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· Bryan Ke
South Asian mom praised for helping daughter remove facial hair in TikTok video
A South Asian mom went viral after posting a video in which she helped her daughter remove her facial hair, a gesture that garnered much support from other users. Viral post: TikTok user Vidya Gopalan’s video has amassed over 22.9 million views since its upload on Sept. 29. The…
· Ryan General
DC refutes Amber Heard’s claims Jason Momoa, James Wan were unprofessional on ‘Aquaman 2’ set
“Jason drunk — late on set. Dressing like Johnny. Has all the rings too,” the notes say.
· Ryan General
BTS’ Jimin radiates in new Dior Men campaign photos
The K-pop star effortlessly exudes elegance wearing sleek tailored suits, chunky cable knit sweaters and Dior’s signature accessories
· Bryan Ke
BTS Jungkook announces details for upcoming first solo concert
Bighit Music has reportedly revealed the details of BTS member Jungkook’s upcoming solo first concert in November titled “Golden Live On Stage.” Key details: In an announcement on Sunday, Bighit Music said the concert, which will be held at the Jangchung Arena in Jung-gu, Seoul,…
· Carl Samson
K-pop star Ailee: North Koreans secretly admitted to listening to banned genre
Despite its isolationist policy that extends to the realm of entertainment, North Korea is reportedly no stranger to South Korea’s K-pop, with some North Koreans even identifying as fans. Secret fans: The latest revelation comes from K-pop soloist Ailee, who recalled her time in…
· Carl Samson
Senior landlady, 73, installs cameras to spy on men renting her suite in Taiwan
A 73-year-old landlady in Taiwan was sentenced to 40 days in jail after being found guilty of spying on men renting her suite, according to recent reports. What she did: The senior’s scheme was exposed after a man surnamed Chen and his friend rented the suite in Taichung City…
· Carl Samson
Taiwan billionaire puts 25,000 wine bottles worth $50 million on auction
Taiwanese billionaire Pierre Chen is putting up 25,000 wine bottles from his personal collection for auction, the largest wine collection ever offered in one to date. What’s available: The auction, titled “An Epicurean’s Atlas,” will include some of the rarest bottles from…
· Carl Samson
Teen arrested for viral anti-Asian attack on woman on Boston train
A 16-year-old male has been arrested in connection with last month’s disturbance on a Massachusetts Red Line subway train that involved the racist harassment of an Asian woman. Background: Vivian Dang, 25, was heading to Ashmont at around 10 p.m. on Sept. 21 when a group of…
· Ryan General
ESPN’s Pablo Torre explains how Harvard classmate Vivek Ramaswamy was ‘That Guy’ in school
“Ramaswami, when we were both freshmen, was famous on campus for his alter ego 20 years ago… a libertarian rapper he called ‘Da Vek,'” shares host Pablo Torre
· Ryan General
Sony researchers uncover bias against skin with yellow hues in AI algorithms
The study posits that standardized skin tone scales fail to capture the full spectrum of human skin diversity as they ignore the nuanced contribution of yellow and red hues to human skin color
· Michelle De Pacina
S. Korean volleyball player at Asian Games gains attention with her stunning beauty
Shin Ji-eun, a 22-year-old South Korean beach volleyball player, has gained popularity and admiration for her remarkable skills and stunning appearance. The “stunning” competitor: On Sunday, Shin came into the spotlight after a thread featuring action photos of her in a bikini…
· Michelle De Pacina
Jurors hear details of Manny Ellis’ final moments as Tacoma officers trial begins
At the trial of three Tacoma police officers accused in the death of Manny Ellis, jurors heard his last words as he was punched, tased, placed in a chokehold and held face down. Prosecutor’s opening statements: During the opening statements on Tuesday morning, Washington…
· Ryan General
Video: Curious man gets his hand gets stuck in airplane cup holder mid-flight to Vietnam
“Now we know not to put the hand into a cup holder,” a commenter wrote
· Bryan Ke
Video: Taiwanese content creator accidentally shows alleged dead body during livestream
A Taiwanese content creator recently showed an alleged dead body inside a morgue freezer while exploring an abandoned hospital in Thailand during his livestream. What to know: Douyin user “Goodnight_chicken,” who is based in Taiwan according to the IP location listed in his…
· Editorial Staff
Lil Tay ends 5-year hiatus with surprise pop song, details alleged abuse
Five years after breaking the internet with her foul-mouthed “flexing,” Lil Tay is back with a pop single, an accompanying music video and much-awaited answers for her controversial disappearance. What’s up: Lil Tay, now 14, dropped her debut pop song “Sucker 4 Green” on…
· Carl Samson
Meet Khai Wu, Mark Zuckerberg’s MMA trainer [interview]
Of today’s most successful businesspeople, Mark Zuckerberg stands out as one who invests time, energy and resources to pursue a personal sport. In July, the chief executive of Meta earned his blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, drawing celebration from fans who follow his journey…
· Ryan General
Chinese hackers stole 60,000 US government emails in May breach
Microsoft has previously blamed a “China-based” hacking group for the breach back in July
· Ryan General
New Troye Sivan music video pays homage to Wong Kar-wai’s cinematic legacy
One poignant scene mirrors the spirit of the famous dance sequence in the 1997 classic “Happy Together,” in which two Asian men are seen swaying closely together
· Ryan General
Video: Foreigner in Japan claims he has to lie to get into local gyms
“I like to go to the gym every day, so if I like to go to the gym, I need to cover myself, and I need to lie to them,” he claims
· Ryan General
Japanese researchers discover microplastics in clouds, raising grave climate concerns
“If the issue of ‘plastic air pollution’ is not addressed proactively, climate change and ecological risks may become a reality,” warned lead author Hiroshi Okochi
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.