On This Day

🎙️Happy International Podcast Day!

This day celebrates the power of podcasts to inform, entertain and connect. Dive into "Immigrantly" by Saadia Khan for nuanced discussions on immigrant experiences, or tune into "Las Culturistas" by Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers if you’re in the mood for laughs. We also recommend "Shoes Off Inside with MKT," featuring the dynamic trio of May Lee, Kelly Hu and Tamlyn Tomita, as well as the recently launched "The Jeff Kung Show," co-hosted by Jeff Kung, Rob Minkoff and NextShark’s very own Benny Luo, for engaging takes on culture and current events. For even more AAPI voices, explore this playlist of over 780 podcasts from Asian creatives curated by the Asian American Podcasters Association.

News

San Francisco mayoral hopefuls court Asian American voters

As San Francisco’s mayoral race heats up, candidates are making a concerted effort to win the support of Asian American voters, a key demographic that could decide the election. On Thursday, five major rivals — none of whom is East Asian — presented their plans at a Chinatown town hall that featured live Cantonese interpretation.

What happened: Around 250 community members reportedly attended the town hall hosted by the Asian Pacific Islander Council at the Hilton across from Portsmouth Square. Candidates included incumbent Mayor London Breed, former Mayor Mark Farrell, nonprofit founder Daniel Lurie, Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin and Supervisor Ahsha Safai. The mayoral hopefuls highlighted the importance of representation and discussed critical issues affecting the community, including public safety, housing, poverty and food insecurity. Farrell, for one, criticized Breed’s administration on public safety, and called for a new chief and funding for the police department. On supporting low-income families, Safai — an Iranian American immigrant representing a majority Asian American district — cited his efforts in helping build more affordable housing and establishing Free City College, which allows the public to take classes at City College of San Francisco for free.

Why this matters: The town hall underscores the increasing importance of the Asian American community in San Francisco, especially given their pivotal role in past elections. A recent KRON4/Emerson College poll shows a tight race that could hinge on undecided voters. Peskin, who has represented Chinatown for 17 years and is currently backing three Asian American candidates for the Board of Supervisors, said “Asian American representation is essential in a city where their voices must be amplified.” Meanwhile, Lurie said the community “has been underinvested in for far too long, and that changes on Day 1 with my administration.” Breed, who recently regained some support among Asian Americans after low approval ratings, lauded all candidates for supporting Proposition B, a public health bond that aims to restore infrastructure and improve services for residents.

News

Philly Gayborhood group joins Chinatown in opposing 76ers arena

On Sept. 26, the grassroots group No Arena Gayborhood held a press conference at City Hall to oppose the proposed 76 Place arena, which they believe poses a direct threat to Philadelphia's historic Gayborhood. The conference took place amid growing public outrage following Mayor Cherelle Parker’s recent decision to endorse the Sixers’ $1.55 billion proposal to build a new arena in Center City.

Gayborhood takes a stand: Residents, performers and business owners from the local LGBTQ-plus community addressed concerns about displacement and gentrification, as the arena's proximity could push out queer businesses and residents. They fear that developers will favor mainstream commercial establishments, jeopardizing LGBTQ-plus spaces like the Mazzoni Center and Giovanni's Room bookstore. Additionally, the group argues that the project could lead to job loss for queer workers, while the jobs promised by the arena would likely be temporary and seasonal. Apurva Tandon, No Arena Gayborhood volunteer and Gayborhood resident, said, “We expect our public servants to protect it from being entirely lost to a corporate district — to protect the queer artists who make a living working in Gayborhood businesses, the owners of those businesses, and the queer spaces we have left. What would be lost to 76 Place cannot be replaced, from the Gayborhood to Chinatown. That is the heart of our city. It has no price. There is no return on investment.” 

Parker’s decision: Mayor Parker, doubling down on her decision, took full responsibility for the deal, positioning herself as the decision-maker and emphasizing the benefits the city would gain from the arena. In the agreement, the arena is to be fully funded by the team with no city money, and the team will make annual payments in lieu of taxes, averaging $6 million. It also includes a $50 million investment in local businesses, communities and schools to mitigate the arena's impact. If the City Council approves it, demolition would start in 2026, with the arena opening for the 2031-32 season.

News

Taiwan begins ban on single-use plastic cups nationwide

Taiwan's ban on single-use plastic cups at drink shops took effect nationwide at the start of September in an effort to reduce plastic waste. The policy, spearheaded by the Ministry of Environment (MOENV), aims to eliminate the waste caused by the estimated 790 million single-use plastic cups used in the nation annually.

About the ban: The ban prohibits drink shops from providing single-use plastic cups but still allows for alternatives like paper cups and cups made from plant fibers. To further encourage sustainable practices, the MOENV is promoting reusable cup services and incentivizing customers to bring their own cups. The agency is also considering expanding its reusable cup rental program, currently active in convenience stores and fast food chains, to include professional baseball games and other events. This program allows people to borrow reusable cups and return them to any participating kiosk within three days.

Phased implementation: The MOENV gradually rolled out the ban from 2022, allowing local governments to propose their own timetables for implementation. Taipei City led the way, becoming the first to ban the cups in December 2022.  Other cities and counties followed suit throughout 2023 and 2024, with Kinmen being the last to adopt the policy. The initiative builds upon previous efforts to reduce plastic waste, such as prohibitions on disposable tableware.

News

Harmful substances found in Shein, Temu products by South Korean authorities

Thirty-seven out of 49 items from two categories sold on Chinese e-commerce platforms AliExpress, Shein and Temu contained dangerous chemicals and failed to meet safety standards, the Korea Consumer Agency announced on Thursday.

Details of the findings: The agency’s investigation, which focused on 30 pet products and 19 essential oil items, found that 20 pet products contained harmful substances. Among them is formaldehyde, a known carcinogen detected in seven items. “Exposure to formaldehyde can lead to symptoms such as dermatitis, acute respiratory distress, vomiting, convulsions and diarrhea,” the agency reported. Additionally, toxic chemicals like CMIT (chloromethylisothiazolinone) and MIT (methylisothiazolinone) were found in essential oils marketed as air fresheners and humidifier additives. Following these findings, the three Chinese platforms were informed and the sale of the affected products was halted to protect consumers and their pets.

The big picture: This is not the first time harmful substances were detected in products sold on Chinese e-commerce platforms. On Aug. 14, South Korean authorities reported that numerous products from the same trio of companies, including women's shoes, contained toxic substances at alarmingly high levels. Shein’s shoes, for one, had phthalates measured at 229 times the legal limit, which can adversely affect reproductive functions. Addressing the matter, Shein claimed to work closely with international testing agencies to ensure compliance with safety standards. Meanwhile, sandals from Temu were found to contain lead more than 11 times the acceptable limit. In response, Temu announced the initiation of an internal investigation and removal of the offending product listings.

News

Japanese court acquits man who sat on death row for 45 years

The Shizuoka district court acquitted 88-year-old Iwao Hakamada on Thursday, clearing him of all charges in a retrial of the 1966 murders of four people. The decision ended his family's decades-long fight for justice after a wrongful conviction that the court determined to be based on fabricated evidence. 

Fabricated evidence: Hakamada, a former professional boxer, had been accused of stabbing his former boss and his family to death before setting their house on fire in central Japan. He was initially sentenced to death in 1968, a ruling upheld by Japan's Supreme Court in 1980. Before being granted a retrial in 2014, he spent 45 years on death row, making him the world's longest-serving death row inmate.

Celebrated acquittal: Key to Hakamada’s eventual acquittal were DNA tests on bloodstained clothing, which proved the blood did not belong to him. A Tokyo High Court ruling last year determined that the investigators tried to frame him up by fabricating and planting evidence. His sister, Hideko Hakamada, who has been a tireless advocate for her brother's exoneration, expressed her overwhelming relief and joy at the verdict, stating, "When I heard that, I was so moved and happy, I couldn't stop crying." Amnesty International also celebrated the acquittal, calling it a "pivotal moment for justice" and urging Japan to reconsider its stance on capital punishment.

Final Bites

📱Can you tell which photos were taken by 4 different generations of iPhone Pro?: Viewers are being left confused about the differences in camera quality of four different generations of Apple’s iPhone Pro after a Japanese tech content creator put them to the test. TikToker @yuta.tj23 shot videos in two separate environments — daytime at the park and nighttime in the city — using the iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro and the latest iPhone 16 Pro. “If you hadn't put their numbers, I swear I would've never known which one is which,” one user wrote. While some found no difference in the videos, others noted how the iPhone 13 Pro’s camera yields better results at night. Meanwhile, some users said the iPhone 16 Pro performed more smoothly during the day.

📺 Harris-Walz campaign targets Fil-Am voters in Nevada with “Pinoy Pride” ads: The Harris-Walz campaign recently launched digital ads in Las Vegas, Nevada, to engage Filipino American voters ahead of Filipino American History Month. The ads, which celebrate "Pinoy Pride" and highlight Vice President Kamala Harris' support for the Filipino community, were displayed in high-visibility areas around the Pinoy Pride Festival starting on Sept. 27. The campaign underscored its continued outreach efforts to Filipino and Asian American voters, emphasizing their significant role in Nevada, where Asian Americans make up about 10% of eligible voters. The campaign had previously opened a field office in Las Vegas’ Asian American community and organized cultural events to connect with voters, including a Kamayan Feast, Karaoke for Kamala, and "Spam and Boba" nights. Earlier this month, Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz also met with locals celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival at the restaurant Xiao Long Dumplings. 

🖼️ “Hallyu! The Korean Wave” exhibition opens at Asian Art Museum in SF: "Hallyu! The Korean Wave," an immersive exhibition celebrating the global phenomenon of Korean pop culture, is currently on display at the Asian Art Museum (200 Larkin St., San Francisco). Open through Jan. 6, the exhibit features nearly 300 artifacts that highlight the rich history and impact of K-pop, K-dramas and the K-beauty industry. Curated by Yoon-Jee Choi, the exhibit incorporates elements of South Korean history, connecting past struggles with today’s vibrant cultural exports through interactive installations inspired by hit shows like "Squid Game" and award-winning films such as "Parasite." The exhibition launched on Friday with an opening party that featured DJ Kero One, nail artist Sojin Oh and a mini K-beauty bar.

🎤 K-pop group’s label rejects their demand to get former CEO back: Ador, NewJeans’ label, rejected the group's public demand to reinstate former CEO Min Hee-jin, citing adherence to Hybe Labels’ management and production separation principles. In a statement on Sept. 25, Ador, a Hybe subsidiary, confirmed that Min would continue as a producer and internal director but could not return as CEO. Min responded by reiterating her request for reinstatement, emphasizing her leadership's importance for the group's success. NewJeans, who issued an ultimatum to Hybe on Sept. 11, now faces limited options, including staying under new CEO Kim Ju-young or pursuing legal action for contract violations. Experts suggest that proving a breach of contract may be challenging, while seeking termination could result in penalties ranging from 300 billion won ($229 million) to 500 billion won ($381.7 million). NewJeans’ demand comes amid a months-long feud between Hybe and Min over control of the group’s management and creative direction.

💰Japanese snack company issues apology for 2-cent price increase: Tokyo-based Yaokin apologized for bumping the price of its popular Umaibo corn puff stick by 3 yen ($0.02). Announcing the news on X on Tuesday, the company said the increase from 12 yen ($0.08) to 15 yen ($0.10)  will take effect on Oct. 1. “In order to ensure the continued and stable supply of our products, we sincerely apologize, but we will be implementing a price revision starting with shipments in October,” Yaokin wrote in part. The company attributed the price hike to rising costs of raw materials such as corn oil and vegetable oil, as well as labor, packaging and distribution. Yaokin last raised the price of Umaibo in 2022, marking the first increase in 43 years since the corn snack debuted at 10 yen ($0.07) in 1979. Many X users supported the move, with one user writing, “Of course I'll buy Umaibo even if the price goes up, but I wonder if they could offer a thicker, more satisfying Umaibo for 20-30 yen ($0.14-$0.21).” Another urged, “It was too cheap until now. Please make sure to secure a proper profit."

📕 Harry Shum Jr., Shelby Rabara teach dance, confidence in new children's book: Since welcoming their daughter Xia five years ago, actor-dancers Harry Shum Jr. and Shelby Rabara made bedtime reading a cherished ritual. But when Xia hit the age of 5, they had a lightbulb moment: where were all the diverse characters and dance-centered stories? In their debut children's book “Martee Dares to Dance,” the couple celebrates dance and cultural representation. Inspired by Xia's love for dance and fascination with space, the story follows Martee, a boy who regains his confidence through an unexpected friendship with a martian. The book features a hip-hop-loving grandmother inspired by Rabara’s Filipino heritage and emphasizes creativity, self-expression and inclusivity in dance. In an interview with NextShark, Shum says, “We want to be able to share [the transformative power of artistic expression] and get people out of their shells to be able to to express anything that they need to.”