Made in Hong Kong

In this episode, Chrystal and Summer discuss Hong Kong's toxic work culture! We talk about our own work experiences, the ideologies that shape this work culture, and traits that hence stem from these ideologies.

We're Back! We've missed you all and recording together :) 

In this episode, Chrystal and Summer give you some life updates and reminisce on their time in Primary and Secondary School. They expose some of their rebellious moments and all the trouble they got up to in school! 

P.S We will be uploading once a month from now on. Thank you for being patient with us! 

In this episode, Chrystal and Summer talk about the Mr Hong Kong Contest, a male beauty pageant competition. They discuss the nature of objectifying male contestants, and compares it to the Miss Hong Kong Beauty Pageant, and compares and contrasts the differences & similarities between the 2. They discuss broader topics like the influence Western cultures have on beauty standards and the problematic notion of Wasian (White + Asian) people as the definition of "beauty". 

In this episode, Chrystal and Summer discuss the history, process and implications of the Ms Hong Kong Beauty Pageant. They dissect the problematic recruitment and judging process, and the inevitable nature of sexualising female contestants. They also touch upon Hong Kong's gossip culture and how different factors of their lives, from their parents, friends and media contributed to how they see "beauty". All in all, they reflect on the negative impact that these shows have on Hong Kong society's definition of "beauty" and how the greater system further reinforces these toxic beauty standards. 

With the rise of Hong Kong's Star-Making Reality Talent Competitions producing a plethora of new faces in Hong Kong's entertainment industry, Chrystal and Summer do a deep-dive into why these shows are so popular and how they work. In this episode, they talk about the history of these shows, its evolution, social implications on Hong Kong society, and its impact on beauty standards and more! They discuss some of Hong Kong's most popular celebrities and the goods and bads of this Talent Show to Celebrity pipeline. 

In this episode, Chrystal and Summer do a deep dive into Hong Kong's newest boyband – Mirror. They discuss their first impressions and breakdown why Mirror's rise to fame was so fast and how they became Hong Kong's most popular celebrities. They also reflect on what Mirror means to Hong Kong and how its formation came at the perfect time during COVID19 and political unrest. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!♥️ How the f*ck is it 2022?😭

In this episode, Chrystal and Summer recap their 2021, from their highest highs to their lowest lows. They reflect on their most memorable and hardest moments of 2021, and talk about what they're looking forward to next year. 

P.S Our episode uploads will now be biweekly instead of every week! 

This episode is all about Shang Chi and the Hong Kong influence it has, from actors, to the crew, to the stunt directing! Chrystal and Summer spill the tea on all things Shang Chi, from what they loved, plot holes, Asian representation, their honest thoughts and more – they did NOT hold back! They also discuss iconic actors Tony Leung, Fala Chen and Yuen Wah, and what they remember of them growing up in Hong Kong. Finally, they discuss the importance of representation in Hollywood and what this movie means to them. Go watch Shang Chi in theatres if you haven't already (if you can do so safely of course)!!!

In this episode, Chrystal and Summer chat to Raymond about his experience moving to the 626 Area in LA from Hong Kong when he was 6. He talks about how he felt ashamed to be Asian growing up and instances of microaggressions he's experienced. They talk about how he got into social media and started creating content, how that has affected his Asian American identity, which ultimately led to him find himself, discover his creative passions and explore life outside STEM.  

You can follow Raymond here! Instagram: @daddydumpling TikTok: daddydumpling 

In this episode, Chrystal and Summer talk to 4 amazing humans from Voice to Culture Podcast – Kelly, Carolyn, Michelle and Amy. They talk about their experience growing up in the Bay, we discuss the model minority myth, how to talk to our Asian parents when it comes to social justice and breaking stereotypes, and finally, how to stay politically active in and out of college. Thank you for sharing your amazing insights with us VTC!💜

We also filmed a collab episode on their podcast as well! Check them out down below:

VTC's Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5thfl3U0YMg4WiAiePpX3s?si=8wSl1EISSqqLRv4qgZl8YA&dl_branch=1
VTC's Instagram: @voicetocuture

In this episode, Chrystal and Summer talk to Joan about her growing up in Vancouver, BC, how she was raised by her immigrant parents, her approach to parenting, her relationship with her husband and how she wants to preserve and pass on her Chinese culture to the next generation. Tune in to hear her share her experience and daily dose of wholesomeness! 

Joan also shares her journey on infertility to IVF and now life with her son, Liam on Instagram! If you're interested, you can find her at @momwack! 

In this episode, we have Querida and Zabrina, two rising year-12 students from Chinese International School, here to talk to us about their organisation Inquisitive Minds. They offer summer programs and online tutoring for underprivileged kids in Hong Kong. They tell us about Inquisitive Minds, we discuss education disparity, as well as the toxicity that comes with tutoring and the rigid public school system. 

You can find Inquisitive Minds on Instagram @inquisitivemindshk. Please reach out to them if you're interested in volunteering and supporting them! 

We have our friend Kevin Chang on this episode to talk about growing up in majority-White Sacramento, internalising racism, giving into stereotypes, and embracing his Asian American identity in college. We also touch upon the good and bad of cultural clubs, executive board experiences, trauma bonding, ABG/ ABBs, beauty standards, microaggressions etc.

In this episode we delve deep into the history, development, hidden secrets, and dark side of San Francisco Chinatown. We also talk about why Chinatowns are significant to us! 

In this episode, we have Ayush here to talk about his experience growing up as an Indian American in the Bay Area! We discuss the importance of colourism, Ayush's personal experiences with it, microaggressions, the model minority myth, and how all this has impacted Ayush's life. 

This episode is all about Cantonese Pop Music! In this episode, Chrystal and Summer talk about the origins of CantoPop, the iconic Golden Age, and the decline of the Pop industry in Hong Kong. They reminisce on what CantoPop means to them and its significance to Hong Kong. Also, different snippets songs from each era are scattered throughout the episode! 

P.S We created a separate playlist that includes all the CantoPop we listened to growing up. You can find it here, ENJOY: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5o3CbsVlGVlIpOCho42vuh?si=785a8462f8354f70

Ahhhh, California is reopening and masks are no longer required for those who are fully vaccinated!!! In this episode, Chrystal and Summer talk about COVID19, how the U.S and Hong Kong has handled it, Chrystal's experience flying during a pandemic, anti-maskers, anti-vaxxers, and vaccine hesitancy. With the new Delta strain, let's all wear masks to protect those who can't get vaccinated. Stay safe everyone! 

Happy (belated) Father's Day! This episode is all about fatherhood, paternal love, and (toxic) masculinity. Chrystal and Summer reflect on their relationship with their dad, toxic masculinity, and gender roles in East Asia.

"You're only successful if you're a lawyer, doctor, or in business". In this episode, we have our good friend Justin, a creative, who is working in the film industry on the podcast. Justin talks about his experience going into film, and discuss with Chrystal and Summer the social pressures that come along with choosing a creative industry. 

We have a special guest this episode – Irene! She is a self-empowerment coach based in the Bay Area, and shared amazing insight on mental health, especially on transgenerational trauma, beauty standards, and conversations surrounding being first generation Asian American. 

Welcome to Season 2! In this SPICY episode, Chrystal and Summer talk about their past dating history, experiences, how they navigated through them and how they've grown. They also play a game of red flag or dealbreaker, so follow along! Some piping-hot tea will be spilled! 

We have Chrystal's friend, Melody, here with us this episode to talk about her experience living in New York City! Like us, Melody was also born and raised in Hong Kong and we discuss the reality of living both in NYC and California. She talks about her moving experience, East Coast culture, the city-life, and what is really is like to be a New Yorker. 

WE GRADUATED (Summer from undergrad and Chrystal from grad school)!!! 🍾 Congratulations to the Class of 2021! In this episode, we talk about our feelings about graduation, Chrystal reflects on her post-grad life, and where we are going to go from here. 

In this episode, we have our good friend Jane to talk to us about what it really is like going through the Hong Kong international school system! She debunks some myths and stereotypes that Chrystal and Summer have. We talk about the local vs international school tension, hierarchy within the international schools, and what it means to be a Hong Konger. 

In this episode, we talk about "Tiger Parents"! We discuss what kind of parenting styles we were brought up in, how that has affected us, and how our relationship with our parents changed and evolved over the years. We also reflect on whether we would raise our own kids the same way our parents did. And finally, we answer the question of whether all Asian parents are "Tiger Parents". 

This week we have two of our friends, Christienne and Madison, from their own podcast Pineapple Headacheto talk with us about their experience as BIPOC women in film school, the larger white-dominated entertainment industry, as well as Asian American representation in film. Tune in to hear us discuss, share thoughts and spill the tea on how we actually feel about Asian American representation.

Have you ever wondered why there are so many superstitions woven into Chinese culture and life? In this episode, we talk about different Chinese superstitions that we grew up with. We share funny childhood and family stories, and dig deep into why so many people around us are superstitious. 

In this episode, we talk about our experiences within the Hong Kong education system, and the good and the bad that comes along with it. We *attempt* to explain how the system works and how it differs from the U.S. Follow along as we share our stories and challenges, and see for yourself if Hong Kong schooling is really THAT vigorous. 

In this episode, we reminisce on some of our favourite memories, and discuss our most-loved food, places, music, TV shows and more whilst growing up in Hong Kong.

But to be honest, this episode is just Summer and Chrystal trying to translate Cantonese words and phrases into English.

As I'm sure everyone has heard, the Atlanta Shooting that happened on March 16th has further shaken up the AAPI Community in America, adding on to the already-existing hostility and racism towards the AAPI community during COVID19. In this episode, we talk through this tragic incident, our thoughts, feelings, racism towards Chinese Americans, as well as resources and steps that we can take to educate ourselves and others. To our fellow AAPI community, we love you, we feel you, and please take care.♡

Welcome to our podcast! Follow along as Chrystal and Summer spill the tea on what it means to be Hong Kong immigrants in the U.S, share their personal stories, and address important social justice issues the Asian community is facing. In this episode, we introduce ourselves, reminisce on how we first met, and discuss our experience of moving from Hong Kong to the U.S.