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· Bryan Ke
Man detained for 9 days by Chinese police for sharing ‘insulting’ meme of dog wearing a police hat
Chinese authorities have recently detained a man for sharing a meme considered insulting to the image of the police force. What happened: The man, who was identified by his surname Li, was summoned to a police station in Qingtongxia, a city in China’s Ningxia region, on Saturday…
· Editorial Staff
Racism allegations against controversial video of Chinese cotton farmer eating watermelon are debunked
Last week, a viral video of a Chinese farmer eating watermelon in a cotton field sparked outrage online as it was believed to perpetuate harmful stereotypes of Black people. As further explanation has since put many of these concerns to rest, social media users are calling for…
· Carl Samson
Vietnamese blogger jailed over government criticism warns family of ‘something bad’ before call is cut off
A Vietnamese blogger detained over anti-government posts has warned his family that “something bad” will have happened to him if they do not hear from him within the next 15 days. Disrupted communication: Phan Kim Khanh, who is serving a six-year prison term, delivered the…
· Sarah Yukiko
Elon Musk tweet of ancient Chinese poem ‘The Quatrain of Seven Steps’ stirs confusion
Tesla CEO and newly-minted world’s richest person Elon Musk sparked debate after posting an ancient Chinese quatrain on Twitter and Weibo. The reference: Musk shared the English word “Humankind” and the untranslated Chinese text of the Seven Steps Verse, a poem which is said to…
· Michelle De Pacina
South Korea’s tourism campaign with original soundtrack amasses over 240 million total views
South Korea’s latest tourism campaign “Feel the Rhythm of Korea” has gone viral with a total of over 240 million total views on YouTube. The campaign: On Sept. 3, the Korea Tourism Organization released Season 2 of “Feel the Rhythm of Korea” with eight short videos, reported…
· Ryan General
Netflix pulls ‘Pine Gap’ episodes after Philippines’ backlash to map asserting Chinese territorial claims
Two episodes of the series “Pine Gap” are no longer available in the Philippines after the country demanded Netflix remove them for showing China’s nine-dash line. Contested episodes: On Monday, the Philippines asked the streaming service to remove the Australian series’ second…
· Jiselle Lee
34,000 visitors trapped at Shanghai Disneyland for hours after a woman tested positive for COVID-19
Shanghai Disneyland Park locked its doors on about 34,000 theme park visitors and staff after a COVID-19 scare in order to test them for the virus. What happened: A woman from nearby Hangzhou traveled to Shanghai over the weekend and tested positive for COVID-19, prompting an…
· Michelle De Pacina
‘I never regret speaking up’: Taiwan-based singer Kimberly Chen on ‘Fragile’ being banned in China
Taiwan-based Australian singer Kimberley Chen has no regrets mocking Chinese nationalists even after her albums were taken down in China. No regrets: The song “Fragile” by Namewee, which features Chen, was banned days after its release in China for insulting the authoritarian…
· Bryan Ke
Man dressed as Joker injures 17 in Tokyo train knife and fire attack on Halloween
A Japanese man dressed in a Joker costume was arrested for injuring 17 people during a knife and fire attack at a Tokyo train station on Halloween. About the attack: The incident occurred near Kokuryo station in Tokyo’s western suburbs at around 8 p.m. on Sunday, according to…
· Grace Kim
Former Japanese PM Taro Aso faces heat for claiming climate change makes ‘tastier’ rice
Japan’s former Prime Minister Taro Aso, who’s been known to make controversial comments, drew attention again on Monday when he claimed that global warming has led to “tastier” rice. Recently elected Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has since apologized on his behalf. The incident:…
· Jiselle Lee
Tsai Ing-wen is the first Taiwan president in decades to confirm US military training on the island
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen confirmed the presence of U.S. military trainers on the island during a CNN broadcast on Tuesday. Taiwan’s increasing military power: President Tsai is the first Taiwan president to confirm the presence of the U.S. military for training purposes in…
· Michelle De Pacina
Thai resident faces attempted murder charges after cutting support rope of workers 26 floors high
A woman in Thailand faces attempted murder and property destruction charges after cutting the support rope of workers at the building she lives in. What happened: On Oct. 12, a high-rise condominium resident in Nonthaburi, Thailand, allegedly cut the support rope of two painters…
· Ryan General
One of China’s first influencers gets jail time for selling diet pills containing banned drug
A Chinese social media personality was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for allegedly “selling poisonous and harmful food.” Banned substance: Guo Meiling, a 30-year-old online influencer also known as Guo Meimei, was found guilty in January and February of selling…
· Khier Casino
Lauren Cho’s remains positively identified in California desert
The human remains discovered in Yucca Valley, Calif., on Oct. 9 have been positively identified as missing Korean American woman Lauren “El” Cho, officials announced on Thursday. Case update: The disappearance of Cho, a 30-year-old woman from New Jersey, prompted a months-long…
· Jiselle Lee
Judge says Northern California county water delivery ban is discriminatory against Hmong pot growers
A federal judge has blocked Northern California county permit laws that she argued were discriminatory toward Asian Americans. Ordinances: Two Siskiyou County ordinances were filed on May 4 that prohibit the transportation of groundwater without a permit.
· Jiselle Lee
Over $70,000 raised for the family of murdered Hong Kong taxi driver
After a 48-year-old taxi driver was stabbed and killed by a passenger on Oct. 12, Hong Kong Taxi and Public Light Bus Association raised over half a million Hong Kong dollars for his family. Murder and arrest: Wai Kim Hung, 48, was stabbed in the neck by a passenger while…
· Grace Kim
New trend sees Chinese influencers head to Shanghai Costco to pretend they’re in the US
Costco is beloved by millions of shoppers all over the world for having just about everything one could possibly need. For some, that includes the perfect backdrop to their photos, as Chinese influencers have recently been flocking to the stores as part of a new trend. For the…
· Grace Kim
Apple TV+ releases trailer for its original Korean drama debut ‘Dr. Brain’ starring Lee Sun-kyun
Apple TV+ is one of the latest streaming giants to cash in on the global success of K-dramas with a new sci-fi thriller titled “Dr. Brain” debuting on the platform next week. More info: The six-episode series features Lee Sun-kyun, who is known to international audiences for his…
· Ryan General
Tony Hsieh’s family accuses his former assistant of manipulating, swindling the late billionaire
The family of late billionaire Tony Hsieh has accused his assistant Jennifer “Mimi” Pham of swindling the Zappos founder out of millions of dollars. A grieving family’s response: Pham, who sued Tony’s estate for $93 million in February, is now facing a counterclaim from Tony’s…
· Michelle De Pacina
First full official trailer for live-action ‘Cowboy Bebop’ released by Netflix
The official trailer for Netflix’s “Cowboy Bebop” has dropped, and it gives more background on the show’s characters and their action-packed adventure. The trailer: On Oct. 26, Netflix released the official trailer for its live-action adaptation of “Cowboy Bebop” featuring stars…
Answer
BTS connects to HYBE, Weverse, memberships, merch, and tickets.
People & Works
Open
Person · Screen
Anna Sawai
Her 'Shogun' win cracked a category that had never gone to an Asian actor in 76 years of the Emmys — a ceiling break that arrived only once the industry let an Asian-led epic play in its own language.
Culture surface · Beauty
Beauty retail
Beauty retail is a culture-first entry point into the listed company behind it.
Person · Music
Dimash Qudaibergen
A Kazakh singer with a freakish multi-octave range conquered China's living rooms overnight and became Central Asia's most improbable soft-power export — a diaspora-of-one proving fandom now flows East before West.
IP · Anime
Haikyu!! films
Haikyu!! is the rare franchise that peaked commercially after its manga ended — the 2024 film cleared $100M worldwide and back-catalog sales grew ~50% post-conclusion, evidence that a well-timed theatrical event can reactivate a completed IP rather than merely close it out.
Platform · Platforms
Kakao Entertainment
Kakao Entertainment connects to Kakao and the broader platforms story around it.
Culture surface · Platforms
Kling AI
Kling AI connects to Kuaishou and the broader platforms story around it.
Culture surface · Platforms
Kuaishou
Kuaishou connects to Kuaishou and the broader platforms story around it.
Culture surface · Platforms
Kwai
Kwai connects to Kuaishou and the broader platforms story around it.
Culture surface · Retail
Lifestyle retail
Lifestyle retail connects to Miniso and the broader retail story around it.
Results
Culture · brand
Uniqlo
Uniqlo connects to Fast Retailing, the company behind the stores, basics, and repeat buying habit.
Culture · routine / beauty brands
K-beauty
K-beauty connects to companies built around skincare routines, hero products, and travel retail.
Culture · platform
Weverse
Weverse connects to HYBE, the platform where memberships, merch, content, and fandom access keep moving after the song.
Company · Japan · TYO:7832
Bandai Namco Holdings
Bandai Namco sits behind toys, anime IP, games, and licensing that turn fandom into everyday consumer products.
Company · China · HKEX:1024
Kuaishou
Kuaishou is China's number-two short-video platform, where livestream selling turned everyday creators into a shopping channel and rewired how goods get sold.
Company · India · NSE:ZEEL
Zee Entertainment
Zee is one of India's largest media networks — the TV channels and ZEE5 streaming that carry Bollywood and regional-language entertainment to a billion viewers and the diaspora.
Company · Japan · TYO:9983
Fast Retailing
Fast Retailing matters because Uniqlo is an everyday consumer habit, not just a stock story.
Company · Korea · KOSDAQ:035900
JYP Entertainment
JYP is tied to groups that drive albums, tours, subscriptions, merch, and international fan activity.
Company · Korea · KOSDAQ:041510
SM Entertainment
SM is tied to idol groups, tours, fan clubs, and the long-running system behind some of K-pop's most recognizable acts.
Company · Korea · KOSDAQ:122870
YG Entertainment
YG connects global K-pop attention to touring, brand deals, fan demand, and artist-centered entertainment revenue.
Company · China · NYSE:BABA
Alibaba
Alibaba is China's commerce-and-entertainment backbone — Taobao and Tmall shopping habits fund Youku streaming and Alibaba Pictures, tying online spending to what China watches.
Alibaba · Platforms · NYSE:BABA
The Grammys created an award for Asian pop. BTS said no.
Alibaba is China's commerce-and-entertainment backbone — Taobao and Tmall shopping habits fund Youku streaming and Alibaba Pictures, tying online spending to what China watches.
Fast Retailing · Fashion · TYO:9983
Your Uniqlo basics keep you coming back.
This shows up when you go back to Uniqlo for another pack of basics instead of treating the brand like a one-time fashion buy.
NetEase · Streaming · HKEX:9999
Your playlist depends on deals you never see.
NetEase helps explain gaming, music streaming, and online entertainment habits in Chinese consumer culture.
CJ ENM · Entertainment · KOSDAQ:035760
Before the first song drops, H//PE Princess already has a global Warner deal.
A debut deal matters less than whether the group turns into repeat listening, touring, merch, and fandom across markets.
Explainer · Sanrio
Hello Kitty is not just something you buy anymore. Sanrio wants you to play inside the world.
Sanrio shows how character fandom becomes retail, licensing, collabs, parks, and global consumer demand.
Explainer · Amorepacific
K-beauty won the Amazon cart. The real prize is your second bottle.
The first sale matters less than the repeat routine. If a product sticks, the brand can keep winning on replenishment, retail placement, and cross-market demand.