From the chaotic scenes of Beatlemania to the devotion of Directioners, nothing gets the heart throbbing – and the credit cards swiping – like floppy-haired teenaged boys singing about heartbreak. In China, the wild popularity of a 12-strong boy band is being leveraged to sell fried chicken.

Korean entertainment and culture are seeing a strong revival in China. And it’s not only strengthening Korea’s economic influence and solidifying its position as Asia’s arbiter of culture, but transforming Chinese identity and consumer behaviour across the spectrum.

The Japanese publishing industry has experienced a slump in retail sales, but one genre is picking up – manga history books. Bestselling bookBiri Gyarufeatured the 'Shonen Shojo Nihon no Rekishi' series as a way for kids to learn about history, sparking interest from both children and adults.

What’s got so many Chinese thinking about themselves? Why are so many women filing for divorce? And how is China’s pollution problem fuelling on-demand culture? This Cultural Snapshot uses local statistics and case studies to explore behavioural norms shared by China people in 2016.