Asian Pop Nation

Another mega podcast episode mashup of some of our favourite chats over the course of season 1 on APN! Anime fans this one is a must listen - in celebration of the release of the final episode of the My Hero Academia anime, we reminisce and reflect on this modern classic as well as talk about the genre of Reincarnation or Isekai animes from slimes to ASMR microphones, we cover all the wackiest reincarnation forms of media out there. Finally, sandwiched in between these Anime Attacks are a discussion about the new GRAMMY award categories, particularly 'Best Asian Pop Music performance' as well as all the Asian talent at Coachella 2026!   Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 12am to 2pm for all the wonderful tunes! Or find all the songs we have ever played on APN in the past here !

This episode of Asian Pop Nation is a special one, because we're doing a throwback show! Join Jessica and Denise as they talk about their nostalgic childhood and high school experiences in their hometown of Jakarta, and their favourite Asian media growing up! Other than that, they also talked about a peculiar vertical drama series fusing African-American and South Korean culture along with the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards!   Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 12am to 2pm for all the wonderful tunes! Or find all the songs we have ever played on APN in the past here !

A must-listen episode of APN concert reviews and chats! Hear them talk about ITZY's TUNNEL VISION tour, and XLOV's debut Oceania tour - two concerts with some very pretty idols performing. Finally, an interview with Wen Pei who opened for Mei Semones - another gig they also attended! Live Asian music is so alive here in Melbourne :D   Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 12am to 2pm for all the wonderful tunes! Or find all the songs we have ever played on APN in the past here !

In this episode of Asian Pop Nation, we talked about some asian (or not asian?) romcoms, sampling in popular K-Pop songs, and more controversies in the K-Pop scene about a certain chairman of a large music corporation... 👀   Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 12am to 2pm for all the wonderful tunes! Or find all the songs we have ever played on APN in the past here !

For this special episode, the gang here at Asian Pop Nation were joined by the wonderful hosts Eugenie and Beth over at Talk On Your Fork, where we talked about everything food, culture, and cuisine!   Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation And follow Talk On Your Fork on their Instagram too! @talkonyourfork.syn Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 12am to 2pm for all the wonderful tunes! Or find all the songs we have ever played on APN in the past here !

Wen Pei is a singer-songwriter and artist (and fellow SYN host on The Hoist!) whose soft and enchanting melodies sung in Hokkien and Mandarin, will have you feeling the windy breeze and warm sun on your face no matter where you are listening from. While the APN team first learnt of her through the opening night of Limitless Play at No Vacancy Gallery last year, she most recently opened for Japanese-American jazz-influenced indie rock artist Mei Semones last month on Sunday 14th June. 🐈🍂 Hear us sit down with Wen Pei and her partner/accompanist Alex to talk all about this incredible experience they had playing The Corner Hotel, songwriting, and the importance of singing in dialect. If you missed seeing the show - well you’re in luck, you will be able to hear a very special live performance straight from the SYN studios as well!    Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Follow Wen Pei on Instagram - @_waterclover and Alex on Instagram - @alex.ariel.makes Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 12am to 2pm for all the wonderful tunes! Or find all the songs we have ever played on APN in the past here !  

APN had the pleasure of interviewing Cupnoodle - a Thai German independent singer-songwriter based in Bangkok, Thailand. She has been releasing the most delicious soul and jazz infused pop music since 2020 - writing from an in-between space fusing Asian and Western music styles, singing in English and Thai, and she is unafraid to be playful in her lyrics and music.  Her latest single "A.I. CAN'T DO" is a track that celebrates how music is so human - something that cannot be replicated by AI, and will be alongside other singles such "Best Shot" in her upcoming album titled FARANG, which we learn all about in this interview.  (2:28) Cupnoodle on her new single A.I CAN'T DO  (6:39) The meaning behind the food themes across her music discography  (8:01) Singing (and laughing!) in Thai and paying homage to "the land of smiles" :) 🇹🇭 (13:57) Where it all began for Cupnoodle - and being an indpendent artist (16:09) Mixing cuisines of music  (21:40) Upcoming album FARANG (foreigner) and being okay with not belonging in one place (25:30) Future plans.... tour in Melbourne? Watch the new music video for "A.I CAN'T DO"   here! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation And follow Cupnoodle on Instagram - @cupnoodlemusic  Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 12am to 2pm for all the wonderful tunes! Or find all the songs we have ever played on APN in the past here !

Coincidentally, the APN team had a lot to say about Japan this episode beginning with maid cafes, One Piece Live Action - and ending with a discussion on how Japan is romanticised online, with people on TikTok romanticising their hometowns by pretending it is 'Tokyo, Japan' 🇯🇵🌸 ...  We had so much to say about BTS last episode that we continued that discussion here as well! We had a full retrospective of BTS and their (coming up to) 13 year long career as we truly felt the need to borahae just a little longer 💜   Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 12am to 2pm for all the wonderful tunes! Or find all the songs we have ever played on APN in the past here !  

A jam packed episode filled with throwbacks to some iconic K-pop debuts and one of the team's most favourite rhythm games they were obsessed with (arguably still) Project Sekai!! As well as more recent happenings in the Asian pop world - most importantly the long awaited comeback of BTS post-military service, with the album, 'ARIRANG'. Listen to hear our initial thoughts and opinions of this comeback and a retrospective on BTS's career thus far. 💜   Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 12am to 2pm for all the wonderful tunes! Or find all the songs we have ever played on APN in the past here !  

In this episode APN revisit an...altercation between Knetz and SEA Kpop fans over concert etiquette, as well as report on a very recent (at the time of recording) shock departure of Heeseung from ENHYPEN. More topics include a segment on older genres of Asian pop as well as, your favourite, an anime attack!! (0:04) Intro (2:13) Anime Attack: Sentenced to Be Absolute Trash (15:31) K-Pop Wars: SEAblings vs. Knetz (24:35) Asian Pop History! (32:52) Heesung leaving ENHYPEN... (42:57) Asian Exellence in the Winter Olympics (and byebye) Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 12am to 2pm for all the wonderful tunes! Or find all the songs we have ever played on APN in the past here !

Last week APN had the pleasure of sitting down with comedian Harry Jun, who was visiting Melbourne for his run of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. His show titled "Inside Jokes, Outside Voice" actually sold out its entire Naarm run (we are so proud 🥹), and our team who luckily snagged tickets can absolutely see why. So if you missed out on seeing his set, this interview is a must-listen! Jessica, Denise and Annabella chat to Harry Jun (not to be confused with K-pop idol Harry June of DKB, its an inside joke 😉, you have to listen to the end to find out) about "choppelgangers", bed-rotting, how he went from a high-school teacher to comedian, and of course all about his comedic process behind the show! (0:04) Witty Banter with Harry Jun (3:19) Inside Joke, Outside Voices (11:30) From teacher to comedian (16:50) Multicultural/multilingual comedy (23:54) Edinbrugh Fringe and shoutout to Jenny Tian! (26:30) Growing up Korean-Aussie and introducing Korean culture (33:36) Socials and future projects!   Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation And follow Harry Jun on Instagram - @_harryjun_ Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 12am to 2pm for all the wonderful tunes! Or find all the songs we have ever played on APN in the past here !

HOW WE FEELIN OUT THERE? APN, PRESENT!!! 🫡 Not me quoting songs two podcast episode captions back to back. This week Denise and Annabella talk about their experience at the In Your Fantasy tour at Rod Laver arena and give you a quick run down on the iconic group, ATEEZ. They also both gush over the representation in Bridgerton S4 🏰 and the adorable new starters in the upcoming Pokemon: Wind and Waves 🦎🦉🐕. As well as a commentary on the "You met me at a very Chinese time in my life" trend...   Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 12am to 2pm for all the wonderful tunes! Or find all the songs we have ever played on APN in the past here !

This week APN dropped it like hot, hot, hot, oh jigeum feeling so hot. No we did not play HOT by SEVENTEEN but we did talk all things Heated Rivalry - the hot new show generating lots of discussion and love, and Hotpot Bomb  - the hot new food product that claimed to be the 'first' of its kind...generating lots of discussion and hate. And finally, Annabella again makes the most of her solo time in the studio and yaps about her favourite neighbours, BOYNEXTDOOR and explains all about their lore/concept. (7:54) Heated Rivalry and its Asian-ness (?) 🏒 (22:19) Logan "The Cucumber Guy" and Fly By Jing's Hotpot Bomb 💣 controversy (33:20) WHO'S THERE? THE BOYNEXTDOOR 🩵🚪 !!! (their new live album is so good...)   Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 11am to 1pm for all the wonderful tunes!  

Hello and welcome back to Asian Pop Nation! The very first show of 2026, and the first of the Year of the Fire Horse 🐴🔥. Episode one meant only one person in the studio, your Executive Producer for 2026 - Annabella! She took many liberties this solo show to talk all things ZEROBASEONE before they d*sbanded and how much she loves member, Seok Matthew - who somehow healed her inner cultural identity crisis with learning her mother tongue.  She also talks about the many songs she had lined up for that show to make up for lack of people, you can view the tracklist on our Instagram or listen to the APN 2026 S1 playlist here!  (3:56) The ZEROBASEONE special <3 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙 (23:20) Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year? Why are we still having this debate...   Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 11am to 1pm for all the wonderful tunes!

L!FE is a Melbourne-based Filipino songwriter and producer, whose music combines hip-hop, rock and pop styles, with honest lyrics about, well, life! All its highs, all its lows and what it is like to be a human and alive. A week prior, APN attended L!FE's release party for his new EP 'I'm a Human Being' and fell in love with his energetic hip-hop beats you couldn't resist head bopping to, and infectious stage presence. We were so grateful to be able to talk to him live in the studio and hear him perform his song 'Show Me What You Got' (which he definitely did!).     Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 11am to 1pm for all the wonderful tunes!    

Apart from our interview with L!FE and watching him perform his banger single 'Show Me What You Got', the APN team came together to discuss the unfortunate racism Golden Bachelor winner, Sunny had been receiving following the show. As well as some upcoming anime releases and a certain badly drawn angle of one of our most beloved characters...   (0:07) Golden Bachelor winner Sunny and racist comments (10:58) Interview with L!FE (30:30) Live performance of 'Show Me What You Got' by L!FE (35:18) Upcoming anime releases - and recent memes ;D   Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 11am to 1pm for all the wonderful tunes!

This week the APN team talk all about their experience at L!FE's EP release party and seeing JXCKY as an opener as well as the GRAMMY nominations having an Asian representation moment with some names nominated such as KATSEYE, Rosé, Bruno Mars and HUNTR/X. Finally, we end the show with Ashly's experience visiting her homeland in China and why if you are a fan of all things pop-culture, you should join her in visiting too! (4:13) Jessie, Ashly and Jessica at L!FE's EP release party (with APN fav 'JXCKY' opening!!) (14:28) Asian representation finally at the GRAMMY's, but why is the APN team concerned? (26:24) APN's guide to fan conventions (37:39) Ashly's trip to China Pt.1 - China trees >> Australia trees?? (50:08) Ashly in China Pt.2 - fan communities galore (8 level mall dedicated to merch??) and food!   Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 12pm to 2pm for all the wonderful tunes!  

In the week leading up this show, the team at APN had been out and about completing various side-quests! The local scene for Asian art was truly thriving that week! Jessica, Annabella and Denise saw the 2005 Japanese film 'Linda Linda Linda' that was remastered and brought to Melbourne by the Asian Cinema Collective. They also went to see four incredible local Asian Australian musicians at Limitless Play, the opening event of No Vacancy gallery headlined by Juniper Care, with wonderful openers Wen Pei Low, JXCKY and Robert Baxter!!! And finally, a not-so-local band graced Australia with their presence....and that was none other than TWICE. Give this episode a listen to hear all about it!!! (2:55) Linda Linda Linda - we love female friendship and miss high school! (11:40) Limitless Play at No Vacancy Gallery - we love local artists! (26:54) TWICE - we love women! (37:22) A discussion on K-pop generations - we love the vibes of 3rd gen! (46:08) What is poppin' in Asia - we love when Asian songs go viral!   Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 11am to 1pm for all the wonderful tunes!

For the very first time on Asian Pop Nation, our ears were graced with a live performance by Lemes – an up-and-coming Indonesian student band based in Melbourne. Joining us in the studio was Deo, Julian, Theo, Rama, and Chelsea, who performed two wonderful Indonesian songs: 'Pandangan Pertama' and 'Cinta dan Rahasia'.  We had the chance to talk to Lemes about their hopes, dreams, and goals as one of the only Indonesian student bands based in Melbourne. Acting as a bridge between cultures, Lemes aims to help Indonesian diaspora reconnect with their roots and spread Indonesian music to wider horizons. Keep on listening and let yourself be charmed by this energetic band! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 11am to 1pm for all the wonderful tunes!

In this jam-packed episode of Asian Pop Nation, Jessica, Annabella, Denise, and Takee address two infamous battles happening in Asian media: the Newjeans legal dispute and the appeal of sports competitions in animes like Haikyu!! and Free! For the first time ever, Melbourne-based Indonesian student-band, Lemes, joins us in the studio for a live performance and a short chat.  (4:17) The appeal of sports anime (and hot men?)  (16:28) A breakdown of Newjeans' legal dispute with ADOR (24:50) Annabella's Night Out with Grent Perez! (28:37) Get to know Lemes: your new favorite Indonesian student band (38:00) Lemes performs LIVE in the studio! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 11am to 1pm for all the wonderful tunes!

What would you do if your favorite K-Pop idol landed in a controversy – with a bunch of your other faves in the mix too? In this fifth episode of Asian Pop Nation, Annabella, Denise, Jessica, and Ashly discuss the various moral and cultural controversies that have surrounded K-Pop and Pop spaces in recent weeks. We also get nitty gritty talking about the newly released Chainsaw Man movie! When all hope seems lost in K-Pop...a new boy group that just landed could just renew this hope – listen to find out more about 1VERSE. In today's show... (3:47) Sabrina Carpenter's culturally questionable SNL performance (13:37) W Korea's 'charity' event (24:34) Breaking down the newest Chainsaw Man movie! (34:43) Matcha Mania?! (43:35) North Koreans and South Koreans unite through new boy group, 1VERSE Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 11am to 1pm for all the wonderful tunes.

Welcome back to another episode of Asian Pop Nation, but this time, everything's a little spoooooky!! 👻 Join us for our Halloween special where we talk about many spooky things, such as Indonesia's love for horror movies, anime recommendations to put you into that scary mood, and Halloween video games and K-Pop! 🎃 Tune in to Spooky Pop Nation... if you dare... 🧟  (0:04) Intro (2:38) Indonesia and its love for the horror genre 😱🎬 (12:09) Anime recommendations for Halloween! 👹 (23:05) Fighting your inner demons in Silent Hill F 🦊 (32:28) Twisted Wonderland: Disney villains-turned hot anime boys?? 😳 (39:41) When K-Pop meets Halloween 🎃👻 (47:03) Outro Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 11am to 1pm for all the wonderful tunes.  

In this third episode, the APN team explores all things that makes our love of Asian media SOCIAL; we recap the recent PAX convention, bring back bittersweet memories of watching K-Dramas, and address the 'parasocial' phenomenon happening throughout K-Pop. Listen more to find out the best and trendiest Asian collabs of the year! (3:00) Jessie and Ashly recap the PAX convention (12:40) K-Drama Sad Hours (prepare your tissues) (22:51) Parasocial-ism in K-Pop? (32:18) Viral Asian songs throughout the years (43:32) Asian collabs of the year Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 11am to 1pm for all the wonderful tunes.

APN has taken off and landed on a planet...a BOYS II PLANET! 🪐 This episode Jessica and Annabella complain- I mean, discuss the the sequel to the hit survival show BOYS PLANET. Listen to hear their thoughts on voting controversies, classic Mnet riggory, and the unfortunate final group name. Our frustrations continue as we discuss how recent protests against corruption in Southeast Asia are using pop-culture moments - what is the significance of the One Piece skull flag 🏴‍☠️? As well as a conversation about Asian representation on broadway following a casting decision for South Korean musical, Maybe Happy Ending. 🤖 (0:10) Maybe Happy Ending casting controversies (7:54) Jessica and Annabella's trauma- I mean, experience watching BOYS II PLANET (27:37) Pop Culture and Protests in Asia (45:59) Our favourite genres of Asian food - and our Asian spot recs in Melbourne! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 11am to 1pm for all the wonderful tunes.

Did you miss us?? Asian Pop Nation is finally back, after a (almost!) one year long hiatus! And for the first time in many many moons, we are recording LIVE in the studio 📻. So the APN podcast may sound a little bit different! Not only this, but we have some new voices on the show 🤩! You may recognise Jessie and Annabella from previous shows, but joining them are Takee, Jessica, Denise, and Ashly this season. We are so excited to finally be back to bring you the latest Asian pop songs, news, discussions and more 😎😎 Here is what you can expect from this very first episode 🤭: (05:32) Denise, Jessie and Ashly on Love and Deepspace - and other otome games! (22:10) Annabella and Denise's experience at seeing Indonesian artist Tulus at Soundsekerta 2025 (28:24) Jessie and Ashly's experience watching the Demon Slayer movie on release day (35:49) We had to talk about Netflix's most watched film of all time...K-POP DEMON HUNTERS (45:59) We decide what to eat for lunch - Asian food edition Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Saturday from 11am to 1pm for all the wonderful tunes.

An APN episode in 2025?! It's more likely than you think... Enjoy a little blast from the past moment as some of our team members gather around our metaphorical campfire to revive Asian Pop Nation for just one night only in honour of SYN's 2025 Radiothon. If you ever wanted to know what we have been up to post-APN plus also some of our itching thoughts about the latest Asian content taking over the world during the first half of the year, tune in! 🎧 (04:45) Where Are They Now? (APN Edition) (14:15) JP hates Hunter x Hunter (24:00) Lisha talks Million Grandmas, Street Woman Fighter (35:28) Concert review: EVNNE 'SET N GO' in Melbourne (42:52) Gnarly by KATSEYE: dissecting the pop culture phenomenon

After 31 episodes provided by a team of 10 young Asian folks who loved popping in every Tuesday to yap about everything under the sun, we have officially reached the end of Asian Pop Nation 2024 (and potentially forever)! Come join us one last time to not only talk about a concert that feels very on-brand for us to end our show on, but to also reflect on the year and the evolution of APN with some fun behind the scenes lore. No matter if you are a long-time or recent listener of our show, thank you so much for tuning in to our little corner here on SYN and for one last time... this is APN signing off! 👋❤️ (00:00) One last intro from your APN 2024 team (02:21) Jessie & Ethan's experience at MIKU EXPO 2024 in Melbourne (13:24) How was 2024 for us individually? (32:16) A mix of Asian movies, anime, media & music we enjoyed in 2024 (45:12) Reminiscing about the history of APN and our times on the show (01:05:30) Goodbye from us here at Asian Pop Nation Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

Before we officially rip the band-aid off when it comes to reaching the end of APN 2024, our team members wanted to focus on more light-hearted moments that happened back in November (with an October sneak entry), such as the trio of concerts we got to see from girl groups' ARTMS & (G)I-DLE as well as from solo artist, tiffi. The fun times however do come to an end as we also say our early farewells to our newest team member, Annabella, by giving her the spotlight to yap all about the stuff she personally loved in 2024! (P.S. Listen to this episode to find out where you can continue to hear her on your airwaves)  (01:46) Annabella's Asian media faves of 2024 ❤️ (16:29) Ethan's SVIP experience at ARTMS's Moonshot World Tour in Melbourne (25:40) Tracy's experience at (G)I-DLE's i-DOL World Tour in Melbourne (39:56) Tracy's experience at tiffi's cold medicine tour in Melbourne Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

As the title of this episode suggest, we are doing a massive recap session on all of the major headlines that took the world by storm... maybe a while back, but we couldn't end off the year just yet without covering these topics at all! So tune in to the APN team discussing all of the chaos from the past while also switching the spotlight to our EP, Tracy, making her official return to the mic after her big overseas trip to Singapore and Taiwan for the first time! (01:24) RIIZE & Seunghan's controversy (17:36) The Vatican designing an anime-inspired mascot called Luce (20:17) Simu Liu vs Bobba in the TV show, 'Dragon's Den' (25:56) Why is a new Korean cooking show called 'Culinary Class Wars' so popular right now? (30:48) A solo traveller's guide to Singapore, brought to you by Tracy (43:19) A solo traveller's guide to Taiwan, brought to you by Tracy Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

Entering the month of November reminds us of the fact that we have to start our countdown to the end of our 2024 APN run! 😢 But before we start delving into the sadness revolving around this particular month, we are time travelling back to happier times in October to not only hear Annabella & Jessie's thoughts of the most recent Stray Kids's stadium concert in Melbourne but also welcoming Le back to the APN virtual studio to yap all about her travel stories in Malaysia & China.  (01:38) Jessie & Annabella's experiences at Stray Kids World Tour <dominATE Melbourne> in Marvel Stadium (24:50) Le visits Malaysia & China and experiences a cultural whiplash Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

In a similar vein of bringing back a classic APN special that has been neglected for far too long, we are welcoming our Member Mixtape back to this year's APN rotation! If this is your first time seeing these words thrown around, it is an annual tradition in which each of our team members will have the spotlight to chat & play whatever they want; all rules are off the table! From casual catchup sessions with team members who have been MIA for a bit, to showering love & appreciation to some of our personal fave shows, this episode has it all. 🎶 (00:00) Annabella's picks (07:17) Lisha's picks (11:43) Xenia's picks (19:46) Ethan's picks (26:32) Tharuki's picks (36:41) Jessie's picks Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

Call this episode a little throwback to a topic that hasn't been getting as much love as usual here at APN, aka all things anime/manga related! Given how much talk there has been about a series of long-running manga's reaching their end in 2024, we wanted to take a look back at a large variety of endings that didn't really hit the mark for us personally. We will also take a slight detour this episode into discussing a certain VTuber announcing their retirement from the streaming scene, and what closing a chapter in their streaming journey means to a fan. Minor spoilers ahead... 🤫 (03:51) Anime/Manga endings that are bad in APN's opinion Part 1 (13:14) Anime/Manga endings that are bad in APN's opinion Part 2 (26:22) Anime/Manga endings that are bad in APN's opinion Part 3 (40:23) The streaming pipeline from IShowSpeed to VTuber Amelia Watson (53:04) More lore drop about VTuber Amelia Watson & her retirement Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

If you are looking far and wide for an incredible Asian artist who was able to look at a real life ceramic bear, and make it the inspiration for one of our favourite new tracks of the week, look no further than the LA-based Singaporean singer-songwriter, Linying! She joins Tracy & Annabella in dissecting through the behind-of-scenes creation process of her latest single, "Donovan", as well as the many transitional phases in Linying's artistic journey, including moving overseas! 🐻 You can listen to "Donovan" on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.  You can also follow Linying on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to hear about all her future releases and projects.

And the ball doesn't stop rolling here at APN as we have another exciting interview, this time from Los Angeles-based Singaporean artist, Linying, joining us for a chat about her latest single, "Donovan"! But if you also love to fall into deep rabbit holes into certain niche, but well-loved films & music, you are going to love the many movie retrospectives that are all occurring at once in little old Melbourne, from Godzilla to Akira Kurosawa. We'll also take a look into a disbanded Japanese girl group that has been having a bit of a revival moment due to the certain recent Emmy winning actress. 😉 (00:00) Our interview with Linying (27:57) Asian film retrospectives happening in Melbourne (36:04) A mini deep dive into FAKY, Anna Sawai's former J-pop group, brought to you by Tracy Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

After releasing a joint collaboration album back in July titled, "AAA", indie powerhouses HYUKOH & Sunset Rollercoaster are ready to bring their album to life with their upcoming November tour across Australia! In preparation for an once-in-a-lifetime concert experience, Tracy sat down with frontmen Oh Hyuk from HYUKOH and Kuo Kuo from Sunset Rollercoaster to chat all about the work that went behind intertwining two creative visions from Korea and Taiwan together plus a little tale about taxes. 🪁 Chinese translations during the interview:  (04:48) 因为台湾的中文舌头比较平 : because Taiwanese Chinese has flatter tones (05:09) 台灣通勤第一品牌 (shortened to 台通 tái tōng) : a popular Taiwanese podcast show (06:16) 华侨 huáqiáo : A diasporic Chinese person You can find out more about the "AAA Tour" through here. You can also listen to "AAA" on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.  You can also follow HYUKOH on their website and Instagram, and also Sunset Rollercoaster on their website and Instagram, to hear about all their future releases and projects.

A brand new month also comes with a brand new season of APN! With the power of uploading episodes back to back, it probably doesn't feel like a big break for you, dear listeners, but over here in APN, we have been cooking up a bunch of surprises behind the scenes & are finally ready to reveal it now! Starting with our very special interview with both HYUKOH & Sunset Rollercoaster in the lead up to their upcoming tour in November, the up's and down's Asian folks have been facing on TV, the KATSEYE takeover and a certain comedian opening up a certain fried rice restaurant. Tune in to this episode to find out all of the details! 🍚 (00:00) Our interview with HYUKOH & Sunset Rollercoaster (17:54) Asians on TV: Shōgun’s record breaking Emmy wins, The Bachelorette, Bridgerton (27:22) One Uncle Roger fried rice restaurant opens and suddenly all hell breaks loose (39:01) The KATSEYE phenomenon Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

Once upon a time, the APN team sat all together in the SYN studios, to record the final episode of Season 3 back in September... and now you get to hear exactly what we chatted about on that faithful night! There will be plenty of tales about the concert experiences to come from both the Laufey & aespa shows last month, and for the anime enthusiasts out there, you will also get to hear our thoughts about the 2024 Animaga Expo, so gather around for our final Season 3 episode for the year!  (02:23) Annabella's POV experiencing A Very Laufey Day in Melbourne (11:44) Le and Liz's POV experiencing Laufey's Bewitched: The Goddess Tour at the Palais Theatre (22:24) Ethan and Lisha's POV experiencing aespa's SYNK: PARALLEL LINE at Rod Laver Arena (34:31) Le and Lisha's POV experiencing Animaga Expo 2024 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

Have you ever wanted all of the behind-the-scenes tea from being in a televised documentary about becoming a manga creator or maybe you wanted to relish the past "joyful" memories of being an Asian kid going to your daily Kumon class? Well, this episode of APN will have some special guests here & there, who are ready to spill on their personal experiences going through these core memories of their lives. You can watch the documentary through the official NHK website. Be sure to also check out the one-shot manga's by Enewald and Monotone Ink to see their finalized work in action! (02:23) NHK's Documentary "Discovering Tomorrow's Manga Masters" (31:26) The Kumon Experience 😐 Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

Some unfortunate technical issues in the past couple of weeks has led APN to have a few miscellaneous topics that might seem old news now as we reach the end of August. But please bare with us as we take a trip down memory lane to APN's collective first reactions to seeing the hit Thai film, 'How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies' in Australian cinemas, while also hearing some insane tales to come from IVE's first ever Melbourne show back in July & 3rd generation girl groups slowly fading away from us. 😔 (01:04) First reactions to How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (12:18) POV: You are Ethan doing everything you can to see IVE in Melbourne (22:30) The story of Weki Meki and the current state of 3rd gen K-pop girl groups Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

In classic APN fashion, we will be returning to our good old friend aka the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF for short), to highlight some of the films in their 2024 line-up that were done by Asian filmmakers across the globe! 📽️ For some bonus shenanigans, the team decide to interrogate Ethan on his trip to Jakarta & Singapore whilst also looking into the Hatsune Miku Australian takeover that is slowly but surely approaching us...   (00:58) Asian films at MIFF 2024 (23:48) Ethan visits Jakarta & Singapore (warning: there will be Minions mentioned) (33:25) Hatsune Miku touring Australia Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

There has been an influx of shows, movies, books & pop culture events that each of our team members have wanted to yap about on APN for AGES but it all kept being put into the backburner until now! So listen in to hear all about it, from some of our general thoughts about hit TV series, Shogun & The Sympathizer to books such as Yellowface by R.F. Kuang and even the phenomena of K-pop entering the Western market. (01:56) SM’s new UK-focused boy group and the concept of "global groups" (13:35) TV series reviews: The Sympathizer and Shogun (24:04) Movie reviews: How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies and Ultraman: Rising (29:42) Asian rep on Masterchef Australia (Season 16) (34:28) Book review: Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (44:48) SEVENTEEN at Glastonbury Festival 2024 Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

After a tiny little hibernation period of us here at APN, we are officially back for Season 3! 🥳 Just like everyone else in the year of 2024, whenever there is any sort of break time, Japan seems to be the top destination for people across the globe to travel straight to and... we were definitely no different as one of our team members, Jessie, visited this buzzing country for the very first time. You are going to be able to hear all about the woes and joys of travelling to Japan in this episode, with Jessie's own personal spin to it!  (01:28) Pre-trip: The do's and don'ts in Japan (16:04) Post-trip: What were Jessie's thoughts after travelling to Japan? Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

In honour of our last episode for Season 2, we are going to look back into some of the most memorable music videos that shaped us! From the ones that made us cry when we were kids to the ones that made us scratch our heads a bit, we will be taking a trip down memory lane to revisit some of our personal faves and maybe some of yours as well!  (01:09) Angsty 2nd-gen K-pop MV's (K.Will, Big Bang, JYJ & F.T. Island) (13:04) An MV filled with pure nostalgia (BTS) (15:58) Silly & Goofy MVs (SHINee, AOA & EXO) (25:20) MV's with the most convoluted plots of all time (B.A.P, MBLAQ & 2NE1) (33:50) Aesthetically memorable MV's (Jus2, TWICE, Red Velvet, T-ARA, VIXX, U-KISS) (38:30) Non-kpop related music videos shoutout! (RAN, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, NIKI) (45:05) Recent memorable K-pop MV's (IVE & ARTMS) Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

With the weather getting colder every single day, you might need a little remedy for the sickness you might have caught and what's a better cure than the brand new single titled 'cold medicine' released by the Western Sydney bedroom pop artist herself, tiffi! She joins Le & Lisha to chat all about the inspiration behind her latest tracks as well digging into what made tiffi the young musical gem she is today! 🐰 You can listen to cold medicine on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.  You can also follow tiffi on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to hear about all her future releases and projects.

I wonder what has been the talk of the town lately? Would it be our full interview with the Australian singer-songwriter, tiffi or Tokyo's local government creating their own dating app or Chinese video games that has recently piqued the interest of some of our team members aka JP & Le? Guess you have to listen to this episode to hear all of the goss...  (01:56) APN's interview with tiffi! (38:32) Tokyo's government-created dating app (and why dating apps are a nightmare) (49:50) Upcoming & recent Chinese video games Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

There seems to be two very specific topics that the APN team can't seem to stop thinking about these last couple of weeks: sports anime and why Haikyuu reigns supreme (allegedly) & the first studio album release to come from South Korean girl group, aespa. So, it only makes sense that we yap all about it on this episode! (01:46) Mini deep dive into the genre of sports anime  (22:24) Aespa title tracks (Supernova & Armageddon) thoughts (32:18) Aespa first full-length album, Armageddon, thoughts Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

Have you been feeling like there are a million concerts happening in Australia all at once? Well the APN team can definitely relate heavily to this sentiment as this week, we will be going through the long list of Asian acts heading down under very shortly and who you should keep tabs on! Sticking to things locally happening in our part of town, Jessie & Ethan gives us all the details from this year's Japan Festival in Box Hill plus some conversations about a certain wicked tale. 🧙‍♀️ (02:07) Upcoming concerts and why we can't seem to score tickets to most of them (10:10) Jessie's thoughts on Chinese indie rock band, 白鲨JAWS's Melbourne show (17:21) Early thoughts on the upcoming Wicked movie (34:07) 2024 Japan Festival in Box Hill Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

If this seems like we are slightly late to the game when it comes to chatting all about the Asian celebrities who attended this year's Met Gala... you would be right as this week, we are bringing you an episode that was semi-late to the party! 😅 But hopefully you will forgive our poor timing since we also brought some fun local topics revolving around a throwback television series, a more intimate film festival & a crash course into an interesting Chinese food concept.  (01:53) Met Gala 2024 (23:23) Border Security (and we just mean the Australian TV show) (33:05) Asian filmmakers at the ReelGood Film Festival 2024 (45:18) Chinese Parenting 101 on Heaty & Cooling foods Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

Are you looking for the insider scoop into the latest feud between the Korean entertainment companies, HYBE & ADOR or what might have happened during this year's DreamHack? Or maybe you just wanted to hear the APN team chat about an old but beloved topic aka Asian food? Well, this episode will definitely serve up all of those dishes straight to you! (01:43) The HYBE vs. ADOR controversy (24:01) DreamHack Melbourne 2024 (38:13) We miss food from the motherland 😢 Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.

It's time to relive the sadness that certain anime fans might have experienced in the month of April, especially if you were a fan of shows such as, Yuri!!! On Ice and Jujutsu Kaisen. But if you are someone who is looking for a humorous cure to this devastating blow, maybe APN's review of the latest ABC TV series, White Fever, might just help you out. 😉 (01:52) Yuri!!! On Ice the Movie: Ice Adolescence cancellation (11:20) Nanami Kento from Jujutsu Kaisen getting a memorial in Kuantan, Malaysia (21:32) White Fever Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter - @asianpopnation Please note that SYN does not have the rights to podcast the music it plays on 90.7FM. That means you'll have listen live on SYN 90.7FM | DAB+ syn.org.au every Tuesday from 8pm to 10pm for all the wonderful tunes.