Who was good — and who was bad — in 2024

In a region well-known for natural disasters that make global headlines, thousands of “climate casualties” are expected to rise across Asia in 2024..

Unlike 20 years ago, when a devastating earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004 killed more than 200,000 people, 2024 will be a year of increased casualties from typhoons, floods, heat waves and droughts.

In one example, Super Typhoon Yagi, one of the strongest storms to hit Southeast Asia in recent years, left a trail of death and destruction in November. From the Philippines through southern China and Vietnam to Laos, Thailand and Myanmar, the storm killed hundreds of people and destroyed communities and livelihoods.

Floods caused by the annual monsoon rains have also left millions stranded and hundreds killed in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Nepal, making this year one of the deadliest in recent memory. And if it wasn’t record rainfall, it was drought accompanied by scorching temperatures that led to months of severe water shortages.

As extreme weather events seem more the norm and their victims too often go unnoticed and forgotten, the region’s climate damage earns the dubious distinction of being Asia’s worst year.

Where did all the children go? In most East Asian countries, aspiring grandparents and other supporters of newborns face another tough year in 2024. Record low birth rates remain a major concern in all major economies, including South Korea, China and Japan, as well as Taiwan. and Hong Kong.

The birth rate remained well below the level required for stable, if not population growth. The long-term economic consequences could well be significant as countries grapple with shrinking workforces and aging populations.

Women throughout East Asia practically do not give birth to children. Changing gender roles, long working hours, the high cost of housing, education and child care have all been cited as factors behind this demographic trend.

At the end of the year, South Korea was also officially declared a “super-aged” society, a term defined by the United Nations, as the proportion of citizens aged 65 and over now makes up 20% of its population, according to the Korean Ministry of Affairs. Interior and security.

From India and Japan to South Korea and Indonesia, from Pakistan and Sri Lanka to Taiwan, elections dominated 2024. However, at the end of the year, it turned out to be clearly ambiguous not only for the current politicians, but also for democracy itself.

The year began with Bangladesh’s longtime leader and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina retaining power in an election boycotted by the opposition, only to resign and flee the country after weeks of post-election student protests.

Infamously, the year ends with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declaring martial law eight months after his party lost a landslide in a general election, only to see the National Assembly successfully move to both lift martial law and to impeachment. Now the fate of the president is decided by the Constitutional Court.

Nevertheless, the election cemented a vibrant democracy in Taiwan, forced Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rule with a coalition, surprised Pakistan’s sitting president and announced a peaceful transfer of presidential power in Indonesia to former general Prabowo Subiant. Diverse, ambiguous democratic trajectories for Asian democracies characterized 2024.

K is Korean. Whether you’re listening to K-pop music, streaming K-drama, trying out Sulwhasoo’s latest K-beauty product, or chowing down on Korean fried chicken or other K-food, you’ve succumbed to “Hallyu”—South Korea’s wave of wildly popular cultural exports. 2024 is proving to be a good year for this growing wave of business that has expanded far beyond superstar music groups BTS and Blackpink.

To say that a female pygmy hippopotamus named Mu Deng (Thai for “inflatable pig”) took the world by storm in 2024 would be an understatement.

Born this July at Khao Kheo Open Zoo in Thailand, the “hyperviral” baby pygmy has seen her memes, photos and videos go global.

Fan accounts on X, TikTok and Facebook continue to grow. And even NBC’s long-running American comedy show Saturday Night Live got caught up in the Mu Deng craze. Asian-American star Bowen Young portrayed a baby hippopotamus in a segment on the show’s “Weekend Update,” lamenting the dangers of instant fame.

Adding to his fame, Mu Deng correctly predicted the winner of the 2024 US presidential race by choosing a plate of fruit and vegetables with Trump’s name on it over Kamala Harris’ plate.

2024 may have been the Year of the Dragon in the lunar calendar, but it was also clearly the Year of the Hippopotamus in the hearts and minds of Mu Deng’s fans in Asia and beyond. For bringing a bit of hope and joy to a region and a world that needs a lot more good cheer, the title of “Asia’s Best Year” for 2024 went to Mu Deng.

Here we come to the year 2025, filled with hopes and joy.