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From her 1993 Clippers debut to recent NFL appearances, Red Panda remains the most in-demand halftime performer in the world.

Acrobat Rong Niu, better known as Red Panda, is the most iconic halftime performer in sports history.

Commonly featured during NBA halftimes her act consists of riding a custom $25,000 7-foot unicycle while flipping metallic bowls onto her head with her feet.  She’s most in demand from October to May covering basketball season and booking between 60 and 80 appearances.  Red Panda’s booking fee is as high as $5,000 for the 5-minute performance.

Her NBA debut came in 1993 when the Los Angeles Clippers called her last minute to fill in a canceled act.  Ever since she has become a featured act in the league.

A fourth-generation acrobat Red Panda began training at age seven in Taiyuan, China, under her father’s guidance.  Her act commonly is performed to “Da Hua Jiao” a traditional-style Chinese pop song often associated with celebrations and weddings.

Beyond sports venues she has made appearances on America’s Got Talent in 2013 and Britain’s Got Talent in 2025.

She made her NFL debut December 2025 in Indianapolis on Monday Night Football, showcasing her still growing admiration in the sports landscape.

Today the 55-year-old resides in Nevada.

In cities like Shanghai and Hangzhou, humanoid robots have been deployed to help improve traffic safety, giving the world a peek into the future of smart cities. 

China’s major cities are now testing AI Robocops which have been officially rolled out to help assist with traffic control by directing cars, helping pedestrians, and improving busy intersections.

In Shanghai and Hangzhou, the robot officers have begun helping pedestrians and bike riders with spoken commands like “Red light, please stop” as they can read light signals. They stand at 5 '11 and are equipped with cameras and sensors that help monitor traffic in real time and some models can even alert traffic violations.

Chinese officials say their goal is to help improve safety and free up human officers for other important tasks. If basic traffic monitoring can be handled efficiently, then police officers will be able to focus on emergencies and safety priorities.

China has already integrated AI into transportation and other aspects of everyday life and these Robocops are only pushing the country another step closer to becoming a full on smart city. The robots are still in their testing phases, but their presence emphasizes how close the world is to living alongside them.

In Part III of GoldSea’s exclusive interview Harold and Kumar actor Kal Penn discusses his iHeart Radio Podcast "Here We Go Again".

Romen Borsellino (00:00)

Kal Penn (00:04)

That sounds very cool to me. I've never done a podcast of my own, mostly because I enjoy listening to other people's and I just don't feel the need to replicate what other people are doing wonderfully already out there. And this was a space where nobody was really doing the past, present, future of pop culture, history and politics in a way that wasn't political. Obviously I am, like, we have our own political opinions, but what was more interesting to me was if you can do a show like this that looks at specific topics in a way that makes the reader feel, especially in this hell world, like, you laugh, you learn a little bit, and then you leave the podcast feeling like you have a little bit understanding of what this particular issue was about without somebody yelling and screaming or without having to doom scroll.

And so I'll give you a few examples: Our first episode was with Bill Nye. Everybody loves Bill Nye. And I'm a big space nerd, so I wanted to bring him on to talk about the space race.

And in the 80s, the space race primarily, 80s and before, is between the US and the Soviet Union: Who could launch a satellite first? The Russians beat us to it. Who could land on the moon first? We beat them to it. And then cut to now, the space race, at least in the news, is between billionaires and the private sector. And who can do what first in that realm? So I talk to him about how that happened, the evolution of that, and then what the future of the space race is like.

So there's like, tons of topics that are like that, that I just think are fun and interesting. We had Alok Vaid-Menon on. Hilarious performer, stand-up comedian, and they kind of walked us through the way that fashion and gender have evolved or devolved as the case may be over time and kind of where we go from there. I thought that was super interesting. Usually whenever you come across that in a bubble online, it's either people shouting at each other or…

understandably supporting each other in a way that isn't necessarily accessible to an audience member who doesn't already understand some of those issues. So it was like a really fun opportunity to sit down with them and kind of go through all of that. So I've been having a great time doing it and I hope people like it.

Romen Borsellino (02:33)

Kal Penn (02:52)

Very different hosting the Daily Show and hosting a podcast. And there's no real time limit podcast-wise. It's like, roughly an hour, because you want to have a nice conversation and you cut out the parts that maybe lagged a little bit.

This is not meant to be a pejorative, but instead of journalists or academics, ideally, I want the primary source person. if we're doing, for example, if we're doing an episode on infrastructure, which is obviously a very boring word, and nobody should ever say that they're doing a podcast episode on infrastructure, but it's basically like, are bridges falling apart? How did the American highway system get built? How come if your plane lands early, there's never a gate ready? So instead of calling up any of the incredible journalists who covered these issues, I'm like, what about the former Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg? Like, what if he comes on? So Pete comes on, we had a great conversation for an hour. Some of that, though, he's so good at what he does, and he's adept at being a politician. But, like, I also kind of, you know, like, my job is to also bring out some of the lighter stuff, which, of course, Pete is great at.

So it was like that. Like, I've really enjoyed bringing that part out, is that you can be both funny and stupid and serious at the same time in the same pod. And I think our target audience are people who enjoy all those things.

Romen Borsellino (04:32)

Kal Penn (04:35)

I think it'd be interesting to, I'd love to talk to like Shane Gillis, who I'm a big fan of, on the evolution of free speech in comedy and what that means today, because I think he's really smart about it, both in his comedy and in his interviews, and he's also just a very funny guy. You know, it'd be cool to have an astronaut on, especially one of the astronauts who were kind of stuck in space a little longer than they were planning on being there. Not from the policy perspective as much as just what's that like when you aren't sure when you're coming home.

Romen Borsellino (05:12)

Kal Penn (05:34)

Romen Borsellino (05:38)

Kal Penn (05:49)

Romen Borsellino (05:55)

And to our viewers, there was a longer, more disparaging answer from Kal, but I edited out the parts that I didn't like because that is the key to it.

Kal Penn (06:06)

Romen Borsellino (05:55)

Anyway, thank you so much for joining us and our viewers should definitely check out Here We Go Again and catch you on Industry this season.

Kal Penn

A growing number of international travelers seeking cosmetic and aesthetic care are heading to South Korea. 

People are no longer booking their vacations for food or sightseeing, they’re flying for self care. Beauty tourism is the new global trend where entire trips are planned around skin treatments, cosmetic procedures, and aesthetic care and right now South Korea is a top destination. 

In 2024 South Korea saw over 1.1 million international visitors who traveled there specifically to receive medical and aesthetic care. This was the highest number ever recorded and the trend continued on with foreign tourists spending over 1.4 trillion Korean won, or $976.5 million, on procedures in 2025. 

One of the most consistent treatments being booked in South Korea are dermatology treatments as patients are looking for preventative and regenerative care, focusing on long-term skin health. Laser skin treatments and injections designed to strengthen your skin barrier can require multiple sessions, which is why some travelers will dedicate their whole itinerary to revolve around them. 

Scalp and hair treatments have also been drawing visitors as scalp detoxes and follicle-focused care have gone viral on TikTok, highlighting another philosophy embedded in K-beauty, one that says healthy hair starts at the scalp. Beauty tourists are also heading to South Korea for cosmetic procedures as Seoul is widely considered the plastic surgery capital of the world with about 1 in 5 women in the city having undergone surgery. Popular cosmetic procedures among international tourists include double eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty and facial contouring. 

So why South Korea? Beauty tourism has recently been heavily documented and glorified on social media and South Korea’s global influence through K-pop and K-beauty has only been driving Korean skincare and aesthetics to become more mainstream. 

Over the last decade, South Korea has been intentionally forming itself into a global medical tourism hub. There are many clinics that specialize narrowly in fields like dermatology, cosmetic surgery, and aesthetic care which can treat high numbers of patients each day. Not only are you getting treatment from highly experienced professionals, but the costs of procedures are significantly more affordable than in the United States. Double eyelid surgery costs an average of $4,000-$7,000 in the U.S. but in Korea, it costs roughly $1,500-$3,500. 

Choosing South Korea for cosmetic and aesthetic procedures can save patients 30-70%, which is why people are choosing to make that long flight. Beauty is becoming seen as self-investment and routine based and South Korea has positioned itself as a leader in the way the world is approaching self care. 

These objects are so deeply rooted in our everyday life, most people never question where they came from.

Asian inventions have become a part of everyday life in the United States and these objects are now essentials for Americans. Let’s take a look at some of the best Asian inventions that you may have already used today. 

Starting off with paper money. China was the very first civilization to use paper currency during the Tang Dynasty to replace metal coins. It soon became the first ever government-issued banknote under the Song Dynasty then spread to the West in the 17th century. 

Next up, the umbrella, which actually goes back thousands and thousands of years to around the 11th century BC. In China, oil paper umbrellas were used for rain protection and some were even made from palm leaves and feathers. These early designs have created a foundation for modern umbrellas used globally, whether it is to stay dry in the rain or to shade yourself from the sun. 

Then we have sheet masks, which became extremely popular in South Korea during the past three decades. Sheet masks originate from old Asian beauty routines and traditions where cloth was soaked in water infusions, then applied on the skin for hydration and other skin care needs. During the late 1990s the very first single-use sheet mask was commercially sold in Korea and Japan and has since then become a staple in many American skincare routines. 

This next invention, you have definitely used within the last 24 hours. Emojis. They were developed in 1999 by a Japanese designer, Shigetaka Kurita, for a mobile service company called NTT DoCoMo. Emojis have now been programmed into every major smartphone, making an aspect of our daily lives a little more expressive. 

Finally, invented by Japanese engineer Masahiro Hara in 1994, we have QR codes. Traditional barcodes didn’t have the ability to store large amounts of data and could only be scanned from one angle, so Hara created Quick Response codes which can now power restaurant menus, mobile payments, parking passes, and more, giving us one of the most used digital tools in our everyday lives.

James Park's Fitbit gave the world daily health tracking and shaped the modern wearables technology. 

Health and wellness has been a consistent trend since the late 2000s and for years people have been tracking their steps aiming to hit 10,000 steps a day. Long before we had smartphone apps and Apple watches to track our movement, there was Fitbit, a device co-founded by Korean-American, James Park.

Park’s parents emigrated from South Korea to Cleveland, Ohio where he grew up and attended an all boys high school, while helping his family run their many businesses. As owners of an ice cream parlor, wig shop, fish market, and more, Park’s parents set an evident example of what a strong work ethic looked like.

After high school, Park attended Harvard College to study computer science, but dropped out during his junior year to open his own business, a startup B2B infrastructure software firm called Epesi Technologies. Although this company is no longer operating, Park has described this experience as one of his “greatest failures”. During this time he met his good friend and co-founder of Fitbit, Eric Friedman and once Epesi closed down, the two of them began working as engineers for Dun & Bradstreet.

In 2007 Park and Friedman founded Fitbit after identifying the potential of the sensors on a Wii remote control. Their goal was to give consumers real-time access to their personal health data. This was when wearable technology was barely even a thing and the two founders struggled to find investors until they were able to finally get additional funding from SoftTech VC and True Ventures.

With the proper investments, Fitbit launched their first product in 2009 which was a small clip-on device that could track movement and sleep patterns designed for everyone. This niche health tracking device quickly became a mainstream habit and under Park’s leadership as CEO, Fitbit expanded the line with wrist trackers that measured steps, heart rate monitoring, and sleep quality.

Park led Fitbit through its initial public offering in 2015 solidifying a strong place in health technology. For years, Fitbit was one of the most well known brands in wearable tech and paved a new way for competitors in the industry. In 2021 Fitbit was sold to Google for $2.1 billion and Park served as VP and General Manager of Fitbit within Google.

Fitbit helped normalize the idea that people should pay attention to their health and gave consumers a simple way to engage with their own wellness. Park left the company in 2024, but his influence in wearable health technology will remain historic.

In Part II of GoldSea's exclusive interview the Harold and Kumar actor discusses "vulgar and grounded" role in HBO's Industry Season 4 and shares thoughts on the latest anti-Indian slur.

Romen Borsellino (00:00)

Kal Penn (00:04)

Romen Borsellino

Kal Penn

Romen Borsellino

Kal Penn (00:23)

Romen Borsellino

Kal Penn

So I know that today whatever's happening seems to be from like the far right or just the right in general towards Indian Americans. Again, from what I hear, I'm not part of these conversations or anything, but from my experience, it was always from the left or at least the center left in LA, so I think it's interesting. And those were like things that you actually experienced yourself, right? As opposed to right now.

Like, are you experiencing it in person or is this just stuff you're reading online?

Romen Borsellino (01:25)

Kal Penn (01:41)

Romen Borsellino

Kal Penn (01:56)

Romen Borsellino (01:56)

Kal Penn

Romen Borsellino (02:25)

Kal Penn (02:28)

Romen Borsellino (02:45)

Kal Penn (02:51)

Romen Borsellino (02:55)

Kal Penn (03:19)

Romen Borsellino (03:22)

Kal Penn (03:49)

Romen Borsellino (04:04)

What does it mean? It is a derogatory racist slur. It is apparently meant to convey the idea that Indians are filthy and dirty and don't shower and excrement, etc. And that is, I know that's very different from your experience of like institutionalized racism from when you're coming up in Hollywood, but that's something I have been hearing more of lately than I remember is this idea about Indians being unclean and not showering and not bathing and you're not seeing much of that in a way that?

Kal Penn (05:03)

Romen Borsellino (05:10)

Kal Penn

Romen Borsellino

I freaking loved it. ⁓ And I'm not just saying that because I'm biased.

Kal Penn (05:23)

Romen Borsellino

Kal Penn

Romen Borsellino

Kal Penn (05:58)

And basically everybody, at least every guy, we all looked completely different obviously and they gave us all the sides of this Mormon doctor. So the scene you were reading and the character you were reading for was the part of a Mormon doctor. And from there, if they liked you enough, they offered you what they thought was the right character. I just thought that was really cool because it was truly colorblind casting. They just wanted the best actors. They gave you the same set of sides. It was sort of an equal playing field, men and women, et cetera. In the case of Industry, obviously cut to like 15, 20 years later.

Mickey and Conrad, the two guys who created Industry, were fans of the Harold and Kumar franchise and had seen some of the other things I did. So this, very gratefully, was they offered it to me and I read the script and obviously loved the character. So that's how that came about. Yeah.

Romen Borsellino (07:12)

Kal Penn (07:19)

Romen Borsellino

Kal Penn

Romen Borsellino (07:31)

Kal Penn

Romen Borsellino

Kal Penn (07:40)

Romen Borsellino (07:52)

Kal Penn

Romen Borsellino (08:17)

Kal Penn (08:42)

I don't think he would have that insecurity if he resigned himself to dress slovenly. So we changed the way he looks, but obviously there was no need to change the script because the script just is what it is. And this is a guy who's hooked on drugs and alcohol and is in this downward spiral. no, there was no, at least no conscious merger between any of that stuff and the ethnicity that I brought to the character.

Romen Borsellino (09:37)

Kal Penn (09:44)

Romen Borsellino (09:47)

Kal Penn (09:59)

Romen Borsellino (10:05)

Kal Penn

From viral lip-sync moments to “minimalist” cooking techniques, these women are shaping TikTok culture every day with their impressive followings.

On TikTok, Asian women are building massive fanbases showing the world what influence really looks like in the digital age. From food to family to fashion, these are the most followed Asian women making an impact on TikTok.

At number five we have a tie with Jessica Woo and Nava Rose at 5.5 million followers. Jessica Woo has made herself known as the “Bento Box Queen” sharing her exciting food art and family-centered content. Meanwhile, Nava Rose has become a fashion icon with her bold style choices and outfit transitions.

Next we have Samoan-American Drew Afualo with 8.1 million followers. Afualo was working in social media at NFL, but now allows herself to use TikTok as her own creative outlet. She gained fame on the platform after posting multiple viral videos using humor to joke about misogynistic men, which she then used to build her following and become known as the “Crusader for Women”.

Ssonia Ong is next with over 10.8 million TikTok followers. Before TikTok, Ssonia was a trauma counselor with degrees from Stanford and Harvard. Her content revolves around her daily life including moments with her family. Ssonia is known for her “strict” but loving parenting style and has enticed her audience by highlighting the reality of raising a family of 5 kids.

The runner up on this list is Japanese-American Emily Mariko with 12.2 million followers. She is one of the most recognizable creators as she has gone viral multiple times for her salmon rice bowl recipe. She shares daily ASMR videos of her meal prep and clean, aesthetic living and her “minimalist” approach to cooking has inspired millions of viewers on the app.

And finally, taking the top spot by a landslide is Bella Poarch with over 92.8 million followers. As one of the most followed TikTok users, Bella Poarch has been able to turn her viral lip-syncing videos into a singing career, generating over 2 billion career streams across her releases. She is most well known for her “M to the B” lip-sync TikTok which has over 72.5 million likes.

Led by U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Megha Ganne, a new generation of Asian American athletes are competing at the highest level of collegiate golf.

In the competitive landscape of women’s collegiate golf three Asian American standouts –are redefining athletic excellence.

Ranked #4 nationally Megha Ganne is arguably the most recognizable name in amateur golf today. In August 2025 the Stanford senior secured her first USGA title by winning the 125th U.S. Women’s Amateur at Bandon Dunes.  Known for her poise under pressure, she has maintained a phenomenal scoring average of 67.4 during the 2025-26 season and holds the program record at 71.06.  The 21-year-old daughter to Indian immigrants was part of Stanford’s 2024 NCAA Championship Team.  Ganne’s success has earned her brand deals ranging from Ralph Lauren to Ernst & Young.

USC’s Jasmine Koo has rapidly ascended the rankings since her debut.  Since being named Big Ten Freshman of the Year she’s fought her way to a Top 10 ranking as a sophomore.  Koo’s historic freshman season included her setting the program record for rounds in the 60s.  She, along with Ganne, were selected as Team USA members for the 2025 Arnold Palmer Cup.  The Korean American is repped by WME.  Off the course, she and teammate Kylie Chong showcase their home-cooking on Instagram.

Representing the next wave of talent, Pepperdine Freshman Kylee Choi is currently ranked #13 nationally.  In the current season she has already posted multiple top-5 finishes.  At the Golfweek Red Sky Classic she finished only behind USC’s Koo and Chong, who tied for first, and at the 2025 Stanford Intercollegiate – won by Ganne – Choi finished tied for 5th.  The impressive immediate impact has proven that she is a cornerstone for the Waves’ future success.

After a controversial win over Henry Cejudo, Chinese bantamweight powerhouse Song Yadong prepares to face Sean O'Malley at UFC 324.

Bantamweight UFC contender Song Yadong known as the “Kung Fu Kid,” has established himself as one of China’s premier mixed martial artists.  At age 15 he made his professional debut and has compiled an impressive record of 22 wins, 8 losses, and 1 draw.  Song’s explosive hand speed, paired with technical boxing precision have propelled him to the number 5 ranking in the bantamweight division.

Since making his UFC debut as a 19-year-old in November 2017, 5 of Song’s 11 wins have come from knockouts – with 4 of those being credited to punches.  His dynamic performances have earned him five Performance of the Night bonuses and one Fight of the Night honor, the latter coming from a 2020 featherweight battle against Marlon Vera.

Song’s most recent victory came in controversy in February 2025.  At UFC Fight Night 252 opponent Henry Cejudo was on the receiving end of an inadvertent eye poke in the third round.  Stoppage was granted but Cejudo finished the round, after which it was determined to call the fight due to his impaired vision.  With most of the scheduled rounds complete Song was awarded a victory in unanimous technical decision.  Had the fight ended at the stoppage it would have ended in no contest.  Additionally a point was not awarded for the poke, which would have changed the outcome to a majority draw.  Song apologized to Cejudo and the fans for the accidental poke, vowing to “run it back.”

Song is featured on the Main Card of UFC 324 scheduled for January 24th.  The 28-year-old faces the number 3 bantamweight fighter and former champion Sean O’Malley.  The pre-fight build-up includes heightened personal tension after O’Malley wore a COVID mask during their faceoff.  Song condemned the stunt as “totally racist” while firing back on X that the pandemic was the only stretch of O’Malley’s career when people liked him.

Sportsbooks consider O’Malley a strong favorite with a 5-inch reach advantage.  While Song’s relentless forward pressure and clinical boxing accuracy will be tested against an elusive opponent, he possesses the explosive knockout power capable of ending any fight with a single exchange.