Bangkok, twelve points? Eurovision Asia is ready for its first big night

K-pop, beatboxing, folk-pop and a fresh set of national rivalries: Eurovision is taking its formula to Bangkok. On Saturday 14 November, eleven countries will compete in the first Eurovision Song Contest Asia, streaming live at 2.30pm Brussels time. For queer fans, it is an invitation to discover new pop favourites — and see whether Eurovision’s sense of possibility can travel as well as its television format.eurovision+1

A new stage, not a copy of the map

Eurovision Asia makes its debut at One Bangkok Forum, with Thailand’s Channel 3 and Voxovation partnering on the event. Eleven countries are taking part, from Bangladesh and Bhutan to the Philippines and Mongolia. India, Japan and China are not on this first line-up.

That makes this a particular cross-section of Asian music, not a contest that can claim to represent an entire continent. Its appeal lies partly in the opportunity to meet artists who may be major names at home but unfamiliar to viewers elsewhere.

Executive producer Assaf Blecher describes the competition as a window onto other countries, their music, people and costumes. After three years of preparation, the organisers are hoping that curiosity can become a new viewing ritual.

For Brussels fans, at least, the scheduling is friendly: this Eurovision starts on Saturday afternoon. No need to negotiate a midnight finish before making your evening plans.

Meet your potential new favourites

Vietnam opens the show with Tóc Tiên, an established star bringing the pop-dance track “EM TIÊN”. AFP identifies her as one of the favourites, while the official selection process saw audiences choose her entry from songs developed with five creative teams. An early position in the running order means there is a reason to tune in from the start.

South Korea sends JUNHEE with “DEEP DIVE”, selected through Korea’s Next Wave. Bangladesh offers a different proposition: Beatmosphere, an all-male a cappella and beatbox collective, performing “Tumi Ele”.

Bhutan’s Nyendra brings “Lhayi Semo”, a folk-pop love song performed in traditional dress. Malaysia’s Aina Abdul closes the competition with “Bluest Sky”, choosing English to reach a wider audience. Nepal’s Pratik Himal Rai, meanwhile, performs “Ananta Maya”.

The range is part of the invitation. Rather than arriving with a ready-made ranking, this is a chance to hear eleven entries without years of Eurovision expectations attached to each country.

Will the queer connection travel too?

Eurovision’s European edition has a substantial LGBTQIA+ following, built around a contest known for extravagant performance, eclectic music and a willingness to embrace excess. But a new edition does not automatically inherit the same cultural meaning.

A television format can be licensed. A community’s attachment to it has to develop.

For LGBTQIA+ audiences today, this matters because a global pop platform can widen the range of voices and performances we encounter — but visibility should not be confused with a guarantee of queer inclusion.

The first Asian edition offers an opportunity, not a finished identity. Its queer appeal may emerge through the artists, the staging, the fan conversations or the ways viewers make the event their own. It should not depend on assuming anything about a performer’s sexuality or gender.

The useful word is discovery. Before deciding whether Bangkok has reproduced Eurovision’s familiar magic, there is value in letting these artists introduce themselves.

Love songs, yes. But where is the provocation?

Not everyone is convinced that a strong vocal and a polished love song will be enough.

Eurovision historian Dean Vuletic told AFP that the Asian line-up lacks some of the provocation or forceful messaging that can help entries connect internationally. In his view, that edge is part of what distinguishes the European contest from other singing competitions.

It is a fair question, although love songs are not automatically unadventurous. Their impact will depend on the performance, its context and what audiences hear in it.

The comparison also places a lot on a debut edition. Eurovision’s European identity developed over decades; Bangkok has one evening to begin establishing its own. The more interesting test may be whether the contest creates memorable encounters, rather than whether it immediately produces the next definitive Eurovision moment.

The politics will not stay backstage

The launch arrives during a difficult year for the European competition. Its 2026 audience fell to 131 million, down 35 million from the previous year, following a boycott by five countries over Israel’s participation. The anniversary celebrations have therefore unfolded alongside a debate about the contest’s political responsibilities.

Asia brings its own diplomatic tensions. Blecher pointed to Cambodia and Thailand, which clashed over their border last year, as an example of how relations between countries could enter the voting conversation. That is his assessment of a possibility, not evidence of how their audiences will vote.

The lesson is familiar: a show organised around national flags cannot simply ask politics to wait outside.

What remains to be seen is whether Eurovision Asia can make those national introductions feel like an opening rather than a set of boundaries.

Practical information

• Event: The first Eurovision Song Contest Asia.
• Date: Saturday 14 November 2026.
• Venue: One Bangkok Forum, Bangkok, Thailand.
• Start time: 2.30pm in Brussels, corresponding to 8.30pm in Bangkok.
• Watch from Belgium: The organisers announce a live stream on the official Eurovision YouTube channel, accessible through the Eurovision Asia website.
• Preview show: Friday 13 November in Bangkok; ticket links are available through the official site.eurovision
• Belgian watch parties: None were confirmed in the sources consulted.
• Stream accessibility: Captioning and other access provisions were not detailed in the information consulted.

The running order

Order	Country	Artist	Song

Order	Country	Artist	Song
1	Vietnam	Tóc Tiên	“EM TIÊN”
2	Cambodia	Monetrey	“I Let You Go”
3	Laos	Thinla	“BAE”
4	Mongolia	Beck	“Chamguigeer (Without You)”
5	Bhutan	Nyendra	“Lhayi Semo”
6	Philippines	CARMELLE	“Sobra-Sobra”
7	Bangladesh	Beatmosphere	“Tumi Ele”
8	Thailand	MANG x DAOU	“Aroma”
9	South Korea	JUNHEE	“DEEP DIVE”
10	Nepal	Pratik Himal Rai	“Ananta Maya”
11	Malaysia	Aina Abdul	“Bluest Sky”

The running order and song titles are confirmed by the organisers. Listen ahead through the official guide to all eleven entries.

Eleven songs, one first impression and a Saturday afternoon with room for a new obsession. Bangkok has the stage; now it gets to show us what it wants to do with it.

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