Resilience in the Arts: Reflecting on Malaysian Entertainment in 2021
— If 2020 was the year the world pressed pause, 2021 was the year Malaysia tried desperately to find the "play" button again. For the country’s entertainment and cultural sectors, it was a year of brutal paradoxes: record-breaking digital viewership alongside empty cinemas; internationally acclaimed music made in cramped home studios; and a cultural awakening driven by necessity.
Major cultural celebrations were heavily modified or kept behind closed doors to adhere to strict health protocols.
Astro’s Gempak platform became the unrivaled king of local web series. The hit series (season 2) broke streaming records, proving that horror—a genre Malaysians love in cinemas—could translate perfectly to the smartphone screen.