person
Search
ai
Articles
· Bryan Ke
Shanghai Just Got Its First Snow of the Year
The first snowfall of the year landed in Shanghai, China’s biggest city, on Wednesday afternoon, making the skyline and landscape breathtakingly beautiful. The Shanghai Meteorological Bureau issued a yellow road icing alert at 9 p.m., warning residents that streets could…
· Bryan Ke
Taiwan ‘Disappointed’ After U.S. Removes Flag From Government Websites
The United States Trade Representative and U.S. Department of State reportedly took down the Taiwan flag from two of its websites last September, prompting the nation to express disappointment and call the removal “inexplicable” and “inadmissible.” Andrew Lee, spokesperson for…
· Ryan General
Japanese Schoolgirls Are Reclaiming the Swastika Symbol
Mostly recognized as a symbol of antisemitism and terror because of its association with Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party, the swastika is also an icon widely used in ancient religions in many parts of Asia to convey “mercy” or “good fortune.” In modern Japan, where it is referred to…
· Carl Samson
Cosplaying Couple’s Sailor Moon Game is Straight Fire
There are countless ways a nerdy couple can show the beauty of their love, including, of course, Sailor Moon cosplay! At least, that’s the case for these two lovebirds from Ukraine, who are rocking Sailor Moon characters like nobody else.
· Bryan Ke
Singaporean Gang Leader Faces 20 Years in Jail For Alleged Rape of Teen, Taking Nude Photos
Koh Rong Guang, the 25-year-old leader of a now-disbanded youth gang, recently denied the accusation that he raped a 13-year-old girl between November 2013 and January 2014 during his trial on January 23. The salesman, who also goes by the name of Charles, told the High Court on…
· Bryan Ke
Thai Mom Makes Son Pick Up Trash When He Refuses to Go to School
A mother from Bangkok, Thailand teaches her 5-year-old son a life lesson after he refuses to go to school on January 18, Thursday, by making him pick up plastic and glass bottle from the street and sell them for coins. The mother, Nuttanitcha Chotsirimeteekul, and her husband…
· Ryan General
Thai Woman With Psoriasis Loses Her Husband and Job Over Fears She Has AIDS
A woman in Thailand made a tearful plea on local television after her psoriasis reportedly resulted in losing both her husband and job over concerns that she has AIDS. The unfortunate ordeal of the 27-year-old masseuse, identified only as Arunsri, was brought to light this week…
· Carl Samson
Japanese Woman Groped on the Train for 6 YEARS as a Teen Writes Book About Experience
A Japanese woman who was groped on the train for six long years just published a book that chronicled her horrifying harassment experiences. Groping in public transportation, or “chikan”, is an arguably tolerated phenomenon in Japan. Schoolgirls are common victims, usually of…
· Ryan General
Ming-Na Wen is Playing ‘Mulan’ Again
Aside from the two live-action Mulan remakes currently in the works, the popular heroine from an ancient Chinese legend will also make an appearance in Disney’s “Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2”. While it is expectedly just a short scene where Mulan will be seen with…
· Ryan General
Why South Koreans Say ‘Hwaiting!’
For many of us who are fans of South Korean entertainment, we know that something is about to go down when we hear the term “hwaiting!” (화이팅) in films, Kdramas, or TV shows. While it is apparently a direct Konglish mispronunciation of the English word “fighting”, it doesn’t…
· Ryan General
Spicy Asian Food Might Be Your Best Cure Against the Common Cold
If you’re ever down with a terrible cold, try fixing it up with some spicy Asian cuisine. Served in either soothing, warm broth or in well-mixed sauces, these spicy dishes may be effective alternatives to relieve cold symptoms like congestion and sore throat.
· Ryan General
He Had 30 Plastic Surgeries to Become a ‘Korean’ Star in Thailand
Editor’s Note: This article has been edited to correct the man’s initial “before” picture which was of Vietnamese vlogger Lệ Rơi, another internet celebrity made popular for his drastic change in appearance after plastic surgery. Ratchadapong Prasit, 23, of Thailand, has…
· Carl Samson
Olympic Figure Skaters Start Fundraising on the Same Day, But Get Very Different Results
Many are thrilled that figure skaters Mirai Nagasu and Karen Chen are representing Team USA in the upcoming Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang next month. What grabbed people’s attention, however, is the fact that while both started their individual fundraising on January 12, one…
· Ranier Maningding
I Didn’t Say Anything When She Tried To Touch My Wife’s Hair
Editor’s Note: Ranier Maningding is a copywriter and mastermind behind the social justice page “The Love Life of an Asian Guy“. The opinions expressed in this piece are solely his own. I don’t do rides. Not anymore. Last time I was at Great America with my wife, I had to vomit…
· Bryan Ke
China Now Has the ‘World’s Biggest Air Purifier’ and It May Actually Work
The air quality in Xi’an, in northwestern China’s Shaanxi Province, improved significantly after researchers initiated testing of a massive experimental tower, dubbed by its operators as the “World’s Biggest Air Purifier.” The tower stands tall at 100 meters (328 feet) high, and…
· Ryan General
Tourist Couple Caught on Camera Vandalizing a Wall in Thailand
Yet another foreign couple has been caught on camera vandalizing a wall in Thailand, sparking outrage on social media. In the images shared on Facebook, the still unidentified pair can be seen spray painting a wall, reportedly in the island district of Koh Lanta in Krabi…
· Bryan Ke
China Makes Delta and Zara Apologize for Listing Taiwan as a ‘Country’
After Marriott listed Hong Kong, Taiwan and Tibet as “countries,” Delta Air Lines and European clothing retailer Zara were forced by the Chinese government to publicly apologize for making the same mistake. On Friday, Delta got into trouble for listing Tibet and Taiwan as…
· Bryan Ke
Tencent’s Billionaire CEO Rocks ‘Hip-Hop’ Outfit for Company Meeting in Beijing
Looks like Tencent CEO Ma Huateng, also known as Pony Ma, is aiming to take the throne from Alibaba’s Jack Ma as the most badass tech entrepreneur by dressing up in hip-hop attire and performing a cheesy ballad on stage. Ma, the founder of the most valuable tech company in…
· Carl Samson
Woman Fired From Job in Australia for Believing Taiwan is Not Part of China
A Taiwanese woman working at a hot pot restaurant in Sydney, Australia, was reportedly sacked after saying that Taiwan is not part of China. The woman, identified only as Winnie, was responding to her Chinese boss’ question through a walkie-talkie during an idle time at work.
· Ryan General
Thai Chef Regrets Getting a Michelin Star After All the Harm It’s Caused
For many chefs, a Michelin star is considered an exemplary achievement as it immediately elevates one’s status among the world’s elite in the restaurant business. However, 72-year-old street food star Supinya Junsuta, a.k.a. “Jay Fai”, from Thailand has expressed that she would…
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.