Our new section – NO BLINKS – is where we’re logging what’s bubbling, breaking, or just bugging us, from brewing deals and background drama to strategic moves with the potential to (or not) reshape the industry. 

👉 Wednesday, 2 July 2025: Thailand’s turmoil and the future of a high-hype soft power initiative that hasn’t really had a chance to kick in and, despite lots of smiles, charm, celebrity selfies and grand plans involving red carpets and promises, looks like it may be chewed up and spat out at the feet of the latest political theatre. Thailand started pushing its big, shiny dreams of becoming Asia’s next cultural juggernaut – modelled on Korea’s KOCCA and Taiwan’s TAICCA – in early 2024, hanging out the THACCA (Thailand Creativity & Culture Agency) shingle and spreading around glossy presentation decks. At the time, the plan’s chances of working depended upon who you asked. Although optimism ran high, many wondered how the tangle of government organisations and interests could be united behind the sweeping ambitions. Even then, one year and three months ago, the political will for long-term commitment was being closely watched. The notion of “soft power” is neither new nor novel in Thailand; insiders pointed us last year to previous efforts that died with changes in government and shifts in political power. Which brings us to this week… and the suspension of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra yesterday over a leaked phone call with Cambodian leader Hun Sen, which came atop the political deadlock that has been going on for weeks. Will THACCA survive? Who knows… for now, the “Splash Soft Power Forum” – A THACCA-backed four-day “gathering of global thinkers, creators, and dreamers, all fired up about making Thai soft power go global” – goes on. Head over to QSNCC if you’re in Bangkok from 8-11 July.

👉 Wednesday, 2 July 2025: Given the potential blowback, we’re thinking moves don’t come much bolder than this: The Queer Muslim Project’s QueerFrames Screenwriting Lab in partnership with Netflix. The project – South Asia’s first and only screenwriting incubator for early-career LGBTQIA+ filmmakers – champions “bold new voices in South Asian cinema”. According to organisers, the initiative “addresses a critical gap in industry representation by empowering queer storytellers to shape narratives that challenge norms, affirm identities, and drive cultural change”. The aim is to support “bold, intersectional stories rooted in the realities of South Asia”. This year’s lab brings together eight writer-directors from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and the South Asian diaspora. Since its inception, QueerFrames has supported 14 emerging queer filmmakers. The Queer Muslim Project was founded by Rafiul Alom Rahman. Applications for the third edition close on 13 July.

👉 Wednesday, 2 July 2025: The latest in the death-by-a-thousand cuts story of listed entertainment company mm2 Asia/Cathay Cineplexes and its clearly-irate landlords continued this week, when lawyers delivered a statutory demand for back rent/interest totalling approx S$3.5 million/US$2.7 million and a 22 July payment deadline… or else. The amount relates to Cathay’s Jurong JEM mall cinemas, which mm2 closed at the end of March after more than a year’s worth of rent negotiations came to nought; at the time, Cathay Cineplexes said it would continue to work with the landlord to settle the outstanding sums. mm2 Asia, which has been struggling since Covid and has been closing its complexes across Singapore, is seeking legal advice and said today it would make further announcements as and when there were material developments. In Feb this year, mm2 said the “slower-than-expected recovery of the cinema industry” had hampered its ability to pay its arrears on a timely basis, and that it had paid approx S$12 million/US$9.43 million rent to the landlords between 1 April 2020 and 31 January 2025”. mm2 has applied for an extension to the deadline for filing its latest earnings reports.

👉 Tuesday, 1 July 2025:  How the latest border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia plays out for media companies. Right now, a rude halt has been called on Thai programming in Cambodia, which means holes in schedules, payment issues, and all-round disruption by forces beyond programmers’ control. That comes on top of broader payment issues since September last year, when the U.S. Treasury sanctioned Cambodian tycoon Ly Yong Phat, his conglomerate L.Y.P. Group Co and a few linked entities for “serious human rights abuses” related to online scam operations. The knock-on impact is that PNN TV, backed by the group, hasn’t been able to remit U.S. dollars outside of Cambodia for any of the programming it has signed for. Short of carrying suitcases of cash across borders (illegal in the amounts we believe are due), a solution is way beyond rights holders’ pay grade. So…

👉 Tuesday, 1 July 2025:  “Squid Game” season three’s performance; Netflix premiered the third installment on Friday (27 June). The first numbers are out in the early hours of this morning (Asia time), so we’ll be bringing them to you from tomorrow and tracking them through July. As of today, season one remains Netflix’s all time top show, with season two in second place. S3 could pull the first two back on to the weekly top 10. As of today, S1 has been viewed for 2,205.2 million hours (265,200,000 views). S2 has been viewed for 1,380.1 million hours (192,600,000 views) to take second place ahead of “Money Heist” part 4 (710.2 million hours/106,000,000 views). The top English-language show of all time is “Wednesday” season one, which has been viewed for 1,718.8 million hours (252,100,000 views) – which puts it in front of “Squid Game” S2 on the combined rankings. First half 2025 “what we watched” rankings should also be out soon; our analysis to follow.

👉 Tuesday, 1 July 2025:  The ContentAsia Awards 2025 Jury panels are in full swing. In the interests of the broadest range of eyeballs, opinions and tastes, we’ve hand-picked 100 jury members from around the world to consider 500+ made-in-Asia entries in 27 categories. Score submission deadline is 29 July, nominees will be announced the following week, and the winners announced in an on-ground event in Taipei on 4 September. Plus, new this year – our very first People’s Choice voting category. Watch this space…