Why Kuai Kuai corn chips are so popular

How they “bestow their magical powers”

TSMC has its own edition of Kuai Kuai chips

The propensity to turn to such folk beliefs

Wrong usage believed to crash filing system

Feeling peckish? Find out why Taiwan is mad about the “Kuai Kuai” brand of corn snacks. 

Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe, about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises. 

Taiwan is the world’s top manufacturer of semiconductors and advanced chips. But here is the super-chip that rules them all: a corn chip snack that is a favourite among Taiwan kids. 

Bags of it can be found atop laptops, ATM machines, printers all over the island, even in the offices of engineers in Hsinchu Science Park – home of the island’s semiconductor industry. 

In this episode, ST’s foreign editor Li Xueying chats with ST’s Taiwan correspondent Yip Wai Yee about how these chips became the go-to lucky charms for Taiwan appliances, and the folk traditions and pseudoscience that continue to thrive in the technologically advanced society.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:00: Why Kuai Kuai corn chips are so popular in Taiwan

2:05: How they “bestow their magical powers” on appliances

4:28: TSMC, the world’s leading semiconductor company, has its own edition of Kuai Kuai chips

5:47: The propensity for Taiwanese to turn to such folk beliefs 

8:29 The wrong use of Kuai Kuai chips was believed to have crashed Taiwan’s tax filing system in May 2017 

Read Wai Yee’s article here: https://str.sg/6vYn

Produced by: Li Xueying (xueying@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Follow Letter From The Bureau Podcast every first Friday of the month here:

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Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR

Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x

Read Yip Wai Yee's articles: https://str.sg/wFZk

Read ST's Letters From The Bureau: https://str.sg/3xRd

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters

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Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

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Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

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#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Special edition series:

True Crimes of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i4Y3

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#STAsianInsider

Feeling peckish? Find out why Taiwan is mad about the “Kuai Kuai” brand of corn snacks. 
Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe, about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises. 
Taiwan is the world’s top manufacturer of semiconductors and advanced chips. But here is the super-chip that rules them all: a corn chip snack that is a favourite among Taiwan kids. 
Bags of it can be found atop laptops, ATM machines, printers all over the island, even in the offices of engineers in Hsinchu Science Park – home of the island’s semiconductor industry. 
In this episode, ST’s foreign editor Li Xueying chats with ST’s Taiwan correspondent Yip Wai Yee about how these chips became the go-to lucky charms for Taiwan appliances, and the folk traditions and pseudoscience that continue to thrive in the technologically advanced society.
Highlights (click/tap above): 1:00: Why Kuai Kuai corn chips are so popular in Taiwan 2:05: How they “bestow their magical powers” on appliances
4:28: TSMC, the world’s leading semiconductor company, has its own edition of Kuai Kuai chips
5:47: The propensity for Taiwanese to turn to such folk beliefs 8:29 The wrong use of Kuai Kuai chips was believed to have crashed Taiwan’s tax filing system in May 2017 Read Wai Yee’s article here: <a href="https://str.sg/6vYn">https://str.sg/6vYn</a>
Produced by: Li Xueying (<a href="mailto:xueying@sph.com.sg">xueying@sph.com.sg</a>), Ernest Luis and Fa’izah Sani
Edited by: Fa’izah Sani
Follow Letter From The Bureau Podcast every first Friday of the month here:
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa7"> https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa8"> https://str.sg/JWa8</a>
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaX"> https://str.sg/JWaX</a>
SPH Awedio app:<a href="https://www.awedio.sg/"> https://www.awedio.sg/</a>
Website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
Read Li Xueying’s articles: <a href="https://str.sg/iqmR">https://str.sg/iqmR</a> 
Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn:<a href="https://str.sg/ip4x"> https://str.sg/ip4x</a>
Read Yip Wai Yee's articles: <a href="https://str.sg/wFZk">https://str.sg/wFZk</a> 
Read ST's Letters From The Bureau:<a href="https://str.sg/3xRd"> https://str.sg/3xRd</a>
Register for Asian Insider newsletter:<a href="https://str.sg/stnewsletters"> https://str.sg/stnewsletters</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
COE Watch: <a href="https://str.sg/iTtE">https://str.sg/iTtE</a>
In Your Opinion:<a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt"> https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Asian Insider:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa7"> https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Health Check:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaN"> https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Green Pulse:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaf"> https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Your Money &amp; Career:<a href="https://str.sg/wB2m"> https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
ST Sports Talk:<a href="https://str.sg/JWRE"> https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
#PopVultures:<a href="https://str.sg/JWad"> https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Music Lab:<a href="https://str.sg/w9TX"> https://str.sg/w9TX</a>
Discover ST Podcasts:<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts"> http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes of Asia (6 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/i4Y3">https://str.sg/i4Y3</a> 
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps):<a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2"> https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Invisible Asia (9 eps):<a href="https://str.sg/wuZn"> https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
Stop Scams (10 eps):<a href="https://str.sg/wuZB"> https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps):<a href="https://str.sg/wuJa"> https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
---
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#STAsianInsider

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Asian Insider

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust

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