Head in the Clouds

In the pilot episode of the podcast's deep-dive into the problematic aspects of "K-Pop Culture," actual listeners of K-Pop music discuss  relevant issues including the consumerism and capitalism promoted in the music industry, the parasocial relationships fostered in K-Pop, as well as the so-called cancel culture found within fandom communities. They also discuss specific incidences such as the allegations surrounding ex-members of AOA and Lucas of NCT. Whether you're a K-Pop fan or just someone who's heard of K-Pop, this is an episode full of interesting points about the human psyche in general.  

Due to state-sponsored anti-LGBT rhetoric and actively encouraged homophobic sentiments in Malaysia, my friend Dienta was pushed to seek for asylum in the US, where she is studying. This episode is an exploration of her life and the struggles she has faced because of her sexual orientation and her nationality, from being targeted online and having her scholarship revoked to strenuous personal relationships. 

My sister has a lot of sleep issues. Even after growing out of her chronic sleep paralysis, she still struggles with overly vivid dreams that leaves her poorly rested every night. In this episode, we talk about her weird hallucinations and dreams. Oh, and we also briefly talk about stories about sleep walking and my bruxism. 

I don't watch sports, but every time a major sport event like the Olympics rolls around, I get hooked into it. There's just something about rooting for a team or an athlete that really gets us hyped, which is why the Olympics have been around forever, I suppose. But there's always something kind of bittersweet about watching athletes duke it out. There's also a sense of jealousy or envy and also a prominent sense of sympathy. Listen to my friend, G, and I talk more in depth about sports culture and the problematic aspects of it. 

Sue Jean is a petite girl whereas Claudia is on the curvier side - but both have definitely experienced their fair share of body shaming. Join them as they share their body shaming stories and the scrutiny they face under society's beauty standards. 

In this episode, I open up to my friend, G, about my experiences as a minor interacting with adult men.  Despite having not spoken about it at large before, I've become much more aware of how important it is to shed light on conversations regarding child grooming and pedophilic behavior especially in the age of the internet. We discussed how adult men need to be held accountable, how trauma can hit years after the causing event occurred, and how children are never the ones at fault. (Explicit language and gratuitous use of the F-word in this episode)

TW: mentions of sexual harassment/pedophilia 
For more info: www.theheadinthecloudshow.wordpress.com

In this episode, I invited my friend Colleen to ruminate on positivity when its pushed to the extreme (aka "Good Vibes Only") and discuss random topics like growing up, coffee drinking, quantum physics, and so much more. 

Two sisters who used to share the same MBTI type retake the test together while trying to be as honest as possible, while dissecting how legit and relevant personality tests such as the MBTI are.  They are not at all well-versed in MBTIs and personality tests, but they sure have some thoughts on it. Humor and chaos ensues.

The Chinese community throughout the world is vast, diverse and nuanced. Overseas Chinese and those from China share many cultural traits, but as you may expect, there are certainly differences between us. In this episode, I sit down with my friend Adele Du, who is from China, and talked about our similarities and differences. We also touched on the migration of Chinese people to Malaysia, Peranakan/Baba Nyonya culture, dialects and accents, as well as Malaysian Chinese idols in China. 

What's in a language? In Malaysia, you are defined by the language you speak. Your community, your schooling, your mindset and your identity is all informed by what language you primarily speak. In school, this results in different "cliques." In real life, the implications are scarier. My friend, Nuha, who went to a Chinese vernacular school for her elementary education despite being of a Malay descent, dissects the nuances of language in Malaysia and it means to speak a language and not the other.