be overly commercial. After getting through the regulations hurdle, what kind of art are supported by the big companies and local governments? Featuring - Yilin Chen : Winland Group - Art Project Director - Elie Rosenberg : Impromptu - Co-Founder - He Xin : former real estate consultant To go further - "Dream Factory" article by The Wo...
#86 Surviving the cutthroat world of e-commerce in China, with Dr Lin Zhang author of "The Labor of Reinvention"
May 08, 2023 02:00 - 40 minutes - 27.7 MBFor a decade or more, rural Chinese have been setting up online stores in their homes, hoping to make a living through e-commerce rather than factory work or farming. But any easy money there was in online selling is beginning to dry up. Village neighbors have been pitted against each other in competition for customers, unscrupulous merchants copy products and images from competitors with impunity, while rural residents also struggle to keep up with evolving trends like livestreaming. For ov...
#85 How “patriotic influencers” gain millions of fans in China
April 22, 2023 02:00 - 42 minutes - 28.9 MBAs China becomes more assertive on the global stage with its diplomacy and state media, “patriotic KOLs” have appeared on domestic Chinese social media platforms, influencing the political opinions of their millions of fans. But how do KOLs craft their message to be successful, and who’s paying their bills? Featuring - Fang Kecheng : The Chinese University of Hong Kong - Assistant Professor - Miro Li : Double V. Consulting - Founder To go further - Middle Earth episode #50 Xiaohongshu : M...
#84 Are NFTs welcome in China? (Part 3 - Chinese art collectors)
April 08, 2023 04:00 - 39 minutes - 27.2 MBNFTS are legal to be bought in China, but reselling them is an all other matters. Yet a local scene of buyers and artists keeps growing, while some lost a great amount of money as they were hoping for a quick return on investment. How does the scene keep growing while local regulations are put into place? Featuring - Ellwood Chen : Digital Artist & Pills Labs Founder - Rory Mencin : Curator & Art Critic - Reva : Crypto artist To go further with Chinese art collectors - Middle Earth epi...
#83 How is Chinese culture going on the global stage?
March 08, 2023 10:00 - 41 minutes - 28.3 MBWhile China struggles to export its cultural abroad, neighbors like Korea and Japan seem immune to this problem. Apart from local regulations in art, what are the issues creators from China face when trying to take their cultural products abroad, and what are some products that actually became hits? Featuring - Li Jianbin: Beijing Inmost Media - Senior BD Director - Alex Taggart: Outdustry - Head of International - Vivian Ying: Film International Sales To go further - Middle Earth episo...
#82 Understanding China’s national park & scenic areas
February 08, 2023 02:00 - 39 minutes - 27 MBIn 2021, there were 2 billion visits to China’s outdoor tourism sites, such as nature reserves and natural scenic areas. How is this part of the tourism industry coping with a growing demand for outdoor experiences, and did that influence the creation of the country’s national park system? Featuring - Justin Culkin : A Trails - Business Development Director - Rose Niu 牛红卫 : Paulson Institute - Chief Conservation Officer - Yefren Nye : TWOC contributor & innovative Green Development Progr...
#81 What’s next in China’s cultural industries : Top Stories from 2022 & Predictions for 2023
December 31, 2022 17:00 - 40 minutes - 27.5 MBAs the year 2023 starts, we review our top 3 stories from 2022 and make a few predictions for trends in China’s culture industries in 2023. Featuring - Aladin Farré : Founder of Middle Earth Podcast - Hatty Liu : Managing editor at TWOC - Jesse Appel, Sara Huang, Yang Yu, & Jingtong Zhu To go further - our podcast top 3 stories of the year #79 Exploring Wuxia #67 Creating Games for the West #64 Gambling in China : How Covid-19 helped the industry grow - Peter Chan's interview abou...
#80 Contemporary art in Greater China : the biggest market in the world
December 15, 2022 02:00 - 39 minutes - 26.9 MBGreater China is now the biggest art-market in the world, but thousands of galleries in the middle kingdom have closed up, while many artists are struggling to make a living. How are gallery curators, artists, and tech companies keeping up with this ultra-competitive art market? Featuring - Ashley Qin – YITIAO Art Director - Lin Zi – SANTO HALL Gallery curator - Sima Yuan – Artist To go further - The article Photo Shop: Art in the Age of the Influencer by TWOC - The article Zhao Xiaoli...
#80 Contemporary art in Greater China : the biggest market in the world (Part 2 - Chinese art collectors )
December 08, 2022 04:00 - 38 minutes - 26.3 MBGreater China is now the biggest art-market in the world, but thousands of galleries in the middle kingdom have closed up, while many artists are struggling to make a living. How are gallery curators, artists, and tech companies keeping up with this ultra-competitive art market? Featuring - Ashley Qin – YITIAO Art Director - Lin Zi – SANTO HALL Gallery curator - Sima Yuan – Artist To go further - The article Photo Shop: Art in the Age of the Influencer by TWOC - The article Zhao Xiaoli...
#79 Exploring Wuxia
November 24, 2022 22:00 - 39 minutes - 27.5 MBWuxia, martial arts stories about heroes and outlaws, used to be one of the most popular genres of literature in the Chinese-speaking world. After countless novels, films and video games, how are the people creating China’s “knight errant” stories modernizing the genre? Featuring - Gigi Chang: wuxia translator - Lai Jingping: Wuxiaworld founder and CEO - Felix Lou: former vice-managing director of Xiangshan Film Studio & Skywood Founder To go further - Wuxia novels published on TWOC:...
#79 Exploring Wuxia (think "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon")
November 22, 2022 02:00 - 39 minutes - 26.9 MBWuxia, martial arts stories about heroes and outlaws, used to be one of the most popular genres of literature in the Chinese-speaking world. After countless novels, films and video games, how are the people creating China’s “knight errant” stories modernizing the genre? Featuring - Gigi Chang: wuxia translator - Lai Jingping: Wuxiaworld founder and CEO - Felix Lou: former vice-managing director of Xiangshan Film Studio & Skywood Founder To go further - Wuxia novels published on TWOC:...
#78 Revving Up China’s New Biker Culture
November 08, 2022 02:00 - 39 minutes - 26.9 MBAfter being ostracized for years, motorbike culture is slowly building momentum among Chinese youths. Between 2016 and 2019, the number of bike sales doubled, and since the pandemic especially, a lot of entrepreneurs are jumping on new business opportunities provided by people craving the open road. Featuring Steven Tsui : BG Performance - CEO Zhang Shuren : Pansaki North Station - Founder Li Huaqi : Student & Entrepreneur Middle Earth is distributed by The World of Chinese (www.thewor...
#77 Big in China: Bringing Foreign Creators Onto Chinese Platforms
October 08, 2022 02:00 - 37 minutes - 26 MBWith over 1 billion internet users, China’s online video and music platforms are the place to be for every creator trying to grow their audience. What does it take for international talent to make it in this cutthroat market? Featuring Tinko Georgiev: Kanjian - VP of Int'l Business Raffi Kamalian: Collab Asia - Head of Greater China Middle Earth is distributed by The World of Chinese (www.theworldofchinese.com). Every two months, both in print and online, the team at TWOC takes a contem...
Public Annoucement : Aladin's October Asian tour
September 30, 2022 13:00 - 58 seconds - 725 KBDear listeners, just a quick announcement after more than two years in China, I’m going to take my chance to travel across Asia this October. So in case you are at the upcoming Busan Film Festival, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and want to meet-up, don’t hesitate to contact me! My Twitter (@Aladin_F) My LinkedIn (Aladin Farré) Have a nice day, Aladin
#76 Antiques: China first cultural industry (Part 1 - Chinese art collectors)
September 08, 2022 02:00 - 37 minutes - 26.1 MBThanks to its rich history, China’s has plenty of artifacts that are being sold and exposed in museums. And there is a market for it, a huge one, where some pieces can be sold for several thousand yuan. How did that market evolve, and what are the dark corners of this industry? Featuring Isaac Duffy : Collector Sun Jiahui : Freelance writer Zhang Bo : Architect & Collector Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural...
#76 Antiques: China first cultural industry
September 02, 2022 09:00 - 38 minutes - 26.8 MBThanks to its rich history, China’s has plenty of artifacts that are being sold and exposed in museums. And there is a market for it, a huge one, where some pieces can be sold for several thousand yuan. How did that market evolve, and what are the dark corners of this industry? Featuring Isaac Duffy : Collector Sun Jiahui : Freelance writer Zhang Bo : Architect & Collector Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural...
#75 Chinese Rap: From Underground to Mainstream
August 08, 2022 02:00 - 40 minutes - 27.6 MBAfter being underground for decades, the Chinese rap scene got a sudden boost in 2017 thanks to the reality show The Rap of China on the online streaming platform IQiyi. How has the scene evolved since then, and what lies ahead? Featuring Dojo Shaolin: Producer & Dj JFever : Hip pop artist Stanley Yang : Zhong TV – Founder Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project like shooting your next documentary or l...
#74 Chinese TV Series : How to make them better?
July 09, 2022 16:00 - 38 minutes - 26.8 MBC-Dramas have certainly changed over the years as the competitions grew fierce for eyeballs. Why did such changes happen, and what's the future for Chinese TV series industry? Featuring Sara Huang : Scriptwriter Jia Liu : TV Producer Middle Earth is distributed by The World of Chinese (www.theworldofchinese.com). Every two months, both in print and online, the team at TWOC takes a contemporary issue in Chinese society and culture and looks behind the headlines to share how it affects p...
#73 Chinese E-sports (Part 3 – China’s video game industry)
June 15, 2022 14:00 - 41 minutes - 28.4 MBWith 400 million fans watching over 5000 professional team competing over many games, China’s e-sports industry is one of the most vivid area of China’s cultural industry. How come this industry keeps growing, and what are the recent issues that e-sports players and companies had to face? Featuring - Josh Lee: Perfect World Esports & tournaments director - Zeng Wensen : Riot China Action Genre Publishing Lead - Lucy Zhu : BSC Esports Lecturer & Module Leader Middle Earth is distribut...
#72 Film Distribution: How to Succeed at China’s Box Office
May 29, 2022 10:00 - 39 minutes - 27.1 MBChina has become the biggest film’s market in the world after Covid-19, with 82,000 screens, so distributing a movie in Chinese cinemas seems like it would be an easy task. But with dozens of films coming out each week, what are the tricks for film distributors to find their audience? Featuring - Cai Yuchen : UEP Media film distributor - Fan Lixin : Director & InHope Pictures cofounder Middle Earth is distributed by The World of Chinese (www.theworldofchinese.com). Every two months, b...
#71 China’s Music Festivals
May 16, 2022 07:00 - 50 minutes - 34.6 MBMusic festivals have only been around for two decades in China, but have increased exponentially—even leading some to worry about a bubble—until the Covid-19 outbreak. Since then, how has the industry tried to make a comeback for Chinese music-lovers? Featuring - Eric de Fontenay - MusicDish 独立小炒 President - Yang Yu - Midi Festival Head of International Middle Earth is distributed by The World of Chinese (www.theworldofchinese.com). Every two months, both in print and online, the team a...
#71 China’s Music Festivals
May 16, 2022 07:00 - 49 minutes - 34 MBMusic festivals have only been around for two decades in China, but have increased exponentially—even leading some to worry about a bubble—until the Covid-19 outbreak. Since then, how has the industry tried to make a comeback for Chinese music-lovers? Featuring - Eric de Fontenay - MusicDish 独立小炒 President - Yang Yu - Midi Festival Head of International Middle Earth is distributed by The World of Chinese (www.theworldofchinese.com). Every two months, both in print and online, the team a...
#70 China’s Indie Games (Part 2 – China’s video game industry)
April 30, 2022 04:00 - 40 minutes - 27.8 MBChina’s video game industry is huge, but most of the games are made for the mass market of online mobile players. But what about the niche market of indie games, often focused more on single player story or particular game mechanics? How do Chinese creators find their audience, and do they have an audience outside of China? Featuring - Jin Yu : Wanba Studio Founder & Game Producer - Zog Zhu : Indie Games Publishing Manager Middle Earth is distributed by The World of Chinese (www.thewo...
#69 The Seducing Power of IPs
April 18, 2022 10:00 - 40 minutes - 27.6 MBAs China’s cultural market becomes more and more competitive, some content producers are looking for the silver bullet to avoid failure: IP. What does IP mean in the Chinese market, and what’s the best way to create one? Featuring - Kevin Feng : Stars Collective China Executive Officer - Li Danlei : Story FM Podcast Copyright Manager - Xu Xinyi : Bridging the Dragon Sales Coordinator Middle Earth is distributed by The World of Chinese (www.theworldofchinese.com). Every two months, b...
#68 Generations of Voices in Chinese Literature
April 08, 2022 08:00 - 48 minutes - 33.1 MBChinese literature is generating an increasing amount of interest overseas. More and more books are getting translated, while Chinese authors are winning international prizes. Yet are the authors and stories being translated representative of what China’s general public is reading? Featuring - Yan Ge : author - Daniel Li: production manager at ACA Publishing & Sinoist Books - Emily Xueni Jin : Translator & PhD candidate in East Asian Literature Middle Earth is distributed by The Worl...
#67 Creating Games for the West (Part 1 – China’s video game industry)
March 25, 2022 09:00 - 41 minutes - 28.3 MBIf China has some issues exporting its music & film, did you know that video games often meet success on the international market? What kind of games meet success abroad, what kind of strategy Chinese companies have to use, and what are the issues inherent to game localization? Featuring - Chen Jia - Oasis Game COO - Joshua Ogden-Davis - Video Game Localizer - Stacey Lee - Video Game consultant Middle Earth is distributed by The World of Chinese (www.theworldofchinese.com). Every tw...
(Bonus episode) ASCENSION: Discussion with Director Jessica Kingdon
March 06, 2022 18:00 - 53 minutes - 37 MBASCENSION has been nominated for an Academy Award in the feature documentary category. The film is a portrait of China’s industrial supply chain and its different social ladders. It is advised to watch the film before listening to this episode. This conversation was originally produced by SupChina. Middle Earth is made by China Compass Productions and hosted by Aladin Farré. If you have a China-themed cultural project like shooting your next documentary or look for a specific talent, p...
#66 The New Reality of Virtual Idols in a Meta World
February 16, 2022 09:00 - 38 minutes - 26.7 MBAt the intersection of KOLs and metaverse lies the niche world of “virtual idols”—animated characters created for the purpose of becoming celebrities. Started in Japan in the 1980s, virtual idols have exploded in popularity in China, especially as Covid-19 continues to change the world of live entertainment: In 2021, the Chinese virtual idol industry was worth 6.2 billion renminbi (almost 1 billion US dollars), and animated star Luo Tianyi attracted over 2.7 million viewers in a Taobao live...
#65 China’s winter sports market : How to get 300 million snow enthusiasts?
January 30, 2022 10:00 - 31 minutes - 21.7 MBThe 2022 Winter Olympics is about to start in Beijing, with around 2900 athletes and possibly zero spectators, yet the country now boasts 300 million winter sports enthusiasts. How did China’s winter sports industry grow so fast, and does it differ from other nations? Featuring - Ban Tao: Eternal Star Ice & Snow Head of Branding - Liu Xia: Burton China Resort Business Manager Middle Earth is distributed by The World of Chinese (www.theworldofchinese.com). Every two months, both in pri...
#65 China’s winter sports market : How to get 300 million snow enthusiasts?
January 30, 2022 10:00 - 31 minutes - 22 MBThe 2022 Winter Olympics is about to start in Beijing, with around 2900 athletes and possibly zero spectators, yet the country now boasts 300 million winter sports enthusiasts. How did China’s winter sports industry grow so fast, and does it differ from other nations? Featuring - Ban Tao: Eternal Star Ice & Snow Head of Branding - Liu Xia: Burton China Resort Business Manager Middle Earth is distributed by The World of Chinese (www.theworldofchinese.com). Every two months, both in pri...
#64 Gambling in China : How Covid-19 helped the industry grow
January 21, 2022 11:00 - 40 minutes - 27.8 MBFinishing our “Dark Series” on China’s guilty pleasures, we tackle gambling, one of the key forms of spending among Chinese tourists overseas. Did Covid-19 kill the gambling industry, or is it coming back even stronger? Featuring - Alan Robles: Journalist - Ben Lee: Managing Partner at IGamiX - Sebastian Strangio: Journalist & Author Middle Earth is distributed by The World of Chinese (www.theworldofchinese.com). Every two months, both in print and online, the team at TWOC takes a c...
#64 Gambling in China : How Covid-19 helped the industry grow (Dark Series - Part 3)
January 21, 2022 11:00 - 40 minutes - 28.1 MBFinishing our “Dark Series” on China’s guilty pleasures, we tackle gambling, one of the key forms of spending among Chinese tourists overseas. Did Covid-19 kill the gambling industry, or is it coming back even stronger? Featuring - Alan Robles: Journalist - Ben Lee: Managing Partner at IGamiX - Sebastian Strangio: Journalist & Author Middle Earth is distributed by The World of Chinese (www.theworldofchinese.com). Every two months, both in print and online, the team at TWOC takes a c...
##63 What’s next in China’s culture industries : Top Stories from 2021 & Predictions for 2022
January 08, 2022 01:00 - 47 minutes - 32.9 MBIn this special episode, we review our top 5 stories from this past year, and make a few predictions for trends in China’s culture industries in 2022. Featuring - Aladin Farré : Founder of Middle Earth Podcast - Hatty Liu : Managing editor at TWOC - William Ace Rowles, Miro Li, Juan Tan, Jerry Kim & Elaine Yau Middle Earth is distributed by The World of Chinese (www.theworldofchinese.com). Every two months, both in print and online, the team at TWOC takes a contemporary issue in Chine...
#63 What’s next in China’s cultural industries : Top Stories from 2021 & Predictions for 2022
January 08, 2022 01:00 - 48 minutes - 33.2 MBIn this special episode, we review our top 5 stories from this past year, and make a few predictions for trends in China’s culture industries in 2022. Featuring - Aladin Farré : Founder of Middle Earth Podcast - Hatty Liu : Managing editor at TWOC - William Ace Rowles, Miro Li, Juan Tan, Jerry Kim & Elaine Yau Middle Earth is distributed by The World of Chinese (www.theworldofchinese.com). Every two months, both in print and online, the team at TWOC takes a contemporary issue in Chine...