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· Maina Chen
‘Shang-Chi’ star Simu Liu explains why ‘first Asian’ titles matter, talks feeling like an ‘imposter’
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” star Simu Liu talks about his favorite skit from his gig hosting “Saturday Night Live” (“SNL”) and his struggle with imposter syndrome even as one of Marvel’s most successful leads in an exclusive interview with NextShark. Warning:…
· Myra Khan
Taliban curtailing women’s rights in Afghanistan, killing female activists
Since the Taliban takeover on Aug. 15, the Islamic extremist group has been violating women’s rights and targeting female activists despite promising the contrary, leaving many to wonder why Western allies have seemingly abandoned the people of Afghanistan. Broken promises:…
· Bryan Ke
Queensland woman who boasted of running down Asian cyclist gets 10-year jail sentence
An Australian woman who boasted about leaving an Asian cyclist to die on a rural highway following a road rage incident in 2012 has been sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment. The sentencing: Joanne Marie McAuley, 49, pleaded guilty at the Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday to one…
· Jiselle Lee
GOP Congresswoman Nancy Mace says her use of ‘Republic of Taiwan’ was ‘100%’ intentional
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) said that she intentionally used the term “Republic of Taiwan” in a recent tweet to show her support for the Taiwanese people. Taiwan visit: Mace, along with four other U.S. representatives and 17 congressional staff members, visited Taiwan last week to…
· Ryan General
AAJA sparks criticism for style guide that says Taiwan ‘officially a province of China’
San Francisco-based nonprofit Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) has sparked online backlash after listing Taiwan as a “province of China” in its “Guide to Covering Asian Pacific America.” Highly disputed: The AAJA style guide notes that the “fact” of Taiwan’s status…
· Bryan Ke
Bipartisan U.S. lawmaker group ignore China’s ‘blunt message’ against visiting Taiwan amid rising tensions
Even as tensions between the U.S. and China continue to rise, five lawmakers — including Democrats and one Republican — recently traveled to Taiwan to meet with officials despite objections from Beijing. What happened: The Taiwan trip was headed by House Committee on Veterans’…
· Bryan Ke
Enes Kanter accuses ‘spineless’ Nets owner Joe Tsai of being a Chinese government ‘puppet’
Outspoken NBA player Enes Kanter continued his public fight against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the alleged use of forced Uyghur labor by calling out Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai. “Spineless”: Kanter called out the Taiwanese-born Canadian citizen before the Nets and…
· Sarah Yukiko
Bestselling author Abigail Hing Wen on adapting ‘Loveboat, Taipei’ to the big screen
Abigail Hing Wen spoke to NextShark about the “Loveboat, Taipei” film adaptation, her forthcoming sequel and the importance of a multiplicity of representation. Abigail Hing Wen is exceedingly busy. An author, screenwriter, producer and tech leader who graduated from Harvard…
· Khier Casino
Brave schoolchildren in China rescue pregnant teacher as she faints in class
A group of schoolchildren in China were quick to help a pregnant teacher who collapsed while teaching the class. Heroes: The students were in class in southern China when their pregnant teacher suddenly fainted in front of them.
· Michelle De Pacina
‘Ip Man’ star vs Ip Man student: Donnie Yen faces off against Bruce Lee in resurfaced animated short
Action movie star Donnie Yen battles against iconic martial artist and actor Bruce Lee in a three-minute animated video going viral over eight years after its original debut. Donnie Yen vs. Bruce Lee: The 2013 3D animated short film “A Warrior’s Dream” recently went viral when…
· Carl Samson
Gay AAPI lawmaker reportedly removed as committee chair as ‘revenge,’ replaced with straight white male
In an alleged act of “revenge,” California Assemblymember Evan Low, an openly gay Democrat representing Silicon Valley, was removed as chair of a key legislative committee and subsequently replaced by a straight white male colleague. What happened: Assembly Speaker Anthony…
· Ryan General
‘I had to send him back to China’: UFC fighter faces heat for comment aimed at Mongolian opponent
A comment made by UFC flyweight fighter Cody Durden following his victory over opponent Qileng “the Mongolian Murderer” Aori drew immediate backlash, prompting Durden to apologize. Racist remark: After claiming his first victory as a UFC fighter in a close decision on Saturday,…
· Michelle De Pacina
Pyi Mai the Asian elephant warms hearts in viral video of her first birthday celebration
A baby Asian elephant in Thailand is warming hearts as a video of her first birthday celebration has recently gone viral. Pyi Mai: On Nov. 22, animal rights activist and world traveler Brittany Vacca uploaded a TikTok of a baby elephant named Pyi Mai celebrating her birthday at…
· Bryan Ke
Chinese government bans celebrities from flaunting wealth in new entertainment crackdown rules
The Chinese government has put forward a new set of rules that prevents celebrities from “showing off” their wealth and “extravagant pleasure” online as President Xi Jinping continues to push his effort to reform social values in China. The new rules: The Cyberspace…
· Sarah Yukiko
Burberry built a gleaming mountain of mirrors in the middle of South Korea’s Jeju Island
British luxury brand Burberry has installed an eye-catching mirrored mountain structure on South Korea’s volcanic Jeju Island, the first of a planned series of global pop-ups from the fashion house. Shining bright: The structure, which was designed to evoke how the digital and…
· Bryan Ke
Honduras warned by Taiwan of believing ‘false’ promises as it considers electing pro-China president
Taiwanese officials said on Tuesday that they will still respect Honduras’ upcoming election outcome despite giving the Central American nation a warning about China’s “false” promises. The warning: While speaking to reporters, Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou said…
· Bryan Ke
CNN points out real-time Chinese censorship of their live coverage of Peng Shuai’s disappearance
A live discussion on CNN about the mysterious disappearance and reappearance of tennis star Peng Shuai was recently censored in China. What happened: CNN’s “New Day” had its live feed in China blocked with colored bars during a segment discussing what happened to Peng, 35,…
· Michelle De Pacina
VFX company behind ‘Squid Game’ reveals the surprising amount of CGI contained in the show
Kim Hyung-rok, a computer graphics supervisor from South Korea-based Gulliver Studios, recently revealed how much of the “Squid Game” set was made up of computer-generated imagery (CGI) created by his team. VFX: The hit Netflix show “Squid Game” drew the attention of millions of…
· Ryan General
‘Failed attempt’ or ‘breath of fresh air’?: Critics are divided on Netflix’s live-action ‘Cowboy Bebop’
With the burden of having to live up to its popular source material, Netflix’s live-action remake of “Cowboy Bebop” has found itself on the receiving end of a deluge of negative criticisms after its release on Friday. About the series: The anime series of the same name was…
· Jiselle Lee
‘Not theirs to claim’: Korean American entrepreneur threatened with ‘pimple patches’ trademark lawsuit
David Yi, a Korean American style and beauty entrepreneur, said a potential lawsuit from the men’s grooming brand Stryx is a threat to his business. Pimple patches product: Yi’s startup beauty brand, Good Light, launched “luna pimple patches” in late October.
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.