Communication Research in a Transcultural Era as Words like Mukbang Enter the English Dictionary

This editorial reflects on the dynamic media landscape and communication practices in a transcultural era. As the new Editor-in-Chief of Asian Communication Research,, this piece introduces mukbang—a Korean-born, globally embraced phenomenon—as an example of how new forms of digital media content develop through transcultural flows while remaining embedded in locally situated cultural norms and interpretive frameworks. Asian Communication Research covers a wide and diverse range of topics, spanning from the implications of AI-generated content and platform algorithms to research on traditional media and enduring communication practices. In a transcultural era marked by rapid media convergence and cultural hybridity, the journal encourages scholarship that is both globally relevant and culturally grounded. It aims to foster insightful research that advances our understanding of communication in a world where cultural borders are increasingly fluid and media practices are constantly evolving.