Crazy Rich Asians paved the way for the glamorous East Asians to feature prominently on screens around the world. The glitz, the glamour, the elegant judgement of everybody was a far departure from the horrible stereotypes and showed an entirely different side of the Asian community. Now in 2021, Netflix introduces the reality show, Bling Empire, to the small screens.
It’s said to be a cross between Gossip Girl and Crazy Rich Asians. What was supposed to be a peek into the lives of Asia’s elite was also met with criticism before its official release. The reality show seemed more like a mockumentary that reinforced the awful Asian stereotypes rather than a peek at true Asian culture.
It was also an extremely unrealistic look at the 0.1% of Asia’s population. It once again showed off the lives of rich and not-so-famous Singaporeans and Hong Kongers as a caricature.
While we all want Asian representation in global media, we do want representation that accurately depicts the everyday Asian from all parts of Asia.
So, to watch or not to watch? Realistically, it’s gonna be a no unless you’re the type of person to hate-watch a show, then by all means, this might be your cup of tea.
