Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit and the Cat wherever you are across the country with a range of programming and activities on offer across the SBS network in the lead-up to and throughout Lunar New Year.
SBS’s line-up includes documentaries, dramas, movies, food programs and recipes, with a wide range of programs at SBS On Demand, extensive coverage across SBS Radio, and much more. You can also find in-depth articles and more at the .
SBS is ringing in the Lunar New Year with a distinctive line-up of programming from 16 January to 5 February to celebrate diverse cultures, traditions and food, and encourage all Australians to be part of this special time of year observed by more than 1.5 billion people around the world. Welcoming the Year of the Rabbit and Cat, content will be available in more than nine languages including Cantonese, English, Filipino, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Nepali and Vietnamese to showcase the breadth and diversity of celebrations.
Everyone can get involved in the celebrations with SBS, including getting out in the community with SBS’s Guide for 2023 Lunar New Year Celebrations across Australia (in and ) and finding out which classic Lunar New Year dish you should try using SBS’s fun .
Explore the Lunar New Year programs by channel:
SBS Radio
SBS Radio’s cross-platform audio offerings in-language, across broadcast radio, digital and podcasting,will feature cultural explainers, such as understanding the difference between the Year of the Rabbit and Cat, learning ; intimate storytelling about traditions and folklore, such as the for Vietnamese-Australians and the art of ; talkback radio and interviews with experts; food podcasts; and fun competitions and give-aways.
Music station SBS PopAsia will run Lunar New Year playlists for Mandopop, V-Pop, Cantopop and K-Pop on Sunday 22 January (at 10am, 12pm, 3pm and 8pm respectively) and other times through the week, while SBS Radio 1 will treat listeners to an early-morning C-pop session from 21 January to 5 February, from 6am to 7am.
SBS on Demand
The is bursting with choices, with , plus a range of drama series, documentaries and food shows. From the multi-award winning Korean dark comedy and acclaimed Japanese award-winner (plus newly arrived Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, also by director Ryusuke Hamaguchito) to martial arts and action adventures including , and , the movies offer something for everyone. Look out, too, for a brace of new films arriving on 20 January. Or settle in for a series: there's 48 episodes to enjoy in historical drama ; the full three seasons of Chinese-Australian comedy ; and more Australian-made drama in and . Look out, too, for new Korean series Cleaning Up, which starts with a double-episode launch on Thursday 19 January, with new episodes then arriving at SBS On Demand weekly.
SBS
Great Wall Of China: The Hidden Story, Sunday 22 January, 7.30pm
The Great Wall is the spectacular historic embodiment of China stretching thousands of miles across barren deserts and treacherous mountains before finally plunging into the sea. The wall, the symbol of China itself, has been the focus of much of remarkable archaeological activity. As new discoveries on the Great Wall are revealed, our understanding of this amazing structure and its origins, functions and significance - both as a political border, a statement of power and a military defence line - continues to grow.
SBS VICELAND
League of Gods, Wednesday 18 January, 11.30pm
Based on the 16th-century Chinese novel The Investiture of the Gods, the film features a star-studded cast including Jet Li, Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Louis Koo, Fan Bingbing, Huang Xiaomingm and Angelababy. In a long-ago war for the Middle Kingdon, a group set out to find the fabled Sword of Light. Each born with strange powers, the team is confronted with their own respective fears that threaten to endanger the quest. On their risky journey for the Sword, the first challenge is to overcome their fears.
New Year's Day Marathon, Sunday 22 January from noon
Watch a The Family Law S3 marathon from noon, followed by Finnish-Chinese film Master Cheng at 4.35pm, documentary China’s New Silk Road: Yiwu to Madridat 6.35pm and , the story of the rise, fall and redemption of a Cambodian refugee turned businessman, at 9.20pm.
SBS World Movies
Better Days (Mandarin), Sunday January 22, 10.20pm
Source: SBS World Movies
A high school student (played by Zhou Dongyu) bullied by a group of girls and the young street thug who becomes her protector (Jackson Yee) are the prime suspects in the murder of a teenage girl, who was the student's academic rival for the state Gaokao exam.
Better Days will be streaming at SBS On Demand for 30 days after it airs.
The Fortress (Korean), Thursday 26 January, 11.30pm
Directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator of the Netflix series Squid Game, The Fortress is an epic historical drama based on real-life events. In 1636, King Injo and his retainers seek refuge in a fortress as Qing dynasty forces from China invade Korea. The situation grows desperate as the king's advisers debate what course to take - should they negotiate, or keep fighting?
The Fortress is also streaming at SBS On Demand.
PLUS
Focus on Jackie Chan, Monday 23 January to Friday 27 January, 9.30pm
SBS showcases five films from the master, kicking off with Drunken Master on Monday 23 January, with Drunken Master II, Jackie Chan's First Strike, Bleeding Steel and Kung Fu Yoga following across the week. You can also dive into more of his famed films, streaming now at SBS On Demand.
SBS Food
Exploring baked bao in 'Eat China' Source: SBS Food
And for recipes to fill your Lunar New Year meals and stories highlighting the dishes and traditions of this special time of year, visit the and the .
#LNYSBS #LNY2023 #LunarNewYear2023
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