How serious are Taiwanese about astrology?

Why astrology is comforting to Taiwanese

Western astrology is popular with Taiwanese

Ms Jesse Tang, Taiwan's horoscopes star

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.

Many Taiwanese of all ages have a fascination with Western astrology, and the signs (pun intended) are everywhere.

Every morning, on television news channels, it is not uncommon to see horoscope forecasts running along the bottom of the screen, next to major headlines and the day’s weather forecast. On dating apps, people often list their horoscope signs alongside basic information such as name, age, occupation and hobbies.

How seriously do the Taiwanese take advice from astrologers? In this episode, she chats with ST's new Taiwan correspondent Yip Wai Yee.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:15 How Taiwanese bring up horoscopes in daily conversations; how seriously do they take advice from astrologers?

5:45 In a society that has to deal with China's aggressive geopolitics, how is astrology a way for people to “deal with uncertainty”?

8:00 Why Western astrology is so popular with Taiwanese?

9:24 More about Ms Jesse Tang, the modern-day YouTube star of Western horoscopes in the Chinese language, was named one of Asia’s Most Influential (Taiwan) personalities by Tatler Asia magazine in 2021 and 2022

Read Yip Wai Yee’s article: https://str.sg/wFkv

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

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

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Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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

Read Yip Wai Yee's articles: https://str.sg/wFZk

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

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

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Discover ST's special edition podcasts:

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

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

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

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

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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.
Many Taiwanese of all ages have a fascination with Western astrology, and the signs (pun intended) are everywhere.
Every morning, on television news channels, it is not uncommon to see horoscope forecasts running along the bottom of the screen, next to major headlines and the day’s weather forecast. On dating apps, people often list their horoscope signs alongside basic information such as name, age, occupation and hobbies.
How seriously do the Taiwanese take advice from astrologers? In this episode, she chats with ST's new Taiwan correspondent Yip Wai Yee.
Highlights (click/tap above):
1:15 How Taiwanese bring up horoscopes in daily conversations; how seriously do they take advice from astrologers?
5:45 In a society that has to deal with China's aggressive geopolitics, how is astrology a way for people to “deal with uncertainty”?
8:00 Why Western astrology is so popular with Taiwanese?
9:24 More about Ms Jesse Tang, the modern-day YouTube star of Western horoscopes in the Chinese language, was named one of Asia’s Most Influential (Taiwan) personalities by Tatler Asia magazine in 2021 and 2022
Read Yip Wai Yee’s article: <a href="https://str.sg/wFkv">https://str.sg/wFkv</a>
Produced by: Bhagyashree Garekar (<a href="mailto:bhagya@sph.com.sg">bhagya@sph.com.sg</a>), 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="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
Read Bhagyashree Garekar’s articles:<a href="https://str.sg/whNo"> https://str.sg/whNo</a>
Read Yip Wai Yee's articles: <a href="https://str.sg/wFZk">https://str.sg/wFZk</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:
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>
Singapore's War On Covid: <a href="https://str.sg/wuJa">https://str.sg/wuJa</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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