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· Carl Samson

Pennsylvania universities accused of discriminating against Asian, white students

Four Pennsylvania state universities are facing a civil rights complaint filed Tuesday for allegedly discriminating against Asian and white students through their participation in a minority-focused STEM program, marking another challenge to race-conscious academic initiatives…

· Carl Samson

Dozens of states, cities file lawsuits against Trump’s order to end birthright citizenship

True to his campaign promise, President Trump signed an executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship for children born to undocumented immigrants or temporary visa holders in the U.S. The order, which would take effect in 30 days, directs federal agencies to stop…

· Carl Samson

Nearly 2,000 couples tie the knot as Thailand approves same-sex marriage

Thailand made history Thursday as the first Southeast Asian nation to legalize same-sex marriage, with 1,832 LGBTQ+ couples registering their unions on the landmark day. At celebrations across the country, newly married partners expressed joy and hope for the future. “We can…

· Ryan General

Org launches free multilingual app aimed at empowering immigrants in need of help

The National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC) has launched a free mobile app, “Know Your Rights 4 Immigrants,” designed to empower and protect individuals facing growing challenges in the current political climate. With the Trump administration vowing…

· Ryan General

Sen. Dave Min condemns calls for conditional California wildfire aid in 1st floor speech

In his first floor speech as a member of Congress, Representative Dave Min (D, CA-47) strongly criticized proposals to attach political conditions to federal disaster aid for Southern California, calling the move “un-American,” “despicable” and “pathetic.” His remarks on…

· Editorial Staff

NextShark takes equity stake in Son Fish Sauce to drive Vietnamese legacy and sustainable food innovation

NextShark is thrilled to announce that Son Fish Sauce, a groundbreaking venture at the intersection of Vietnamese tradition, sustainability, and food innovation, has joined its portfolio of companies under NextShark Ventures. This addition furthers NextShark’s mission to empower…

· Carl Samson

FEMA, Ad Council launch AANHPI-focused disaster preparedness campaign

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in partnership with the Ad Council, has launched the latest iteration of its “Ready” campaign, this time addressing disaster preparedness within Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. This new…

· Ryan General

NBA Rookie of the Year frontrunner Jared McCain reveals Filipino heritage

Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jared McCain recently gave a “shout out to my Asian community” and shared that he is “probably like 10% Filipino,” marking his first public acknowledgment of his Asian roots. The 20-year-old guard, who pundits say has been a bright spot in an otherwise…

· Ryan General

Chinese man claims he defaced Tokyo shrine over Fukushima discharge

Jiang Zhuojun, a 29-year-old Chinese national living in Japan, pleaded guilty to charges of property damage and disrespecting a place of worship in Tokyo District Court on Friday. Jiang, who was arrested in July, admitted to spray-painting the word “toilet” on a stone pillar at…

· Carl Samson

Missing Hawaii woman intentionally missed her flight to New York, police say

Los Angeles police have determined that Hannah Kobayashi, a 30-year-old Hawaii creative who had been missing for weeks, intentionally missed a flight to New York in early November. What we know: Kobayashi, originally from Maui, vanished after missing her connecting flight from…

· Ryan General

Donnie Yen fights for justice in trailer for true story-inspired ‘The Prosecutor’

Donnie Yen takes on the role of a veteran policeman-turned-prosecutor in the upcoming film “The Prosecutor,” inspired by a real Hong Kong legal case. The trailer showcases Yen’s character risking his career and life to uncover the truth behind a man wrongly accused of drug…

· Carl Samson

‘Squid Game’ Season 2 trailer offers glimpse into deadly new challenges

Netflix has released the highly anticipated main trailer for “Squid Game” Season 2, offering fans a glimpse into the deadly new challenges awaiting participants in the dystopian survival competition. Premiering on Dec. 26, the new “Squid Game” season picks up three years after…

· Bryan Ke

Swatch wins lawsuit against Malaysia’s illegal seizure of Pride watches

Swiss watchmaker Swatch won a lawsuit against Malaysia’s Home Ministry over the latter’s seizure of 172 Pride-themed watches. The Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered the ministry on Monday to return the watches within 14 days after its ruling, which states that the seizure — which…

· Bryan Ke

Elon Musk as Ming Dynasty official explaining DOGE in Ancient China is peak AI

An AI-created video of “Elon Musk” explaining what the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is while dressed as a secret agent during the Ming Dynasty is going viral. Who’s behind it: Created by Bilibili user known as “Dark Tone,” the video was reportedly removed from the…

· Bryan Ke

Moo Deng who? Thai zoo’s golden tabby tiger melts hearts with cuddly looks

A 3-year-old golden tabby tiger is melting the hearts of Facebook users with her cuddly looks, potentially giving baby hippo Moo Deng a run for her money. The Chiang Mai Night Safari debuted photos of the tiger named Ava on Nov. 19, introducing her three weeks after her sister…

· Ryan General

500 North Korean soldiers reported killed in Ukraine war

South Korea has confirmed intelligence suggesting casualties among North Korean troops deployed to support Russia in its war against Ukraine. Ukrainian media, citing Global Defense Corp., reported that about 500 North Korean soldiers were killed in a Storm Shadow missile strike…

· Ryan General

South Korean man convicted for evading military service through weight gain

A Seoul court convicted a 26-year-old South Korean man of violating the Military Service Act by intentionally gaining weight to avoid mandatory military service. Despite initially qualifying for combat duty with a Grade 2 (second-highest grade) assessment in 2017, the defendant…

· Carl Samson

Father of missing Hawaii woman dies in apparent suicide

Ryan Kobayashi, the father of missing Hawaii woman Hannah Kobayashi, was found dead early Sunday in an apparent suicide near LAX, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Kobayashi reportedly jumped off from a parking structure near the airport at around 4 a.m. The…

· Ryan General

Philippine President Marcos condemns VP Duterte’s claims she hired an assassin to kill him and wife

Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte declared in a weekend press conference that she instructed a hitman to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife and House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she were to be killed. When Marcos Jr. responded by describing the alleged…

· Carl Samson

Sen. Duckworth slams Hegseth’s stance against women in combat

Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) has strongly criticized President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, over his stance against women serving in combat roles, calling it “flat-out wrong.” A Thai American decorated combat veteran who lost both legs in…

Answer

BTS connects to HYBE, Weverse, memberships, merch, and tickets.

People & Works

person

Ami Nakai

Open the culture page.
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.

Open the culture page.
Open

Culture surface · Beauty

Beauty retail

Beauty retail is a culture-first entry point into the listed company behind it.

Open the culture page.
Open

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.

Open the culture page.
Open

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.

Company: Toho
Open

Platform · Platforms

Kakao Entertainment

Kakao Entertainment connects to Kakao and the broader platforms story around it.

Company: Kakao
Open

Culture surface · Platforms

Kling AI

Kling AI connects to Kuaishou and the broader platforms story around it.

Company: Kuaishou
Open

Culture surface · Platforms

Kuaishou

Kuaishou connects to Kuaishou and the broader platforms story around it.

Company: Kuaishou
Open

Culture surface · Platforms

Kwai

Kwai connects to Kuaishou and the broader platforms story around it.

Company: Kuaishou
Open

Culture surface · Retail

Lifestyle retail

Lifestyle retail connects to Miniso and the broader retail story around it.

Company: Miniso
Open

Results

Culture · brand

Uniqlo

Uniqlo connects to Fast Retailing, the company behind the stores, basics, and repeat buying habit.

Companies: Fast Retailing
Basics, routines, travel, repeat buys.
Open

Culture · routine / beauty brands

K-beauty

K-beauty connects to companies built around skincare routines, hero products, and travel retail.

Companies: Amorepacific / Shiseido
Skincare routines, hero products, travel retail.
Open

Culture · platform

Weverse

Weverse connects to HYBE, the platform where memberships, merch, content, and fandom access keep moving after the song.

Companies: HYBE
Memberships, merch, paid content, fan app.
Open

Company · Japan · TYO:7832

Bandai Namco Holdings

Bandai Namco sits behind toys, anime IP, games, and licensing that turn fandom into everyday consumer products.

Known for: Gundam · Pac-Man · Tekken
Anime
Open

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.

Known for: Kuaishou · Kwai · Kling AI
Platforms
Open

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.

Known for: ZEE5 · Zee TV · Zee Studios
Entertainment
Open

Company · Japan · TYO:9983

Fast Retailing

Fast Retailing matters because Uniqlo is an everyday consumer habit, not just a stock story.

Known for: Uniqlo · GU · Theory
Fashion
Open

Company · Korea · KOSDAQ:035900

JYP Entertainment

JYP is tied to groups that drive albums, tours, subscriptions, merch, and international fan activity.

Known for: TWICE · Stray Kids · ITZY
K-pop
Open

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.

Known for: aespa · NCT · RIIZE
K-pop
Open

Company · Korea · KOSDAQ:122870

YG Entertainment

YG connects global K-pop attention to touring, brand deals, fan demand, and artist-centered entertainment revenue.

Known for: BLACKPINK · BABYMONSTER · TREASURE
K-pop
Open

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.

Known for: Taobao · Tmall · Youku
Platforms
Open

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.

Source: AP News
Published signal
Read

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.

Source: Fast Retailing
+22.4% revenue growth
Read

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.

Source: NetEase
Multi-year UMG license agreement
Read

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.

Source: CJ ENM
Global Warner deal
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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.

Source: Sanrio
Read

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.

Source: Amorepacific
Read