hAAPI hour with melissa cho

A hot new Asian dating app has entered the villahhhh. Since helming the role of Head of Brand last May, Cindy Lim has been on a mission to spread awareness on a new app that transforms how we socially and romantically connect digitally.

Yuzu isn't just another dating app. With features tailored to the Asian diaspora, including social and dating modes, community spaces, and the ability to showcase ethnic roots, Yuzu is redefining how Asians connect and interact online. The buzz surrounding its launch was palpable, with over 10,000 eager users on the waitlist within just 90 days prior to its release.

A true third-culture kid, Cindy bridges her Korean heritage with her American upbringing. Co-founder and advisor to the popular lifestyle and cannabis brand Sundae School, Cindy brings a wealth of experience and passion to her role at Yuzu. Through the app, she's on a mission to foster pride, connections, and community within the Asian diaspora.

Cheers 🍵,

Listen to Chitra's full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7dooR4VqKFTuHAJI4bzAwF?si=22c824eaf9b74d1d

I want to share a snippet that was cut from a past episode due to time constraints. I’ve been reflecting on and reviewing a lot of my previous interviews over the past almost one year since I brought the show back in May, and I came across this conversation that was sitting in my editing timeline.

This deleted scene is a part of my episode with singer, songwriter, violinist, and now music producer Chitra Dassapa, who actually was the first guest I had on the show when I decided to bring the show back last year. I look back at myself and Chitra’s past years; we’ve grown so much. In Chitra’s case, I remember interviewing her before she was about to release her new single called “Aftertaste.” We were also both working in the same fitness studio as our part-time jobs, so we bonded a lot whenever we had the same odd-hour shifts and would talk about creativity, inspiration, and our frustrations, but also would provide encouragement for each other as independent creatives.

I’m so proud of Chitra and what she’s achieved ever since we recorded this talk because since then, she’s gotten so much more attention on social media regarding her music, she finally released her long-awaited single, surpassing 100 thousand streams in a few weeks, and yes it was all self-produced. I’m just filled with so much joy and gratitude that this amazing woman is a part of the hAAPI hour canon and is also my friend. Enjoy this golden deleted scene, which hopefully is a necessary reminder to anyone who’s afraid to look stupid when going after their dreams.

cheers 乾杯,

melissa 以欣

Stream Aftertaste: https://open.spotify.com/track/6HrGHJbrBpuLAKhwfaGTlz?si=dba90d79490c4a1b

Follow along Chitra's music journey: https://www.instagram.com/thisischitra/?hl=en

Follow hAAPI hour on Instagram for episode highlights and guest reveals: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/haapihourpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Say hello to tomorrow’s guest, the baddest NFL social media programmer, Shannon Domingsil.

Shannon and I go way back in college—she was actually my orientation leader. From the years I’ve known her in college, her work ethic is one of her strongest traits that stick out to me—the baddie has interned at CNN, The Today Show, E! News, and produced an investigative piece for Refinery29 on fertility fraud that racked up millions of views. All during college. Wtf.

For the past three years, this Honolulu island gyal has been on the social team for THE NFL, producing content with household names such as World Cup Champion Kylian Mbappe, Jason Derulo, Saweetie, and some of the biggest names in football today.

Make no mistake, although we talk about sports, this episode is still VERY MUCH a girls' chat. Shannon talks about the stigma of women working in sports, the story of how she made the first move to her now man, and how she once sang with James Corden live.

Cheers 🍵,

Melissa

Follow Shannon: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/shannondomingsil/

Follow hAAPI hour on Instagram for episode highlights and guest reveals: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/haapihourpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Here's what I learned from my two-month sabbatical in Taipei, reflecting on my quarter-life crisis, and sharing my battle strategies for the future. Thank you for being here.

cheers 乾杯,

melissa 以欣

Follow hAAPI hour on Instagram for episode highlights and guest reveals: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/haapihourpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

and yet again, i was invited onto another podcast. i swear—who keeps passing me the mic!!! in this episode, my new friend rashad, host of the wear many hats podcast, and i chat about online haters, finding the light as freelancers, and acquiring the juice to keep our indie podcasts chugging.

cheers 乾杯,

melissa 以欣

Follow hAAPI hour on Instagram for episode highlights and guest reveals: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/haapihourpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠

What better way to start the year than by orienting our priorities and decisions for 2024. I'm so excited to share my conversation with licensed psychologist Dr. Timothy Yen, CEO of Pivot Counseling and best-selling author of "Choose Better: The Optimal Decision-Making Framework,” a text we dive into in our conversation. Dr. Yen helps answer some of your submitted questions: How do I know if and when I should marry my partner? How do I properly confront my friend about a pressing issue? What do I do when I have decision paralysis? How do I prioritize my tasks properly? Enter, The Framework.

I hope this chat on Dr. Yen's Framework provides you with the tools you need to navigate your new year decisions with confidence. May the Framework be with you.

cheers 乾杯,

melissa 以欣

Buy Dr. Yen's book here: https://amzn.to/422i3Kp

Need counseling help? Check out Pivot Counseling: https://timyen.com/

Follow hAAPI hour on Instagram for episode highlights and guest reveals: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/haapihourpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Welcome back to hAAPI hour—I'm glad to be back for our first episode of 2024. Already loads of stuff filmed for the new year that I'm itching to post (Taiwan content soon 👀), but in the meantime, enjoy this lovely conversation I had with my new wise friend Kara Duffy on her podcast (that's been around for wayyy longer than mine), "The Powerful Ladies Podcast." I am a powerful lady omg maybe let me know if I sound like one when you finish this episode.

cheers 乾杯,

melissa 以欣

Follow hAAPI hour on Instagram for episode highlights and guest reveals: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/haapihourpod/⁠⁠⁠

what a year it's been for myself and the rebirth of hAAPI hour! thank you all for joining me for hAAPI hour this year—what fun it has been. this is the final episode of 2023 (i know y'all have more exciting plans for the holidays than listening to me talk in your ear on a friday), so i invite you to hear more about the full journey of all the physical, career, and mental reasons that led me toward the path of hAAPI hour redemption.

more exciting plans coming in the new year. see you soon.

cheers 乾杯,

melissa 以欣

Follow hAAPI hour on Instagram for episode highlights and guest reveals: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/haapihourpod/⁠⁠