Consuming Asia: Culinary Tourism, soft power and mediation of Peranakan TV

This paper examines the role of East Asian pop culture flows in boosting the soft power of Asian nations. Specifically, it explores the role of television dramas and pop culture in promoting heritage culinary heritage tourism. While much has been discussed on the globalizing appeal of Korean pop culture in boosting Korean tourism and cultural consumption, little has been studied within the context of Southeast Asian countries’ indigenous cultures such as the Peranakan culture in Singapore. This study examines the nostalgic and culinary appeal of The Little Nyonya , a regionally successful locally-produced Peranakan TV drama from Singapore, and suggests that if media and tourism policies were better integrated, Singapore’s unique, multicultural heritage and culture could be a source of soft power and tourism attraction, attracting both viewers and visitors to Singapore.