For centuries, guilt has been an unspoken emotion at the heart of Asian culture, passed down from one generation to the next. But where did this culture of guilt come from? And how can we understand, and ultimately untangle, this complex historical burden before it's too late?

In this series, social psychologist Elaine Fernandez travels across Asia, visiting the Philippines, Japan, China and India, to investigate the roots of Asian guilt. From the legacy of wartime guilt woven into modern-day Japan to the lasting psychological impact of the 'Down to the Countryside Movement' on Chinese youth, discover how guilt culture has seeped into the social fabric of the East.

Along the way, we learn about the ways in which Asian guilt has played an invisible role in everything from traditional family dynamics to financial fraud to emerging AI tools.