What Crazy Rich Asians Got Wrong About Asia: 10 Things You Shouldn’t Assume About Asians from One Movie

Published April 24, 2025

Let’s start with this—Crazy Rich Asians is a fun movie. It’s glossy, it’s glamorous, and it gave a lot of us a reason to smile. But while it made waves in Hollywood for being a big-budget film with a mostly Asian cast, it also made some bold assumptions about what being Asian means. And honestly? A lot of it just doesn’t hold up.

No hate, really. We know it’s a romantic comedy, not a documentary. But when a movie becomes a cultural landmark, it’s easy for people to start thinking it reflects an entire continent. So, here’s a friendly reality check: Asia is huge, diverse, and far more complex than what you see in that one wedding scene.

Here are ten things the movie Crazy Rich Asians got wrong—or at least oversimplified—about Asians and Asian culture:

1. That Kind of “Crazy Rich” Isn’t Common in Asia

Sure, the film is literally about “crazy rich” Asians, but the kind of over-the-top wealth it showcases isn’t just rare—it’s rarer than rare. Even among the richest Asians, the extravagance you see in the movie is more fantasy than reality.

In countries like Japan or the Philippines, old money often dresses in quiet luxury—think understated sophistication, not diamond-studded drama.

2. Not All Asians Speak English Like That

Most Asians who grew up in Asia do have an accent when speaking English. That’s normal. Fluency doesn’t always mean sounding American or British. So, if you’re expecting everyone in Asia to drop witty one-liners in perfect English—temper those expectations a bit.

3. Not All Asians Are Thin, Flawless, and Fair-Skinned

There’s no one-size-fits-all Asian look. Asians come in all shapes, sizes, and skin tones—from pale to deep brown.

We have freckles, pimples, and yes, love handles. And that’s perfectly human.

4. Relationship Norms Vary Wildly Across Asia

The drama in the movie revolves around traditional family expectations, but that’s not universal. In some parts of Asia, arranged marriages are common. In others, people move in together before tying the knot. Some cultures are super liberal; others more conservative. There’s no single “Asian way” when it comes to love and marriage.

5. Not Everyone Is Obsessed with Western Brands

Contrary to the film’s luxury-flaunting scenes, many Asian countries are fiercely proud of their own brands. In places like Japan or South Korea, local products often dominate because they’re seen as superior. And in China? They’ll just make their own version—cheaper, faster, and trendier.

6. In Some Countries, What Women Wear Is Legally Regulated

While the movie showed women rocking high fashion, that kind of freedom isn’t available everywhere. In some Asian countries, the law dictates what women can and cannot wear, especially in public spaces. The reality can be much more restrictive than the movie suggests.

7. Not All Asians Use Chopsticks

Shocking, right? Countries like the Philippines, Thailand, and parts of Indonesia use spoons and forks. And not like in the West—forks are mainly used to push food into the spoon, which does the actual feeding.

8. Not All of Asia Has Snow or Ice

No, we don’t all sip cocktails on frozen lakes. Countries like India, Pakistan, the Philippines, and many others have tropical or desert climates. Snow? Ice? Not part of daily life for millions of Asians.

9. It Should’ve Been Called Crazy Rich Singaporeans

Let’s be real. The story centers around one very specific group: wealthy Singaporean Chinese families.

That’s an extremely small sliver of Asia. Slapping the whole continent into the title was a stretch.

10. It’s Not The Asian Movie

While we’re proud of how Crazy Rich Asians broke ground in Hollywood, it’s not the crown jewel of Asian storytelling. The plot—rich boy meets poor girl, disapproving family, happily ever after—isn’t exactly revolutionary. We have centuries of incredible Asian literature and film that dive far deeper into love, loss, and identity. This just scratched the surface.

Crazy Rich Asians was a step forward in representation, and we’re happy it exists. But don’t let it be your only window into what it means to be Asian. If you really want to get to know Asia, go beyond the glitz. Watch local films, read translated novels, eat with your hands in some countries and your chopsticks in others, and most of all—listen to real stories.

Because Asia isn’t a genre. It’s a whole, complicated, beautiful world.