What does survival mode actually look like?

In this clip from #OldAsianLady, Sophie Lee opens up about burnout, financial pressure, and the years she spent pushing herself past her limits just to keep going.

From working multiple jobs to breaking down crying in the street—this is a conversation about self-reliance, survival mode, and what happens when your entire life becomes work.

Sometimes strength comes from believing nobody else will save you.

What makes someone different from the generation or culture they grew up in?

In this heartwarming clip from#OldAsianLady, Sterling Hsaio reflects on Aging, Independence and Parenting. While many Asian parents are known for being strict, controlling, or heavily focused on academic achievement, he chose a different approach. Perhaps influenced by his early love of English with Western ideas and his own unique personality—instead of expecting his children to fulfill his dreams, he believed they should have space to become themselves—even if their choices were completely different from what he imagined.

Sometimes the most loving thing a parent can do… is letting go.

What do you do when life keeps forcing you to change direction?

In this clip from #OldAsianLady, animator and filmmaker JJ Chen opens up about rejection, failure, and trying to rebuild his life while dealing with his mother's cancer diagnosis.

After losing 2 projects that later went on to receive Oscar nominations, JJ returned to Taiwan hoping to regroup and focus on his own creative work. Instead, he found himself staying indefinitely to support his mother through illness and uncertainty.

Now at 45, he reflects on creative burnout, financial instability and the philosophy that has helped him endure difficult periods in life.

What happens when you grow up feeling like something is “off”… but no one can tell you why?

In this clip from #OldAsianLady, Mrinal Gakhale shares what it was like growing up undiagnosed with autism—and being labeled as someone who just wasn’t trying hard enough. Facing social challenges and bullying, her experience highlights how autism can go unrecognized, especially in girls.

It wasn’t until the age of 25 that she finally received a diagnosis that helped her make sense of her life.

This is a powerful conversation about identity, understanding, and the importance of being seen.

What happens when you lose a part of who you are?

In this video from #OldAsianLady, dance artist Wei-Shan Lai shares her journey through thriving career, motherhood, identity, and the quiet struggle of trying to find her way back.

After becoming a full-time mom caring for a newborn with medical needs—she stepped away from her creative life.

Now at 43, she reflects on self-doubt, cultural pressure, and what it means to rebuild your identity after life changes.

Sometimes, going “home” isn’t as straightforward as it sounds.

In this clip from #OldAsianLady, Brian Foden shares the deeply personal decision to leave Taiwan and move back to Canada with his Taiwanese wife and daughter.

After building a life, raising a bilingual child, and calling Taiwan home for decades, the choice to leave isn’t simple. It’s shaped by family, identity, and time—especially as his 92-year-old mother’s health declines.

This conversation explores the reality of cross-cultural life, raising children between worlds, and the emotional weight of choosing where to belong.

What if you couldn’t recognize the people in your life—not even someone you love?

In this episode of#OldAsianLady, Antonella Gismundi shares what it’s like to live with face blindness—a neurological condition that makes it difficult to recognize faces, even familiar ones.

She talks about how this has shaped her daily life, from navigating social situations to developing other ways of recognizing people through voice, context, and subtle details instead of faces.

This conversation isn’t just about a condition most people have never heard of—it’s about perception, identity, and how we connect with others in ways we often take for granted.

👍What if aging isn’t something to fear—but something that actually sets you free?In this #OldAsianLady video, Shashwati and I talk about what it's like growing older as a woman—letting go of expectations, finding confidence, and redefining identity beyond youth.

From choosing not to have children, to embracing gray hair, to navigating how society sees older women, this conversation explores the contrast between external perception and internal freedom.

Because maybe aging isn’t about losing something… Maybe it’s about finally becoming yourself.

In this video from #OldAsianLady, Helen Lee shares her journey living with epilepsy and the life-changing decision to undergo surgery to remove part of her brain.

The procedure involved removing part of her hippocampus—a critical area of the brain responsible for memory. It was a high-risk choice, with no guarantees.

But her story isn’t just about surgery. It’s about learning to live with uncertainty, facing fear, and ultimately finding a new appreciation for life.

Today, she is seizure-free—and carries a completely different perspective on what truly matters.

Some moments change you in ways you don’t fully understand until years later.

In this video from #OldAsianLady, Michelle Kao shares how discovering her boyfriend’s mother after suicide during her college years shaped her emotional world and her relationships for years to come.

Growing up in an environment where feelings weren’t openly discussed, she learned to stay silent and carry her pain alone.

It wasn’t until much later, through therapy and self-reflection, that she began to understand how deeply that experience had affected her—and how important it was to finally address it.

This is a quiet but powerful conversation about trauma, emotional suppression, and the journey toward healing.