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· Michelle De Pacina
Hong Kong billionaire fugitive auctions Hermès bags for over $3 million
Hong Kong billionaire Joseph Lau sold 77 luxury handbags for 25.2 million Hong Kong dollars (approximately $3.2 million) in a recent online auction. The collection was the largest single-owner handbag sale in Asia’s auction market, according to auction house Sotheby’s.
· Michelle De Pacina
Chinese man abducted as child leaves billionaire adoptive family after reuniting with multimillionaire birth parents
A Chinese man who was abducted as a toddler and later adopted by a billionaire family has been found by his birth family, whom he has chosen to return to. Mei Zhiqiang, 27, was 2 years old when he was abducted by human traffickers from outside his home in Yunnan province in…
· Michelle De Pacina
Nintendo Direct reveals trailers for ‘Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,’ ‘Pikmin 4’ and ‘Metroid Prime’
Nintendo released trailers for upcoming games and updates for the Nintendo Switch during a Nintendo Direct livestream on Wednesday. The 45-minute livestream kicked off with a trailer for “Pikmin 4,” a real-time strategy game that is slated for release on July 21. The trailer…
· Carl Samson
Woman accused in fatal hit-and-run of Michigan student flees to Thailand
The woman accused of hitting a university student with her car and leaving him for dead in Michigan’s Oakland Township on New Year’s Day fled to Thailand days after the incident, according to a criminal complaint. The suspect, identified as Tubtim “Sue” Howson, purchased a…
· Daniel Anderson
Netflix releases teaser trailer, character posters for ‘The Glory’ Part 2
Netflix has released new character posters and a teaser trailer for Part 2 of “The Glory.” The series, written by Kim Eun-sook and directed by Lee Eung-bok, follows the story of Moon Dong-eun, a former victim of egregious school violence who dedicates her life to enacting…
· Bryan Ke
Jeremy Lin shifts focus to helping younger players in Taiwan’s P. League+
Former NBA star Jeremy Lin says his focus has shifted from becoming a champion to helping younger players on his new team, the Kaohsiung 17LIVE Steelers, as he prepares for his debut in Taiwan’s professional basketball league, P. League+. Speaking at a Wednesday news conference…
· Michelle De Pacina
‘Strong indications’ Putin involved in downing of Malaysia Airlines jet that killed 298, probe finds
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been implicated in the 2014 downing of a Malaysia Airlines jet, according to Dutch prosecutors. On Wednesday, an international team of investigators said they found “strong indications” that Putin personally approved the supply of long-range…
· Iris Jung
BTS’ Jungkook goes viral for drunken live singing of ‘Chainsaw Man’ theme
Clips of BTS’ Jungkook singing and livestreaming while drunk have gone viral on Twitter, with his tipsy cover of the “Chainsaw Man” opening theme, “Kick Back,” gaining the most attention. The nearly four-hour live session took place on Feb. 1. Although the singer launched the…
· Michelle De Pacina
A daughter’s video of her father waiting in their empty restaurant has TikTok users flocking to support the business
A Vietnamese restaurant in California went viral after the owner’s daughter shared a video of her father waiting for customers in their empty business on TikTok. Jennifer Lee, 21, was reportedly home from graduate school and helping her parents at their family business, Lee’s…
· Daniel Anderson
‘Copycat Killer’ trailer: Wu Kang-ren stars as a detective tracking Taipei’s first serial killer
Netflix has released the first trailer and a premiere date their upcoming crime thriller “Copycat Killer.” Adapted from a popular crime mystery novel by Japanese writer Miyuki Miyabe, the film, set in 1990s Taipei, Taiwan, follows the city’s first serial murder case.
· Ines Shin
Thai cadets perform record-breaking Muay Thai ‘wai khru’ ceremony
On Monday, 3,660 Thai army cadets, university students and volunteers set the world record for the largest Muay Thai ceremony, shattering the previous Guinness World Record of 250 participants. The volunteers joined thousands of Thai army cadets to perform a mass Muay Thai “wai…
· Bryan Ke
Cleaner fish can recognize themselves in mirrors and photos, study claims
A newly updated study has found that the blue streak cleaner wrasse, Labroides dimidiatus, may be capable of recognizing themselves in reflections and photos based on mental self-images. Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan and the University of Neuchâtel in…
· Bryan Ke
SM, HYBE warn against fraudulent ‘concert’ for NCT Dream and SEVENTEEN
K-pop labels SM Entertainment and HYBE slammed a circulating fraudulent ad that falsely promised a K-pop Asian tour later this year with some of their talents, including NCT Dream and SEVENTEEN, as performers. Fans raised the alarm after seeing a teaser poster on Friday for a…
· Ryan General
Fans enraged over Manila airport staff seen giggling while frisking ENHYPEN members
An airport employee in the Philippines has earned the ire of ENHYPEN fans after a video of her giggling while conducting a security check on the group members emerged online. The popular K-pop group left the country by plane on Monday after completing a successful three-day…
· Carl Samson
China claims ownership of 2nd balloon spotted over Latin America, denies spying
China on Monday claimed ownership of a second suspected spy balloon spotted in the skies of Latin America, saying the object is of a “civilian nature and used for flight tests.” The confirmation came two days after an American F-22 fighter jet shot down another Chinese balloon…
· Iris Jung
Look: AI recreates Pokémon as Studio Ghibli characters
Images of Pokémon generated by artificial intelligence (AI) in the style of Studio Ghibli have gone viral. On Tuesday, Facebook page The Art or AI uploaded a series of AI-generated art under the description, “What if Studio Ghibli created Pokémon?”
· Iris Jung
Japan PM fires aide for homophobic remarks
Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida fired and then apologized for his aide’s homophobic remarks. On Friday, Kishida’s now-former aide, Arai Masayoshi, commented in an off-the-record briefing that he would not want a same-sex couple as neighbors, going further to state that he…
· Ryan General
Lawmakers renew calls for release of American ‘wrongfully detained’ in China for 10 years
U.S. lawmakers are urging the Chinese government to release Mark Swidan, an American who has been jailed in China for over a decade. On Feb. 1, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced a resolution calling for the release of Swidan, a Houston resident who has spent the last 10 years…
· Daniel Anderson
Darren Criss stars as Superman, Harry Shum Jr. as Brainiac 5 in ‘Legion of Super-Heroes’
Darren Criss and Harry Shum Jr. will star as Superman and Brainiac 5, respectively, in the upcoming animated film “Legion of Super-Heroes.” “Legion of Super-Heroes” is the latest installment in the new slate of DC animated films set in the shared universe known as the…
· Ines Shin
Hong Kong campaign to give away over 500,000 plane tickets in bid to revive tourism
Hong Kong is offering free airline tickets, spending vouchers and special events in their efforts to bring travelers back after COVID-19 travel restrictions were lifted. On Thursday, Hong Kong leader John Lee launched the $2 billion “Hello Hong Kong” travel revitalization plan…
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.