Tikbalang, Rangda, and Goblins: Ring of Fire and Podcast Network Asia launches The Ship of Myths

Ring of Fire Pvt. Ltd. works with Podcast Network Asia’s Podmachine to share remarkable myths and legends surrounding the culturally vibrant East and Southeast Asia.

Asia is home to some of the most remarkable and engaging folklores that are well known and loved all over the world. The Asian storytelling spectrum, however, tends to be dominated by stories from China, Japan, and India.

Unbeknownst to the world, East and Southeast Asia have incredible stories as well — tales that inspire, immerse, and reveal the rich and varied cultural tapestry of the regions.

Anand Roy, the founder and CEO of Ring of Fire, in partnership with Podcast Network Asia’s Podmachine, has created The Ship of Myths, a high-quality immersive audio drama that brings to life the incredible stories from East and Southeast Asia.

As Roy narrates his personal experience, “I have had the honour of spending a lot of time in Southeast and East Asia… and I have been truly inspired by the myths and folklore from this part of the world. This is our attempt at sharing these stories with a new audience.

Building the Ship

These myths and legends form an important part of the cultural fabric of the societies that they originate from. It was, therefore, imperative for the Ring of Fire team that the stories were approached with respect, sensitivity, and deference.

Accordingly, the team only worked with peer-reviewed and authenticated documents while curating source material for the featured stories. Also, through the creative process, the team regularly consulted with subject matter experts to ensure that Ring Of Fire’s interpretation of the stories was respectful and authentic to the regions they originated from.

“Re-crafting the stories to make them accessible and suitable for broader audiences, in the signature Ring of Fire style, while staying true to the source material, required a very delicate, careful, and considered approach,” Roy explained.

Building this ship during the pandemic was another challenge to power through, but for the Ring of Fire team members who are all scattered across multiple countries and timezones, bringing these stories to life was an exhilarating experience in itself. In Captain Teruk, the legendary pirate captain and narrator of The Ship of Myths, the crew found inspiration as the figurehead for the project — navigating choppy seas, in search of priceless treasure — in this case, the remarkable stories featured on The Ship Of Myths.

Set to Sail

Taking inspiration from the art of the audio drama and recognizing the wide platform that podcasts offer for a new form of storytelling, Ring of Fire partnered with Podcast Network Asia’s Podmachine.

For PNA’s Executive Chairman and Chief Content and Operations Officer Atty. Josef Acuña, it’s a commitment to give a platform for East and Southeast Asian stories to share with the world.

“The immortal stories from The Ship of Myths deserve to be heard across the world. As the leading podcast company in Asia, we deemed it our responsibility to collaborate with Ring of Fire in producing gripping quality audio content that would give people a better understanding of our rich Asian culture.

Some of the episodes will feature the stories of Indonesia’s Buto Ijo and Rangda, the Philippines’ Tikbalang and Bakunawa, Korea’s Dokkaebi, and many more.

When asked if Ring of Fire will expand its show to folk stories and urban legends from across the globe, Roy explained that East and Southeast Asia will continue to be their focus for now.

“We feel like we have just scratched the surface. Finding these stories, crafting them for a new age, and bringing them to life has been a truly enriching and rewarding journey for the team and me. And, we feel like we are just getting started!”

The Ship of Myths’ first episode will be available on the 4th of June, 2022 via Spotify, Apple, and Google Podcasts, brought to you by the Ring of Fire and powered by Podcast Network Asia’s Podmachine.

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