Covid put a stop to the ritual

Picturesque setting for the seniors romance

Expectations of a complete family unit

Children ok with parents looking for romance?

Making money off loneliness

Is there a happily ever after?

Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times' foreign editor Bhagyashree Garekar chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.

They talk about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises.

In this episode, she chats with ST's China correspondent Aw Cheng Wei. 

The idea of senior citizens looking for romance is no longer a stigma as older Chinese people become more affluent and seek out the better things in life. And Changpuhe Park is where they often find it.

Highlights (click/tap above):

0:59 Covid-19 put a stop to a twice-weekly ritual in a public park next to the famous Tiananmen Square

3:07 The quiet but picturesque setting for the seniors romance 

4:57 The idea of a complete family unit shapes expectations

6:59 Are the children ok with parents looking for romance?

9:30 Some entrepreneurial mainlanders are making money off loneliness

11:10 Is this a story where they live happily after?

Read Aw Cheng Wei’s article here: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/lonely-elderly-park-their-reservations-and-look-for-love

Produced by: Bhagyashree Garekar (bhagya@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani

Follow Letter From The Bureau Podcast every first Friday of the month on our Asian Insider Podcast channel here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: 

https://www.moneyfm893.sg/

http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Bhagyashree Garekar’s articles: https://str.sg/whNo

Read Aw Cheng Wei's articles: https://str.sg/wzce

Read ST's Letters From The Bureau: https://str.sg/3xRd

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters

---

Discover ST's special edition podcasts:

Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2

Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB

Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn

---

Discover more ST podcast series:

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas

Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#STAsianInsider

Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times' foreign editor Bhagyashree Garekar chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.
They talk about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises.
In this episode, she chats with ST's China correspondent Aw Cheng Wei. 
The idea of senior citizens looking for romance is no longer a stigma as older Chinese people become more affluent and seek out the better things in life. And Changpuhe Park is where they often find it.
Highlights (click/tap above):
0:59 Covid-19 put a stop to a twice-weekly ritual in a public park next to the famous Tiananmen Square
3:07 The quiet but picturesque setting for the seniors romance 
4:57 The idea of a complete family unit shapes expectations
6:59 Are the children ok with parents looking for romance?
9:30 Some entrepreneurial mainlanders are making money off loneliness
11:10 Is this a story where they live happily after?
Read Aw Cheng Wei’s article here: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/lonely-elderly-park-their-reservations-and-look-for-love
Produced by: Bhagyashree Garekar (bhagya@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani
Edited by: Hadyu Rahim and Fa’izah Sani
Follow Letter From The Bureau Podcast every first Friday of the month on our Asian Insider Podcast channel here:
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa7"> https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa8"> https://str.sg/JWa8</a>
Google Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/wQsB"> https://str.sg/wQsB</a> 
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaX"> https://str.sg/JWaX</a>
SPH Awedio app:<a href="https://www.awedio.sg/"> https://www.awedio.sg/</a>
Website: 
<a href="https://www.moneyfm893.sg/">https://www.moneyfm893.sg/</a>
<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg
Read Bhagyashree Garekar’s articles:<a href="https://str.sg/whNo"> https://str.sg/whNo</a>
Read Aw Cheng Wei's articles: <a href="https://str.sg/wzce">https://str.sg/wzce</a>
Read ST's Letters From The Bureau:<a href="https://str.sg/3xRd"> https://str.sg/3xRd</a>
Register for Asian Insider newsletter:<a href="https://str.sg/stnewsletters"> https://str.sg/stnewsletters</a>
---
Discover ST's special edition podcasts:
Singapore's War On Covid: <a href="https://str.sg/wuJa">https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: <a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2">https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Stop Scams: <a href="https://str.sg/wuZB">https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Invisible Asia: <a href="https://str.sg/wuZn">https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast series:
Asian Insider: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Green Pulse: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaf">https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Health Check: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaN">https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
In Your Opinion: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt">https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Your Money &amp; Career: <a href="https://str.sg/wB2m">https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
#PopVultures: <a href="https://str.sg/JWad">https://str.sg/JWad</a>
ST Sports Talk: <a href="https://str.sg/JWRE">https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
Bookmark This!: <a href="https://str.sg/JWas">https://str.sg/JWas</a>
Lunch With Sumiko: <a href="https://str.sg/J6hQ">https://str.sg/J6hQ</a>
Discover BT Podcasts: <a href="https://bt.sg/pcPL">https://bt.sg/pcPL</a>
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#STAsianInsider

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Asian Insider

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust

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