China Popcast

By China Plus

Unpacking culture and social trends popping in today's China and maybe even the world… This is the China Popcast with your hosts Lucy Lv and Wendyl Martin.

Through interviews, candid conversation and... more

· Society & Culture

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FAQs about China Popcast:

How many episodes does China Popcast have?

The podcast currently has 9 episodes available.

China Popcast episodes:

April 03, 2026 WATCH: 'Cousin Sherry' Zhu and New York mom Sade on being Chinese baddies
They came to RedNote as "Tik Tok refugees" and caught glimpses of Chinese culture they had never seen before. American streamer iShowSpeed toured China, putting the country on full display to millions. "Cousin Sherry" then started telling netizens that they are turning Chinese, forming a global community of Chinese "baddies," a term of endearment and solidarity on social media among people who adopt traditional lifestyle habits – such as drinking warm water and taking traditional Chinese medicine – to improve their lives. And now netizens are taking it to the next level with Chinamaxxing. Chinese-American influencer Sherry Zhu and New York mother Sade take us through the ins and outs of their "becoming Chinese" experiences.

CONTACT:
[email protected]
[email protected]

For more on Chinese culture:
www.cgtn.com/culture
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplusnews/
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplusamerica/
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplussa/
...more
36min
April 03, 2026 Influencer 'Cousin Sherry' Zhu and New York mom Sade on being Chinese baddies
They came to RedNote as "Tik Tok refugees" and caught glimpses of Chinese culture they had never seen before. American streamer iShowSpeed toured China, putting the country on full display to millions. "Cousin Sherry" then started telling netizens that they are turning Chinese, forming a global community of Chinese "baddies," a term of endearment and solidarity on social media among people who adopt traditional lifestyle habits – such as drinking warm water and taking traditional Chinese medicine – to improve their lives. And now netizens are taking it to the next level with Chinamaxxing. Chinese-American influencer Sherry Zhu and New York mother Sade take us through the ins and outs of their "becoming Chinese" experiences.
Catch our video podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP9TvZWAFU4
CONTACT:
[email protected]
[email protected]
...more
36min
March 12, 2026 Short vertical dramas keep viewers on the edge of their phone screens
Heightened emotions, wild plots and fast-paced story telling – these elements come together in the viral screen phenomenon that is short vertical dramas. American actor Christopher Boidy, who has played roles in several short vertical dramas, and Beijing Film Academy Associate Professor Mu Ling join China Popcast for a chat about what makes these shows so addictive and how they are made.
Catch our video podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVBa1ebqhpg
CONTACT:
[email protected]
[email protected]
For more on Chinese culture: www.cgtn.com/culture
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplusnews/
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplusamerica/
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplussa/
...more
52min
March 11, 2026 VIDEO: Short vertical dramas keep viewers on the edge of their phone screens
Heightened emotions, wild plots and fast-paced story telling – these elements come together in the viral screen phenomenon that is short vertical dramas. American actor Christopher Boidy, who has played roles in several short vertical dramas, and Beijing Film Academy Associate Professor Mu Ling join China Popcast for a chat about what makes these shows so addictive and how they are made.
CONTACT:
[email protected]
[email protected]
For more on Chinese culture: www.cgtn.com/culture
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplusnews/
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplusamerica/
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplussa/

...more
52min
February 18, 2026 2026's fire horse: The origins of the Chinese calendar and what the horse represents
It's the Year of the Horse and it's set to be a fiery year ahead.
In this episode of China Popcast, we chat with heritage expert Matthew Hu about the origins of the traditional Chinese calendar, what it means for people today and what the horse represents. This is specifically the Year of the Fire Horse, so Matthew helps us unpack why and what this means for 2026. He also brought along some creative Chinese calligraphy done for this year's celebrations. The episode was recorded on Lichun, or the Start of Spring solar term, ahead of Chinese New Year.
Catch our video podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be2UWyqxJGw
CONTACT:
[email protected]
[email protected]
For more on Chinese culture: www.cgtn.com/culture
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplusnews/
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplusamerica/
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplussa/
...more
35min
January 06, 2026 AI and music: Instantly generated chords, lyrics and melodies and how this will change music forever
Testing one, two… AI has "stepped up to the microphone" and is storming up playlists, music platforms and even some charts.
In this episode of China Popcast, we are unpacking AI-generated music, and its effects on the music industry. We are joined by young music producer Pinak and live music venue owner Sawyer to look ahead to how AI is changing the way music made, distributed, performed and consumed.
Pinak takes us through his journey of harnessing AI tools to make music, particularly hip-hop in China, while Sawyer tells us how AI is impacting live music and musicians.
Catch our video podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTuq0K461Po
CONTACT:
[email protected]
[email protected]
For more on Chinese culture: www.cgtn.com/culture
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplusnews/
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplusamerica/
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplussa/
...more
41min
December 04, 2025 Traditional Chinese medicine: Tongue examinations, acupuncture and creating internal balance
This time on China Popcast, traditional Chinese medicine experts Professor Wang Lepeng and Dr Zheng Zhishan join us to discuss the boom in interest on social media in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). From herbal tea and coffee bars to a myriad of TCM-rooted life hacks, our experts highlight how they've seen a shift among youngsters who are now incorporating this ancient wisdom into their lifestyles. To demonstrate TCM diagnostics and treatment methods, the guests give our hosts a tongue examination and some in-studio acupuncture.
Catch our video podcast here: https://youtu.be/8x6KZ0mc-8w
CONTACT:
[email protected]
[email protected]
For more on Chinese culture: www.cgtn.com/culture
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplusnews
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplusamerica
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplussa
...more
46min
September 23, 2025 Labubu: Collector and marketing prof on how a furry 'monster' goes global
This time on China Popcast, toy collector and reporter Vica Li and marketing professor Zhang Ying have discussed how a wild-yet-charming forest elf character designed for Chinese-owned Pop Mart went global. Labubu has taken the world by storm, popularized after it was seen with celebrities such as Rihanna, Dua Lipa and Lisa from Blackpink. Our guest Zhang Ying is a professor at Peking University's Guanghua School of Management, where Pop Mart's executives, including founder Wang Ning, were students in an MBA program. The "grandfather" of Labubu, or "La Ye Ye" as we named him, tells us what Wang and the others were like as students. And Li tells us about the emotional rollercoaster of toy collecting: the appeal, the thrill of blind boxes, swapping and giving collectables away, and the art of dressing up your little "monster" companion.
Catch our video podcast here: https://youtu.be/D2-0nShIkEk?si=HiaNPBn5vqZwqE0b
CONTACT:
[email protected]
[email protected]
...more
50min
August 29, 2025 WWII in China: Mountaineer and Gen Z content creator delve into haunting stories
In today's episode, mountaineer Kevin Wang and Gen Z content creator Jonathan Yao join China Popcast hosts Lucy Lv and Wendyl Martin for a discussion about China's never-to-be-forgotten World War II stories. Wang is the founder of the "Back to the Hump," through which he leads expeditions over the mountains of Yunnan to find the wreckage of aircraft and pilots who flew along the Hump, an air route over the Himalayas that was used to help deliver supplies to China. Yao, who uses his video channels to uncover history and culture, talks about the Japanese occupation of his native northeast China. Catch our video podcast here: https://youtu.be/1btDfhiaFa0?si=ZPHdMDWuaws1lOzr
CONTACT:
[email protected]
[email protected]
For more on Chinese culture see: www.cgtn.com/culture
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplusnews/
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplusamerica/
https://www.facebook.com/chinaplussa/
...more
43min

FAQs about China Popcast:

How many episodes does China Popcast have?

The podcast currently has 9 episodes available.