Recently back from military service, BTS's leader RM made history by becoming the first K-pop idol to give a keynote address at an APEC CEO summit in South Korea, calling on global leaders to support culture and embrace diversity. Coming four years after the band were invited to speak at the UN General Assembly, it was the latest display of Seoul's soft-power diplomacy, capitalising on K-pop's phenomenal global success.

But first, the recent expulsion of nine senior generals from China's People's Liberation Army and the Communist Party marks one of the most significant purges in President Xi Jinping's longstanding anti-corruption campaign. We try to get to the bottom of the stunning reversal of fortunes for the officials and the state of Xi's power consolidation, with Rana Mitter, ST Lee Chair in US-Asia Relations at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Also on the show, we delve into the world of Isao Takahata – co-founder of Studio Ghibli and the director behind "Grave of the Fireflies" and "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" – as a restrospective of his work comes to Paris. Known for his perfectionism and endless search for artistic innovation, the late creator is credited with helping propel Japanese animation onto the global stage.