Gangnam Style, movies and botox: The hot themes to play in ASEAN

ASIA SPECIAL

Before South Korean singer Psy burst onto the UK music scene with infectious hit Gangnam Style (and accompanying dance moves), few people had heard of K-pop, or Korean pop music.

But all things Korean are hot in Europe at the moment, as the Western world catches on to what the rest of Asia has known for a long time – Korea is a creative centre of culture in the ASEAN region. As disposable incomes have risen and there are increasing options for low cost travel between countries in Asia, consumers have been flocking to the most exciting cultural centres to spend their cash. The consumer story in Asia has moved on from the Chinese luxury goods theme – if you want to tap into the real growth, you need to look further down the cap scale at those companies helping p...