Today’s briefing:
— A new star is born
— An intriguing plot in Prague
— The world’s crappiest art
Good morning {{first_name | Intriguer}}. Surely one of the world’s great directors today is Denis Villeneuve (Sicario, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, Dune). And surely any list of all-time great film franchises must include — yes, invisible cars and tsunami surfing notwithstanding — James Bond.
So you might imagine the weird involuntary noise I made through a combination of my nose and mouth when word broke that MGM is now handing the James Bond reins to none other than Denis Villeneuve himself. And lest there be any doubt, he already gave the correct answer when asked his favourite James Bond film (Casino Royale).
Now, does any of this have anything to do with today’s briefing? Yes, weirdly enough, because we’re looking at the geopolitics of culture.
PS — A heads-up we’ll take a short break this Friday July 4th!
Number of the day
940
That’s how many pages are in President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, which just cleared a procedural vote, advancing to open debate in the Senate ahead of his July 4 deadline.
The other culture wars
This is Labubu.
It's time to take a quick break from all the trade wars and actual wars, and go back in time to pitch you a few quirky business ideas. But they all lean into culture, so bring your thick-rimmed glasses, turtle-neck, and beret, okay? As for the first pitch, we're taking you to...
🇨🇳 China
Hear us out. We're now an obscure Hong Kong artist making ends meet with random freelance illustration gigs. We don't have any real background in collectibles, but we have this idea for a plush toy monster with oversized teeth and googly eyes, and we'll sell him in 'blind boxes' so folks never actually know what they're getting until they buy one.
Oh, right, okay, no problem. Not your thing?
Yikes, you just passed on Labubu, the global phenomenon that's just helped its Beijing toymaker Pop Mart become a $43B behemoth, now adorning the usual coterie of celebs, inspiring fans to go full early-2000s-iPhone-release by queueing up overnight, and even appearing in Singapore's election campaign. US revenues are up 900%+, profit margins are north of 70%, and Labubu stores are even popping up in France's Louvre Museum.
How'd it all explode like this? Apparently someone spotted a K-pop star rocking a Labubu key-chain last year, which takes us to...
🇰🇷 Korea
Ok, now we're a niche rapper with (ahem) non-rockstar looks, and our past albums have sold maybe 100,000 each (dad is a music executive). But trust us, this next one will be yuuuuge. Yes, it'll still be in a language most of the world doesn't understand, and yes, it'll parody a postcode most of the world's never heard of. And yes, our music video will play out across parking lots, saunas, and an elevator pelvic thrust. But trust us, okay?
Oh, right. Not your thing either?
Well obviously PSY's Gangnam Style went wild 12 years ago, and shocked the local K-pop scene by racking up a few hundred thousand YouTube views in a day. Now? It's at 5.6 billion views, having scored mentions at the White House, Number 10, and even a UN endorsement as a "force for world peace".
Oh, and while single-handedly pushing Korea's services exports into surplus, this tune also spearheaded a new wave of global interest in Korea, and won fans everywhere including...
🇳🇿 New Zealand
Okay, now we're an obscure Kiwi film director, and our biggest budget film so far was a horror that failed to recoup its costs. But trust us, this time will be different. For the low low price of (ahem) half a billion dollars, we will adapt to the big screen one of the 20th century's great texts, long considered impossible because of its sprawling narrative, intricate world-building, and vast live-action sequences.
Jeepers, right, okay. Still not your thing?
Well, this is getting awkward, because you've now passed on the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which ended up reaping $4.5B at the box office, doubling New Zealand's tourism numbers within a few years, and establishing the country as a place to (among other things) reconnect with nature and make good movies.
Okay, for the last pitch, let's jet back in time and over to the opposite side of the world in...
🇫🇮 Finland
Now we're an unknown artist and writer, part of the local Swedish-speaking minority, and we've just spent a world war hunkering down and cooking up this idea for a children's series following fictional hippo-like creatures based loosely on a deliberately ugly caricature we did of German philosopher Immanuel Kant. Our whimsical adventures will blend cosy domesticity with existential themes like loneliness and freedom.
Seriously?! You’re gonna pass on this? Have you learned nothing?
The Moomins cultural phenomenon emerged from the ashes of WWII to now generate $1B+ a year across 60 languages, selling everything from home goods, to skateboards, plus even theme parks in Finland and now Japan, while putting Finland firmly on the map.
Dear Intriguer, you may now remove your beret.
Intrigue’s Take
We've barely scratched the surface here, of course. We could've looked at (say) the world's most-streamed TV series (Australia's Bluey), or the world's music producer with the most #1 hits (Sweden's Max Martin), or the world's most-translated comic (Belgium’s Tintin), or the world's most iconic game (Japan's Super Mario). Each has a national story.
And that's before we even cast our gaze towards the world's most dominant cultural power still today, even if its output might seem normal to those of us steeped in it — whether it's the Michaels (Jordan, Jackson, J Fox), the Bigs (Mac, Bird, Short, RIP Carrie's crush), the Johns (Coltrane, Steinbeck, Wayne), the Toms (Cruise, Hanks, Clancy) or the Jennifers (Lopez, Lawrence, Aniston, Hudson, Garner, Coolidge, Granholm).
But does this stuff really matter?
Well, these hits, whether the folks involved know or care, help project an entire national identity, shaping how governments see each capital, how investors assess each market, and how populations indirectly shape both. “Oh, so Korea is more than just cars and consumer tech?” “New Zealand is more than just [say] good dairy?” And “you seriously expect us to believe the home of that cute little guy is really a threat to our democracy?”
To put it another way, these hits help shape global perspectives, opinions, and choices, and that’s the currency of geopolitics. Yet they do it all without firing a shot.
Sound even smarter:
If you’re interested in reading a little more about the mysterious and delicate bird that is creativity itself, check out The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, the legendary record producer behind the Beastie Boys, Run-DMC, and beyond.
Intrigue presents…
How do you make fuel out of thin air?
Join International Intrigue and Casey Handmer for a chat on the future of energy, as his start-up Terraform Industries scales up making natural gas (plus just about any other industrial input) out of just sunlight and air. We’ll explore the story behind Terraform, the challenges facing today’s clean energy solutions, and how decarbonising industry might shape our world ahead. It’s online next Thurs, July 10th.
Meanwhile, elsewhere…
🇮🇷 IRAN - Back to square one?
The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog has warned Iran could potentially be back enriching uranium “in a matter of months”, contrasting with White House assessments Iran’s program is done and dusted. Meanwhile, Iran’s regime has held state funerals for its top commanders killed in last week’s war with Israel. (CNN)
🇨🇦 CANADA - Netflix tax averted?
Ottawa has announced it’s scrapping a digital-services tax targeting US tech firms ahead of renewed US trade talks. Canada’s tax, which President Trump cited in halting the talks just on Friday, would’ve come into effect today (Monday). (F24)
🇯🇵 JAPAN - All ye can eat!
China has partially lifted a ban on seafood imports from Japan, amid a possible softening in ties. China halted the imports in 2023 in response to Japan releasing treated Fukushima wastewater into the sea (in line with UN guidelines). (BBC)
🇺🇦 UKRAINE - F-16 lost in huge Russian attack.
Ukraine has lost an F-16 fighter jet and its pilot in what Kyiv is calling Russia’s biggest aerial assault of the war, featuring over 530 drones and missiles (which Ukraine says it mostly shot down). (Politico)
Comment: As Putin’s progress slows to a crawl along the frontline, he’s relying more on these stand-off attacks, presumably hoping to erode Ukraine’s will to fight. We suspect it’ll instead sharpen Ukraine’s focus on Russia’s industrial base, plus the debate around whether the US will resume sales of air defence kit to the Ukrainians.
🇹🇼 TAIWAN - Party crasher.
Czech intelligence has revealed its assessment that China’s spooks planned to stage a car collision with Taiwan’s newly elected vice president during a visit to Prague back in March 2024. At the time, there were reports one of China’s local diplomats had run a red light while tailing the Taiwanese VIP’s vehicle. (Guardian)
🇮🇩 INDONESIA - Battery-powered future.
The world’s biggest EV battery maker (CATL) has broken ground on a $6B plant in Indonesia, in line with Jakarta’s plans to vertically integrate its battery supply chain. (Business Times)
Comment: Add this to the list of Indonesia’s wins since it banned the export of raw nickel back in 2020 (ie, forcing end-buyers to invest locally if they want a slice).
🇲🇽 MEXICO - No space junk!
President Sheinbaum has flagged Mexico could sue SpaceX over debris and alleged contamination caused by a failed rocket launch earlier this month. (Al Jazeera)
Comment: Cross-border damage is one of the more developed areas of international law, and a reminder of the limits to innovation’s ‘move fast and break things’ mantra.
Extra Intrigue
🤣 Your roundup of the world’s lighter news
Having trouble selecting your wedding venue? A few lucky couples in Amsterdam have tied the knot on a highway.
US disease control has published a report citing a study that doesn’t exist, according to a researcher listed as its author.
A Danish logistics provider is suing the world’s largest shipping company for thawing thousands of cheesecakes at sea.
Scottish politicians are calling for a Scotland-wide seagull summit, arguing the birds are getting too aggressive.
And British authorities have had to rescue a local after he got stuck down a chimney while trying to retrieve his dog from a locked bathroom.
Artwork of the day
Wombat on a Starry Night. Credits: Evie Silver.
Look familiar? It’s an artist’s take on van Gogh’s famous Starry Night. The difference? The painting above features a cute wombat and is made entirely out of animal poo.
That’s right, dear Intriguers, the annual Poo-tastic Tasmanian Paint Off is back on, ready to select a winner from a selection of truly crappy paintings. The unorthodox competition is hosted by Australia’s Pooseum, which aims to raise awareness around bowel health.
Today’s poll
Which country do you think has the most cultural power, and why?
Thursday’s poll: Do you think Ukraine will ever be part of NATO?
❌ No, Zelensky is getting strung along (48%)
💪 Yes, once the war is over (50%)
✍️ Other (write us!) (2%)
Your two cents:
💪 A.F: “Ukraine is too strategically important for European allies not to have it in NATO. Russia knows this and has failed to deter Finland and Sweden, which is why it won't agree to peace.”
❌ C.O.E: “Ukraine will NEVER be in NATO as long as the Russian Federation exists. It is too volatile a scenario.”
✍️ L: “Adding Ukraine to NATO now would, in the minds of many, almost justify Putin's aggression, albeit ex post facto. The arrangement would likely not last long.”
✍️ T: “It depends on who the next US president is.”