I was joking with someone that Southeast Asian apps feel a bit schizophrenic because they mix Western (US), Eastern (Chinese), and Indian sensibilities. He brought up the topic, but it is something I have personally observed too.

Founders study in the US and initially build an app that feels like a product built in the valley. Clean UX. Focus on visual elements over text. Over time they look towards the east for inspiration because a lot of cutting-edge stuff in consumer technology is led by China. So the aggressive engagement playbook is adopted. Focus on UGC and gamification becomes important. Every empty space on the UI needs to be filled.

Meanwhile, the PMs adapting most of these ideas from the East and West for the Southeast Asian audience are mostly Indian. They are also using their experience with Indian products to drive UX decisions.

My friend was joking that you can look at different flows in these apps and figure out the inspiration behind them.

It is a beautiful mess.