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· Ryan General
Family of missing woman in Guatemala seeks answers as key witness remains unreachable
The family of a Southern California yoga enthusiast who disappeared during a retreat in Guatemala in October last year are expressing frustration over their inability to speak with the last person known to have seen the victim alive. About the disappearance: Nancy Ng, a…
· Ryan General
Survey uncovers surprising details about anime’s rise in American pop culture
A new survey conducted by Polygon has shed light on the rising prominence of anime in American popular culture. Unveiling anime’s reach: The entertainment website surveyed over 4,000 U.S. adults to uncover the growing influence of anime and its presence permeating various facets…
· Bryan Ke
Watch: Stadium full of Singaporean fans sing with Coldplay after piano fail
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin shared a wonderful moment with Singaporean fans after their band suffered a technical issue during their kick-off concert in the city-state on Tuesday night. What happened: Martin’s piano malfunctioned as he was singing the first few lines of…
· Ryan General
Japan coach condemns racial abuse against Ghanian Japanese goalkeeper
Japan’s national soccer team coach Hajime Moriyasu condemned the racial abuse directed at goalkeeper Zion Suzuki following their Asian Cup loss against Iraq. The big picture: On Jan.19, Iraq upset Japan, Asia’s top-ranked team (17th globally), with a 2-1 victory in the Asian Cup…
· Bryan Ke
Watch: Daniel Dae Kim reads thirst tweets after ‘Avatar’ trailer appearance
Netflix has dropped a new promo video for “Avatar: The Last Airbender” featuring Daniel Dae Kim reading thirst tweets from fans. How they started: Kim, 55, briefly appeared shirtless in the newly released trailer of Netflix’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” set for release on Feb.…
· Ryan General
Dwayne Johnson joins TKO’s board, gains full ownership of ‘The Rock’ name
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has joined the board of TKO Group Holdings, the powerhouse conglomerate resulting from the merger of WWE and UFC. Power move: According to official documents filed on Jan. 23, Johnson also gains full ownership of his stage name, “The Rock,” which was…
· Bryan Ke
Picky Chinese man fails to find partner after 100 dates in 10 years
A story of a 45-year-old Chinese man who has gone on some 100 dates in 10 years but still has not found a partner due to his high standards has received ridicule on social media. About the man: The man, identified by his surname Feng, was born in 1979 and was working as an…
· Michelle De Pacina
Model of Ukrainian descent becomes Miss Japan 2024, sparking debate
Carolina Shiino, a 26-year-old Japanese model of Ukrainian descent, became the center of controversy after winning the title of Miss Japan 2024 on Monday. About Shiino: Shiino was born in Ukraine and moved to Japan at the age of 5 after her mother remarried a Japanese man. She…
· Michelle De Pacina
Thai woman faces jail after taking pet lion out for a ride in a Bentley
A woman in Thailand may face jail time after a video of her driving around Pattaya in a convertible Bentley along with her pet lion cub went viral. The viral cub: In a video shared online, the seemingly domesticated cub can be seen calmly sitting in the backseat of the luxury…
· Ryan General
Wholesome video captures 2 Taiwanese grandmas celebrating their Oscar nomination
A video capturing the emotional reactions of two Taiwanese grandmothers to their Oscar nomination for the documentary short film “Nai Nai & Wai Po” (paternal grandma and maternal grandma) has warmed hearts online. Wholesome reaction: In a video posted to Instagram, “Nai Nai &…
· Bryan Ke
Naomi Osaka and her daughter star in baby formula campaign
Baby formula company Bobbie and new mom Naomi Osaka are teaming up for a new ad campaign that helps raise awareness about the lack of paid leave for parents in the United States. Announcing the effort: Bobbie and Osaka announced their partnership for the “Parents Push Harder”…
· Carl Samson
Netflix drops highly anticipated live-action ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ trailer
Netflix has released the first full official trailer for its live-action adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” What it shows: The new trailer teems with Fire Nation warfare and teases additional characters such as King Bumi (Utkarsh Ambudkar), Jet (Sebastian Amoruso), June…
· Ryan General
BTS’s V begins training for counterterrorism unit
Kim Taehyung, popularly known as V of BTS, is now set to join the South Korean military’s Special Duty Team (SDT) of the Capital Defense Command. Preparing for specialized exercises: V, 28, officially completed rigorous five-week basic training at the Nonsan Training Center on…
· Carl Samson
Ive’s Wonyoung wins suit against YouTuber over false claims
Ive member Wonyoung has reportedly emerged victorious in a civil lawsuit against a YouTube channel she and her label have accused of spreading false rumors. About the suit: Wonyoung, whose full name is Jang Wonyoung, and Ive’s agency, Starship Entertainment, reportedly filed…
· Michelle De Pacina
Japan Airlines appoints ex-flight attendant as its first-ever female president
Japan Airlines (JAL) has appointed Mitsuko Tottori as its next president, making her the first woman to hold this position in the airline’s history. Tottori’s commitment: Tottori, who joined JAL as a flight attendant in 1985, has worked her way up through various roles,…
· Carl Samson
BTS’ RM, V complete basic military training
BTS members RM and V achieved a milestone this week as they successfully completed the basic training of South Korea’s mandatory military service. What they achieved: RM, whose real name is Kim Nam-joon, 29, and V, whose real name is Kim Tae-hyung, 28, graduated from the…
· Michelle De Pacina
‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ trailer: Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Lucy Liu and more star
Paramount Plus has released the official trailer for the new animated film “The Tiger’s Apprentice,” along with first-look images. Action-packed preview: The trailer showcases a scene in which Chinese American teenager Tom Lee (Brandon Soo Hoo) discovers his magical powers for…
· Ryan General
Studio Ghibli fans reject ‘live action’ AI renditions of ‘Spirited Away’ characters
Fans of Studio Ghibli are rallying against artificial intelligence (AI) images of the iconic anime film “Spirited Away” that recently went viral online. About the anime: “Spirited Away” is a 2001 animated fantasy film written and directed by legendary Japanese filmmaker Hayao…
· Ryan General
Seoul to protect K-pop trainees from forced weight loss, plastic surgery
The city council of Seoul has enacted groundbreaking legislation that protects young K-pop trainees from forced weight loss and plastic surgery. About the ordinance: Proposed by Councilman Kim Kyu-nam, the “Seoul City Ordinance on the Protection and Support of the Rights of…
· Ryan General
World reacts to Lai Ching-te winning Taiwan’s presidential election
Lai Ching-te, the current vice president of Taiwan from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), has clinched the Taiwanese presidency with 40% of the vote, defeating the Beijing-favored Kuomintang (33%) and Taiwan People’s Party (26%). About the president-elect: Lai, 64,…
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.