Tokyo dining scene, the viral formula and Oscar breakthroughs

Japan's emphasis on quality has made the entire country a gastronomic destination. Its capital city especially owes some of its success as a culinary hub to the unique circumstances of its founding.	View in browser
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	Life & Arts Monthly March 26, 2023

	Small is beautiful but perilously fragile in Tokyo's dining scene Japan's emphasis on quality has made the entire country a gastronomic destination. Its capital city, especially, owes some of its success as a culinary hub to the unique circumstances of its founding. Tokyo-based writer Melinda Joe takes us on a journey that looks at the history of the city's restaurant industry and how a new generation of chefs is spurring creativity. Jot down some of her favorite places to dine for your next trip too! Mysterious algorithms help Vietnam TikTok hit go global Nowadays, thanks to apps like TikTok, you could wake up and find that you've gone viral. That is what happened to Vietnamese pop singer Hoang Thuy Linh, whose song "See Tinh" became a TikTok dance challenge where people all the way from Ecuador to the Philippines joined in on the fun. Linh, who embraces her folk influences and fluorescent outfits, hopes to bring Vietnamese music and folklore to the world. It looks like she has a winning formula for our digital epoch, but while it requires millions of people to create a cultural moment, few of us have the ability to control or understand it. Michelle Yeoh's long journey to Academy Awards triumph Elsewhere on the Life & Arts desk, we offer you stories following major breakthroughs from the 2023 Academy Awards. "Everything Everywhere All at Once" star Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian woman to ever win an Oscar for best actress. The Malaysia-born 60-year-old has starred in many critically acclaimed films, including the 2000 martial arts film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," but in slowly changing Hollywood, she faced obstacles on her way to the top. Indian cinema also contributed to raising the industry's Asian representation with "Naatu Naatu," the infectious tune from the megahit movie "RRR," taking the top prize for original song. Two documentaries from the country received recognition as well, which you can read more about in our article Academy Award win highlights Indian documentaries. You can always read all of our Life & Arts pieces here.
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