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I don't think Asia (assuming we are talking about East/Southeast/South Asia here) is generally overrated; if anything, I think that westerners tend to underestimate the standards of living across Asia. Many people still adhere to post-WW2/Vietnam-era stereotypes of malnourishment, abundant crime, soical and political etc that are generally outdated.
This said, there are certainly a subset of people who do blow Asia up into more than it is, or at least misinterpret it grossly. Think: anime nerds/weeaboos, desperate dudes looking for love, people with an axe to grind with Western society or culture who think that Asia has it all down pat. When those people come here looking for a Fantasyland where they are held on a pedestal simply for being a foreigner who's interested (or obsessed) with local culture, life is usually a massive disappointment.
Living standards other than Japan, South Korea, Singapore, somewhat Taiwan and Hong Kong are what I'd consider "first world".
There's no "somewhat" regarding Taiwan and Hong Kong being first world-- They are, period, and have been for decades. Many cities in mainland China are now completely modern, too, though I wouldn't personally want to live there due to the poor air quality and human rights issues.
In addition to the places you listed, there are pockets of wealth popping up in cities within countries that are still otherwise "third world"-- Bangkok is full of large modern high rises now, for example, and (for better or worse-- personally I think worse) is trying to kill off its old image by getting rid of street food, tightening up alcohol laws, making their pharmacies no longer narcotic free-for-alls, etc. I predict in 20 years BKK will look more like Singapore or Tokyo than the city from the "Hangover" movie.
Lesser versions of this are going on elsewhere in SE Asia-- Saigon, Hanoi, Jakarta, KL, etc. I wouldn't call them "first world" (whatever that even means anymore) yet, but they are moving in that direction.
And then, of course, there is the quality of life to be had outside of the major cities if you like beaches, mountains, clean air, etc. If you find the heat of Singapore intolerable, SE Asia in general probably isn't for you, though, regardless of quality of life.
If anything, I think Asia is quite *under* rated in the west, with the possible exception of Tokyo and Hong Kong, which are obviously quite well known.
Lol. Since when has Asia been known for quality of life and since when have people been calling Asian countries "first world"? In your delusion?
Uh....If we're talking about places like Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore, people have been calling them "first world" for as long as I can remember, and I'm not that young. Especially Japan--- Good God, have you been to Tokyo? Compared to any American city, it looks like something from the future. (I say this as an American, for what it's worth. We don't have any large city that modern.)
Also, quite a lot of westerners move to Asia specifically for the quality of life. There are literally retirement communities and modern condo buildings full of foreigners popping up all over the place. I'm not sure you've even been to Asia.
I don't think Asia (assuming we are talking about East/Southeast/South Asia here) is generally overrated; if anything, I think that westerners tend to underestimate the standards of living across Asia.
Yes! As evidenced by some of the posters in this thread. haha.
I didn't know moving to another country made you incontinent. So the company that manufactures Depends must make a killing in Thailand.
Haha. I'd say for the typical US American, going to SE Asia can be a little bit like going to Mexico in terms of rolling the dice with your GI tract, even if you don't drink the water. There are just different bugs that we haven't developed an immunity to. I have personally never had a problem in the four times I've been to Thailand, but I did the only time I went to Cambodia, for example.
Uh....If we're talking about places like Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore, people have been calling them "first world" for as long as I can remember, and I'm not that young. Especially Japan--- Good God, have you been to Tokyo? Compared to any American city, it looks like something from the future. (I say this as an American, for what it's worth. We don't have any large city that modern.)
Also, quite a lot of westerners move to Asia specifically for the quality of life. There are literally retirement communities and modern condo buildings full of foreigners popping up all over the place. I'm not sure you've even been to Asia.
I don't know how you would go about "rating" a massive continent with cities as disparate as Tokyo, Tel Aviv, Mumbai, Pyongyang and Vladivostok - let alone "over" or "under" rating it.
Hmm. He must live in a different, Bizarro World version of Taiwan than the one I live in, then, and must not travel much elsewhere in Asia. Or read. Or watch the news. How else could one possibly not realize that much of East Asia is developed and has been for decades? To not recognize Taipei or Tokyo as first world would be like not recognizing New York or Chicago as first world.
Uh....If we're talking about places like Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore, people have been calling them "first world" for as long as I can remember, and I'm not that young. Especially Japan--- Good God, have you been to Tokyo? Compared to any American city, it looks like something from the future. (I say this as an American, for what it's worth. We don't have any large city that modern.)
Also, quite a lot of westerners move to Asia specifically for the quality of life. There are literally retirement communities and modern condo buildings full of foreigners popping up all over the place. I'm not sure you've even been to Asia.
Out of ~50 countries in Asia only like 5 are developed countries. That’s not a very good figure.
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