Is K-pop even K-pop without the K? A Bloomberg analysis of song lyrics shows that for the first time, almost half of K-pop songs released this year have majority English lyrics. 

On today’s podcast, host Sarah Holder speaks with Bloomberg reporter Sohee Kim about the genre’s identity shift and why industry efforts to grow its global audience might mean fewer Korean band members.

Is K-pop even K-pop without the K? A Bloomberg analysis of song lyrics shows that for the first time, almost half of K-pop songs released this year have majority English lyrics. 
On today’s podcast, host Sarah Holder speaks with Bloomberg reporter Sohee Kim about the genre’s identity shift and why industry efforts to grow its global audience might mean fewer Korean band members.

We’re taking The Big Take to Asia. Each week, Bloomberg’s Oanh Ha tells a story from the home of the world's most dynamic economies - and the markets, tycoons and businesses that drive the ever-shifting region.

We’re taking The Big Take to Asia. Each week, Bloomberg’s Oanh Ha tells a story from the home of the world's most dynamic economies - and the markets, tycoons and businesses that drive the ever-shifting region.

Big Take Asia

K-Pop's Big Bet on Becoming Less Korean

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a28f02eb-3476-4b8f-9e22-b1b600e79f34/transcript

Indonesia’s free lunch program is a massive operation, feeding tens of millions of people every day across a vast archipelago. 

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host Rebecca Choong Wilkins talks with Bloomberg’s Rosalind Mathieson about the challenges facing President Prabowo’s flagship program and whether it can survive the strain.

Read more: Handing Out $15 Billion of Free Meals Strains Indonesia's Budget


Hosted by Rebecca Choong Wilkins; Produced by Naomi Ng; Reported by Rosalind Mathieson, Eko Listiyorini; Edited by Paddy Hirsch.

Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver; Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

Indonesia&rsquo;s free lunch program is a massive operation, feeding tens of millions of people every day across a vast archipelago.&nbsp; On today&rsquo;s Big Take Asia podcast, host Rebecca Choong Wilkins talks with Bloomberg&rsquo;s Rosalind Mathieson about the challenges facing President Prabowo&rsquo;s flagship program and whether it can survive the strain.
Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2026-04-13/handing-out-15-billion-of-free-meals-strains-indonesia-s-budget?srnd=undefined">Handing Out $15 Billion of Free Meals Strains Indonesia's Budget </a>
Hosted by Rebecca Choong Wilkins; Produced by Naomi Ng; Reported by Rosalind Mathieson, Eko Listiyorini; Edited by Paddy Hirsch.
Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver; Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

Indonesia’s $15 Billion Free Lunch Experiment

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c0aa6fe1-8ffa-49c9-bf79-b45601460fd1/transcript

As global attention is focused on war in the Middle East, North Korea has been accelerating its nuclear and missile program — testing new weapons and producing more warheads.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg’s Jon Herskovitz on Kim Jong Un’s aggressive nuclear buildup and the strain that puts on US defenses.

Read more: North Korea’s Nuclear Arsenal is Outgrowing the US Missile Defenses

We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.

Hosted by K. Oanh Ha; Produced by Naomi Ng; Reported by Jon Herskovitz, Soo-Hyang Choi; Edited by Paddy Hirsch Fact-checking by Yang Yang; Engineering by Taka Yasuzawa Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

As global attention is focused on war in the Middle East, North Korea has been accelerating its nuclear and missile program &mdash; testing new weapons and producing more warheads.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg&rsquo;s Jon Herskovitz on Kim Jong Un&rsquo;s aggressive nuclear buildup and the strain that puts on US defenses.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-north-korea-nuclear-arsenal/">North Korea&rsquo;s Nuclear Arsenal is Outgrowing the US Missile Defenses</a>
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts">Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.</a>
Hosted by K. Oanh Ha; Produced by Naomi Ng; Reported by Jon Herskovitz, Soo-Hyang Choi; Edited by Paddy Hirsch Fact-checking by Yang Yang; Engineering by Taka Yasuzawa Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

North Korea’s Nuclear Program Reaches Tipping Point for the US

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/34691958-f99c-479c-adfa-b43b00261035/transcript

With the war in Iran creating a shortage of the fuel and fertilizer that farmers across Asia need to plant and harvest rice, many smallholders are seeking alternative supplies or pondering whether to plant at all.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, agriculture reporter Hallie Gu tells host Oanh Ha what the bottleneck in the Strait of Hormuz means for rice farmers from Cambodia to India — and how the fate of the region’s staple crop shapes its economy and politics.

Read more: Fuel Shortages From Iran War Threaten Asia’s Biggest Food Staple
Listen more: Asia Is Bearing the Brunt of the Iran War Energy Crisis

Hosted by Oanh Ha; Produced by Yang Yang; Reported by Hallie Gu; Edited by Patrick Hirsch Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

With the war in Iran creating a shortage of the fuel and fertilizer that farmers across Asia need to plant and harvest rice, many smallholders are seeking alternative supplies or pondering whether to plant at all.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take Asia podcast, agriculture reporter Hallie Gu tells host Oanh Ha what the bottleneck in the Strait of Hormuz means for rice farmers from Cambodia to India &mdash; and how the fate of the region&rsquo;s staple crop shapes its economy and politics. Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-11/fuel-shortages-from-iran-war-threaten-asia-s-biggest-food-staple">Fuel Shortages From Iran War Threaten Asia&rsquo;s Biggest Food Staple</a> Listen more: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/hk/podcast/asia-is-bearing-the-brunt-of-the-iran-war-energy-crisis/id1746141911?i=1000755828464">Asia Is Bearing the Brunt of the Iran War Energy Crisis</a>
Hosted by Oanh Ha; Produced by Yang Yang; Reported by Hallie Gu; Edited by Patrick Hirsch Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

How Hormuz Closure Could Squeeze Asia’s Staple Crop

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ad70485f-5e0e-43f8-8f4b-b42c015caa3b/transcript

K-Pop's Big Bet on Becoming Less Korean

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