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· Ryan General
Young Turks’ Founder Cenk Uygur Exposed for Racism Against Asian Men, Objectifying Asian Women
Cenk Uygur, creator of the popular progressive online network “The Young Turks”, was recently outed for writing multiple racist and sexist blogposts in the early 2000s. Uygur was found to have made a number of posts using objectifying language to describe women during his early…
· Ryan General
Science Explains Why Asian Food Tastes So Different from Western Food
As cuisine is influenced by the cooking practices and traditions of a specific culture, Asian foods and Western foods have naturally evolved distinctly different in many ways. Asian cuisine is known for the range and sheer variety of flavors. In the continent’s varied regions,…
· Carl Samson
Thai Lip Balm Ad Just Took ‘Boys’ Love’ to the Next Level
“Boy/Boys’ Love” or BL is a huge entertainment genre in Asia, and if you’re looking for one under two minutes, you’re in for a treat. Give thanks to Thai beauty brand KA, which came up with an ingenious ad for its fresh line of lip balm called Lip Care.
· Ryan General
Chinese Livestreamer Jailed For Wearing Police Uniform to Attract More Viewers
A Chinese online video streamer was arrested and jailed for wearing a police uniform during some of her streams. Identified only by her surname, Hu, the livestream hostess known as “Little Devil” reportedly tried to spice up her videos with a bit of cosplay in an attempt to…
· Ryan General
Taiwanese Girl Receives Filial Piety Award Days After the Grandpa She Cared for Passed Away
A young Taiwanese girl became emotional when she received a well-deserved “filial piety” award just a few days after her grandfather she had cared for passed away due to cancer. With tears welling up, teenager Wei Yu-xuan accepted the award from Da Chien charity foundation at Da…
· Ryan General
Taiwanese Bro Buys Cheap “Lifelike” Sex Doll, Gets Exactly What He Paid For
A Taiwanese dude thought he found a great bargain online for a “lifelike” sex doll on sale at a discounted price of just $50. The unnamed bro, however, was left disappointed when he finally opened the package he ordered earlier this month.
· Bryan Ke
Singaporean Billionaire Saves Christmas for Australian Boy After Thief Steals His Gifts
Tan Min-Liang, CEO and co-founder of massive high-performance gaming hardware company Razer, saved an Australian boy’s Christmas after his family went through a traumatic experience days before the holiday. A thief broke into Adela Courteille’s Francis Street home in the coastal…
· Bryan Ke
Taiwanese Arcade Draws Backlash for Putting Bikini-Clad Women Inside Claw Machines
Meng Meng Da, an arcade in Tainan, Taiwan, attracted controversy earlier this month for putting four women in skimpy swimsuits inside four claw machines as part of the gaming center’s promotion. Dressed only in alluring swimsuits, the four women, dubbed as “bikini goddesses,”…
· Carl Samson
Tortured Indonesian Maid Wins $100,000 After Suing Abusive Hong Kong Employer
A former Indonesian domestic worker can claim more than $100,000 in damages from a Hong Kong employer who tortured her for several months. District Court judge Winnie Tsui Wan-wah granted the civil claim on December 21 to Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, who suffered from her former…
· Bryan Ke
Hong Kong is Raising Parking Fees For the First Time Since 1994
To help relieve the traffic congestion problem, Hong Kong’s Transport and Housing Bureau has officially submitted a proposal to increase the parking meters in the country by doubling its rate to as much as 20 Hong Kong dollars ($2.56) per hour – or 4 to 5 Hong Kong dollars…
· Bryan Ke
Tiger Forced to Get Poked With a Stick All Day for Tourist Pics at Thai Zoo
The Million Years Stone Park and Pattaya Crocodile Farm in Thailand is under fire after one of its tiger handlers was caught on video abusing an animal as he pokes it with a long stick to make it roar for tourist photos. The video, which was posted on Facebook and has been…
· Bryan Ke
Tourist Couple Vandalizes Public Property in Bangkok for Fun, Thai Netizens Outraged
An unnamed Caucasian couple is getting heavy criticism from netizens in Thailand after a video of them doing graffiti in the busy streets of Silom Road, Bangkok, went viral on Facebook on Dec. 20. The Facebook clip, posted online by Vorathep Charoenpornpanich, started off with…
· Heather Johnson Yu
Arizona Dad Accused of Human Trafficking by Southwest Airlines Because Adopted Daughter is Asian
An Arizona father and daughter disembarked from their flight home after visiting grandparents in Florida, only to be met by police officers who wrongfully accused the man of human trafficking. According to ABC, Brian Smith and his 16-year-old adoptive Chinese daughter,…
· Bryan Ke
North Korea, Taiwan Named the Most Likely Places World War III Could Erupt in 2018
Robert Farley, a Senior Lecturer at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky, has listed Taiwan as the second most likely place where World War III could erupt next year with North Korea the the first most likely place. In his…
· Carl Samson
Japanese Shrine Offers to Dress Foreigners as ‘Maidens’, But Will Some Say Cultural Appropriation?
Female foreigners are flocking to a Japanese shrine that offers an experience package allowing them to play maidens. Visitors at Amagasaki Ebisu Shrine in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, play the role of a miko, or a Shinto shrine maiden, for an hour.
· Ryan General
South Korean Bitcoin Exchange Goes Bankrupt After Getting Hacked Again
Following a significant loss of Bitcoin assets due to its second alleged hacking this year, South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Youbit has announced that it is now shutting down and filing for bankruptcy. The cyber attack, which reportedly caused a loss worth 17% of the…
· Ryan General
Chinese Man Has Been Living in Beijing’s Airport Terminal For Almost 10 Years
Wei Jianguo is the real life, Chinese version of Viktor Navorski, Tom Hanks’ character who took residence in an airport in the 2004 comedy-drama film “The Terminal”. Well, almost. You see, unlike the fictional movie character, Jianguo was not actually stranded in the airport due…
· Carl Samson
American Grandma Unexpectedly Leaves $1 Billion Fortune to Thai Granddaughter
A 22-year-old Thai-American woman ended up a billionaire after inheriting unexpected fortune from her deceased grandmother. Earlier this year, Erica Jasmine Baldwin Gibson received a letter stating that her Californian grandmother left her $1 billion.
· Heather Johnson Yu
Cafe in Japan Only Hires Waitresses Who Don’t Wear Makeup
Naturalia Café has made headlines for its unique rules for its staff members’ appearance, demanding a natural aesthetic for each employee. The owners of the cafe were inspired to create their brand after becoming disillusioned with the cabaret and cafe scene in Sapporo.…
· Carl Samson
Viral Video Shows Boy Crying in Pain as Bullies Brutally Beat Him in China
A teenage boy was in tears as he struggled to walk away from a gang of nine bullies who assaulted him mercilessly in China. The incident took place at the Xianghe Plaza in Shangdu, Inner Mongolia, on the afternoon of Dec. 9, according to local police.
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.