Bringing members together at Soho Connects Asia
We welcomed guests from the worlds of art, music, film, fashion, technology and wellness for a weekend of creativity
Wednesday 26 February 2025 By Chloe Lawrance
With members flying in from across the continent – from Sydney to Seoul to Melbourne – Soho Connects Asia landed at our House in Bangkok this month. Throughout a weekend full of cultural and creative exchange, Soho House and Cities Without Houses members gathered at the club to enjoy special parties and dinners, musical performances and, of course, a whole host of fascinating panels with thought leaders and industry experts.
Read on for some of the highlights from the weekend’s programme.
Friday 21 February
Soho Unplugged: Brasstracks supported by Johnnie Walker Black Label
Following a drinks mixer – which allowed guests to break the ice and get to know their fellow attendees – as well as a special Pen Yen menu served in the House Kitchen, New York duo Brasstracks took to the stage for a live musical performance, trumpets and all.
Saturday 22 February
Panel – Beyond Hollywood: diversity, representation and the global screen
Singapore Repertory Theatre artistic director Gaurav Kripalani was joined by festival director Michael Lim and film producer Nicholas Simon to celebrate the increased representation and diversity in film and media. The trio discussed the rise of content and creators from non-American perspectives, challenging Hollywood’s dominance as they explored the impact streaming platforms and globalised storytelling has had on audience expectations and cultural narratives.
Read on for some of the highlights from the weekend’s programme.
Friday 21 February
Soho Unplugged: Brasstracks supported by Johnnie Walker Black Label
Following a drinks mixer – which allowed guests to break the ice and get to know their fellow attendees – as well as a special Pen Yen menu served in the House Kitchen, New York duo Brasstracks took to the stage for a live musical performance, trumpets and all.
Saturday 22 February
Panel – Beyond Hollywood: diversity, representation and the global screen
Singapore Repertory Theatre artistic director Gaurav Kripalani was joined by festival director Michael Lim and film producer Nicholas Simon to celebrate the increased representation and diversity in film and media. The trio discussed the rise of content and creators from non-American perspectives, challenging Hollywood’s dominance as they explored the impact streaming platforms and globalised storytelling has had on audience expectations and cultural narratives.
Panel – Threads of identity: fashion, culture and sustainability
How does fashion help us to embrace our individuality and our different cultures? Panellists Clara Goh, Tessa Lont, Kieran Ho and Be Inthavong sat down with Soho House Bangkok Membership Manager Tatwasin ‘Boat’ Khajeenikorn to interrogate all this and more. The group spoke about sustainability challenges within fashion, the influence of Asian styles on a globalised industry, and the perceptions of ‘Made in...’ labels across the globe.
Panel – What is art? Redefining creativity in a changing world
As the definition of art continues to evolve in the digital ages, moderator Julien-Loïc Garin (Le Cercle Asia) and panellists Kanachai ‘Kit’ Bencharongkul (MOCA Bangkok) and Shuyin Yang (fair director, ART SG) discussed new mediums, like AI-generated and crypto art. Who gets to decide what qualifies as art – critics, institutions or the audience? And how is this authority shifting?
Panel – Tomorrow’s world: tech, AI, inclusivity, and the future of innovation
Soho House Membership Director Asia, Albert Lin, was joined by Leanne Robers (She Loves Tech), Martha Waslen (DayAway) and Kelvin Tang (PONS.ai) to examine the current state of play in the world of technology, particularly the transformative impact of AI. The group discussed the intersection of creativity and ethics in technology, as well as offering up some predictions for the next wave of advancements.
How does fashion help us to embrace our individuality and our different cultures? Panellists Clara Goh, Tessa Lont, Kieran Ho and Be Inthavong sat down with Soho House Bangkok Membership Manager Tatwasin ‘Boat’ Khajeenikorn to interrogate all this and more. The group spoke about sustainability challenges within fashion, the influence of Asian styles on a globalised industry, and the perceptions of ‘Made in...’ labels across the globe.
Panel – What is art? Redefining creativity in a changing world
As the definition of art continues to evolve in the digital ages, moderator Julien-Loïc Garin (Le Cercle Asia) and panellists Kanachai ‘Kit’ Bencharongkul (MOCA Bangkok) and Shuyin Yang (fair director, ART SG) discussed new mediums, like AI-generated and crypto art. Who gets to decide what qualifies as art – critics, institutions or the audience? And how is this authority shifting?
Panel – Tomorrow’s world: tech, AI, inclusivity, and the future of innovation
Soho House Membership Director Asia, Albert Lin, was joined by Leanne Robers (She Loves Tech), Martha Waslen (DayAway) and Kelvin Tang (PONS.ai) to examine the current state of play in the world of technology, particularly the transformative impact of AI. The group discussed the intersection of creativity and ethics in technology, as well as offering up some predictions for the next wave of advancements.
Panel – The soundtrack of society: music, culture and connection
The music industry is changing at breakneck speed, as short-form content apps like TikTok continue to change the way we consume music. Moderators Daryll Griggs and Pavika ‘Ibby’ Indradat spoke to Paul Sirisant (CEO of Vibal Corporation), Nick Supreda (CEO of BlaqLyte) and Danny Chung (songwriter and A&R at THEBLACKLABEL) about this evolution of listening habits. They also examined the impact this is having on genre, and the production process on a global and local scale.
Sunday 22 February
Drag lunch and bingo
After a morning of wellness-boosting activities throughout the House, members gathered to indulge in a special Sunday Roast, while they were entertained by some of Bangkok’s most provocative drag queens. The queens later hosted a game of bingo with the promise of some big prizes.
Check the events page to see what’s coming up at our Houses around the world
The music industry is changing at breakneck speed, as short-form content apps like TikTok continue to change the way we consume music. Moderators Daryll Griggs and Pavika ‘Ibby’ Indradat spoke to Paul Sirisant (CEO of Vibal Corporation), Nick Supreda (CEO of BlaqLyte) and Danny Chung (songwriter and A&R at THEBLACKLABEL) about this evolution of listening habits. They also examined the impact this is having on genre, and the production process on a global and local scale.
Sunday 22 February
Drag lunch and bingo
After a morning of wellness-boosting activities throughout the House, members gathered to indulge in a special Sunday Roast, while they were entertained by some of Bangkok’s most provocative drag queens. The queens later hosted a game of bingo with the promise of some big prizes.
Check the events page to see what’s coming up at our Houses around the world
