The first Eurovision Asia grand final gets underway in Bangkok on Saturday, as the European Broadcasting Union tries out audiences in Asia for its 70-year-old song contest. The debut event features 11 competing nations, while preparations included a million-dollar budget cut three weeks before the final and staff resignations; Asian giants India, China, Japan and Indonesia are absent.
The idea of a Eurovision Asia has been discussed for two decades before finally materialising. It arrives in a region where traditional television formats are struggling to cut through in the digital age.
Only 11 countries are participating in this first edition: Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, South Korea, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. Asian giants India, China, Japan and Indonesia are noticeably absent, although negotiations are ongoing to bring them into next year's contest should one proceed.
There have been problems with the organisation of the event. A sudden million-dollar budget cut three weeks before the final meant many technicians familiar with staging Eurovision were not brought to Thailand, and a number of staff resigned. Eurovision fans have criticised the audio and lighting in rehearsal videos.
“It's still very new in Asia. I'm not sure many people have heard about it yet,” Sarun 'Note' Kungbunpot, a Thai singer and Eurovision enthusiast, told the BBC. He said contests in Thailand, the Philippines and Korea compete based on the singer's popularity, whereas Eurovision is all about the song.
The contest determines the winner through a 50/50 mix of public votes and national juries from each competing country, plus a 12th “rest of the world” category. Voters must register and give their eight votes to at least three others.
For Bhutan, a nation of less than a million people represented by 24-year-old Thukten Nyendra, the contest offers a rare global platform. "I'm not a star. I'm just Nyendra over there. Nobody knows me. But Eurovision has given me a huge platform. Actually winning would mean the world to us," Nyendra said.
Other contestants include 19-year-old Carmelle Collado from the Philippines, who said her song is about feminine energy, and Malaysia's Aina Abdul, who said her dress by designer Melinda Looi took 600 hours to make. There are no visible LGBTQ+ elements this year, and participating countries include Malaysia and Bangladesh, where same-sex activity is illegal.
Organisers hope the event could be the start of an expansion of the Eurovision brand into a region with half the world's population.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Represents the first major expansion of the Eurovision brand outside Europe into the world's most populous continent, testing its global transferability.
- The outcome will determine whether a second edition is viable, particularly for attracting major markets like India, China, Japan and Indonesia.
- Serves as a case study for adapting traditional Western television formats to Asian audiences in the digital age.
Background
Eurovision began in 1956 as a project to promote cultural exchange in post-war Europe, becoming an indelible piece of the continent's shared heritage. Attempts to create an Asian edition have been discussed for 20 years but never materialised. The first Eurovision Asia final takes place in Bangkok with 11 participating countries, after a $1m budget cut and several staff resignations in the weeks leading up to the event.
Key Perspectives
Sarun 'Note' Kungbunpot: Says the concept is still new in Asia and audiences need time to adjust to a contest that judges the song rather than the artist's popularity.
Thukten Nyendra (Bhutan's contestant): Views the contest as an unprecedented global platform for his small country, stating winning would mean "the entire freaking world" to him.
Carmelle Collado (Philippines contestant): Describes feeling both scared and happy as the youngest participant, framing her song as a celebration of feminine strength and the resilience of Filipino women.
Organisers: Hope the event can act as a springboard to attract larger Asian markets, including India, China, Japan and Indonesia, in subsequent years.
What to Watch
- Whether the production quality, which has been criticised in rehearsal videos, translates to a polished broadcast capable of winning over sceptics.
- The audience and jury voting patterns, particularly between countries with political differences such as Thailand and Cambodia.
- Official confirmation of a second edition and the participation of major Asian economies like India, China, and Japan.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedEurovision Asia is preparing for its debut grand final in Bangkok.BBC News: “Until now - Eurovision Asia will hold its first grand final in Bangkok, starting at 20:30 ICT (13:30 GMT).”
- SupportedThe grand final is scheduled to begin in Bangkok on Saturday.BBC News: “On Saturday, the biggest and longest-running international song contest will make a leap into unknown territory.”
- SupportedThe European Broadcasting Union is trying out Asian audiences for the contest’s 70th birthday.BBC News: “Eurovision, the pan-European competition famed for zany gimmicks, slick, sometimes over-the-top staging, the drama of its complex voting system and, occasionally, for outstanding music, celebrates its 70th birthday this year. And to mark it, the European Broadcasting Union is trying out audiences in Asia.”
- SupportedEleven countries are taking part in the first Eurovision Asia contest.BBC News: “Only 11 countries are taking part in this first Eurovision Asia contest – host Thailand, along with Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, South Korea, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.”
- SupportedPreparations involved a million-dollar budget cut three weeks before the final.BBC News: “A sudden million-dollar (£760,000) budget cut just three weeks before the final meant many of the technicians familiar with staging Eurovision were not brought to Thailand”
- SupportedThe budget cut meant many technicians familiar with staging Eurovision were not brought to Thailand.BBC News: “A sudden million-dollar (£760,000) budget cut just three weeks before the final meant many of the technicians familiar with staging Eurovision were not brought to Thailand”
- SupportedA number of staff resigned during preparations.BBC News: “and there have been a number of staff resignations too.”
- SupportedIndia, China, Japan and Indonesia are absent from the first contest.BBC News: “Asian giants India, China, Japan and Indonesia are noticeably absent, although there are negotiations ongoing to try to get them into next year's contest, assuming there is one.”
- SupportedNegotiations are ongoing to try to bring the four absent countries into next year’s contest, if it goes ahead.BBC News: “Asian giants India, China, Japan and Indonesia are noticeably absent, although there are negotiations ongoing to try to get them into next year's contest, assuming there is one.”
- SupportedSarun 'Note' Kungbunpot said, “It's still very new in Asia. I'm not sure many people have heard about it yet.”BBC News: “"It's still very new in Asia. I'm not sure many people have heard about it yet," he says”
- SupportedThe winner is determined by an equal mix of public votes and national juries, plus a 12th “rest of the world” category.BBC News: “Eurovision Asia will determine the winner through a 50/50 mix of public voting and national juries from each of the 11 contesting countries, as well as a 12th "rest of the world" category.”
- SupportedThere are no visible LGBTQ+ elements in this year’s contest.BBC News: “Eurovision Asia includes Malaysia and Bangladesh – where same-sex activity is illegal – and there are no visible LGBTQ+ elements this year.”