A record 600,000 people traveled to South Korea for medical procedures in 2023, with roughly half of those visiting dermatology and plastic surgery clinics.

On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host Rebecca Choong Wilkins talks to Bloomberg's Oanh Ha about the rise of the medical tourism industry, and how it’s colliding with a shrinking supply of doctors and a struggling medical system.


Further listening: Netflix’s Big Bet On ‘Squid Game’

A record 600,000 people traveled to South Korea for medical procedures in 2023, with roughly half of those visiting dermatology and plastic surgery clinics.
On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host Rebecca Choong Wilkins talks to Bloomberg's Oanh Ha about the rise of the medical tourism industry, and how it&rsquo;s colliding with a shrinking supply of doctors and a struggling medical system.
 Further listening: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/netflixs-big-bet-on-squid-game/id1746141911?i=1000681582376">Netflix&rsquo;s Big Bet On &lsquo;Squid Game&rsquo;</a>

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

Big Take

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

South Korea Has Plenty of Botox But Not Enough Doctors

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/12c9a1e0-c6ae-4eba-8c60-b265014ee69f/transcript

Energy consumers are used to a pretty simple transaction with utility companies: get electricity to power your home, pay up every month. Now, more consumers are stockpiling their own energy using solar panels and batteries. And some are even making money by selling that energy back to the grid.

On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks to Zero host Akshat Rathi about a new class of at-home energy trader that’s vibe coding its way to daily energy savings and big profits.

Read more: Almost Anyone Can Make Money Selling Electricity With AI and Batteries

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

Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Akshat Rathi and Olivia Rudgard; Edited by Aaron Edwards.

Fact-checking by Rachael Lewis-Krisky, Victor Swezey and Brunella Tipismana Urbano; Engineering by Emma Munger.

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

Energy consumers are used to a pretty simple transaction with utility companies: get electricity to power your home, pay up every month. Now, more consumers are stockpiling their own energy using solar panels and batteries. And some are even making money by selling that energy back to the grid.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks to Zero host Akshat Rathi about a new class of at-home energy trader that&rsquo;s vibe coding its way to daily energy savings and big profits.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2026-09-03/consumers-profit-off-solar-batteries-selling-excess-energy-back-to-grid?srnd=undefined">Almost Anyone Can Make Money Selling Electricity With AI and Batteries</a>
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts">Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.</a>
Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Akshat Rathi and Olivia Rudgard; Edited by Aaron Edwards.
Fact-checking by Rachael Lewis-Krisky, Victor Swezey and Brunella Tipismana Urbano; Engineering by Emma Munger.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

The Hottest New Trade Is Your Own Electricity

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d1a16d99-5d3a-49fb-a8d9-b4ba012dcf26/transcript

Hundreds of hydropower workers remain missing in Nepal after a glacial collapse caused catastrophic flooding. The disaster laid bare the rising climate risks across Asia and the danger of building in an increasingly volatile environment.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, guest host Rebecca Choong Wilkins sits down with Bloomberg’s Clara Ferreira Marques and Bloomberg Opinion’s David Fickling to talk about the human and economic toll of the disaster, why the catastrophe is a warning for the rest of the world and how Nepal’s big bet on clean energy may now be at risk.

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

Hosted by Rebecca Choong Wilkins; Produced by Yang Yang; Reported by Clara Ferreira Marques, David Fickling; Edited by Paddy Hirsch, Crispina Robert and Tracey Samuelson.

Fact-checking by Naomi Ng; Engineering by Alex Sugiura

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

Hundreds of hydropower workers remain missing in Nepal after a glacial collapse caused catastrophic flooding. The disaster laid bare the rising climate risks across Asia and the danger of building in an increasingly volatile environment.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take Asia podcast, guest host Rebecca Choong Wilkins sits down with Bloomberg&rsquo;s Clara Ferreira Marques and Bloomberg Opinion&rsquo;s David Fickling to talk about the human and economic toll of the disaster, why the catastrophe is a warning for the rest of the world and how Nepal&rsquo;s big bet on clean energy may now be at risk.
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts">Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.</a>
Hosted by Rebecca Choong Wilkins; Produced by Yang Yang; Reported by Clara Ferreira Marques, David Fickling; Edited by Paddy Hirsch, Crispina Robert and Tracey Samuelson.
Fact-checking by Naomi Ng; Engineering by Alex Sugiura
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver; Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

Deadly Flooding in Nepal Highlights Asia’s Climate Vulnerability

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/2190b992-2598-4e23-8742-b4b9014943c5/transcript

Russia escalated attacks on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv this past weekend. It’s the latest signal that Ukraine could face a brutal, decisive winter in this conflict.

Meanwhile, the CIA director paid Moscow a visit last week, and “hybrid” attacks in Europe that have been linked to Russia are heightening concern among NATO countries that the conflict could widen as Russia takes the upper hand. 

On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder and Bloomberg Opinion’s Marc Champion unpack the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war, the state of European and American involvement and why the next few months could be so crucial. 

Read more: 
Russia’s Escalating Hybrid Attacks Put Europeans in a Bind 
Ukraine Is In More Danger Than It Seems

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

Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Guest: Marc Champion; Edited by Naomi Shavin. Fact-checking by Big Take team; Engineering by Sean Carter. Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

Russia escalated attacks on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv this past weekend. It&rsquo;s the latest signal that Ukraine could face a brutal, decisive winter in this conflict.
Meanwhile, the CIA director paid Moscow a visit last week, and &ldquo;hybrid&rdquo; attacks in Europe that have been linked to Russia are heightening concern among NATO countries that the conflict could widen as Russia takes the upper hand.&nbsp;
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder and Bloomberg Opinion&rsquo;s Marc Champion unpack the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war, the state of European and American involvement and why the next few months could be so crucial.&nbsp;
Read more:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-26/russia-is-escalating-hybrid-attacks-and-europe-has-no-answer">Russia&rsquo;s Escalating Hybrid Attacks Put Europeans in a Bind</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2026-08-24/from-grain-to-refugees-winter-is-coming-for-ukraine-this-time?srnd=undefined">Ukraine Is In More Danger Than It Seems</a> </li>
</ul>
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts">Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.</a>
Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Guest: Marc Champion; Edited by Naomi Shavin. Fact-checking by Big Take team; Engineering by Sean Carter. Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

CIA Director Visits Moscow As Ukraine Stares Down a Dangerous Winter

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a94bd579-f9a5-40c4-9a20-b4b801574e4d/transcript

South Korea Has Plenty of Botox But Not Enough Doctors

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