SOFT RESET 🌀

Greetings 👋 

Hi, how was your weekend? 

Everywhere you look, someone is announcing their “new year, new me.” New habits. New goals. New life, apparently all figured out by January. But maybe this year doesn’t need a full blueprint; maybe it just needs room to grow.

In Japan, there’s a concept called shoshin, or the beginner’s mind, which reminds us to move with curiosity instead of certainty. We’re rooting for you as you stay open to what 2026 brings and build it on your own terms!

If you find this newsletter interesting, refer it to your friends by sharing this link and receive amazing gifts from AHN!

THIS WEEK: FOOD & BEVERAGE BRANDS

Are you an AAPI founder ready to elevate your brand alongside trailblazers like these? Join the AHN Directory today to increase visibility, connect with partners and customers, and get featured in AHN spotlights and community events.

BTS Confirms Comeback, Ending Four-Year Hiatus With New Album And World Tour

After nearly four years apart, BTS has officially confirmed their long-awaited return. Their agency, BigHit Music, announced that the group will release a new album on March 20, followed by a world tour. The project will mark their first full group release since 2022’s anthology album Proof.

The comeback closes a chapter that began in June 2022, when the members paused group activities to focus on solo work and fulfill South Korea’s mandatory military service. All seven members have now completed their duties, with Suga finishing last in June 2025. Before their hiatus, BTS generated an estimated 5.5 trillion won ($3.8 billion) annually, making their return as significant for the country’s economy as it is for fans worldwide.

Read the full article here.

Asian American Food Culture Is Made Up of 2025’s Top Health Discoveries

Asian American food culture has been nourishing people long before supplements became trendy. A Vietnamese coffee date, Indian takeout night, or Korean barbecue birthday often includes nutrients that science now links to lower inflammation and better gut health. In 2025, Scientific American highlighted omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin, and vitamin D as standouts, all of which show up naturally in many Asian dishes.

Fatty fish, turmeric, mushrooms, fermented soy, seaweed, and coffee are everyday ingredients across East, South, and Southeast Asian cooking. Foods like kimchi, miso, natto, and tempeh help support gut bacteria that produce butyrate, which plays a role in digestion and metabolic health. When prepared in more traditional ways, these meals show how Asian American eating habits already line up with what nutrition research is now confirming.

Read the full article here.

China Moves to Restrict AI-altered Videos That Distort Cultural Classics

China has launched a month-long campaign targeting AI-altered videos that parody or vulgarize classic films, TV dramas, and animated works. Led by the National Radio and Television Administration, the move aims to remove content that distorts well-known stories like Journey to the West or misrepresents respected historical figures. Regulators say these videos misuse generative AI in ways that clash with cultural values and public norms.

Officials also raised concerns about the impact on young viewers, warning that exaggerated or bizarre edits could distort views of history and culture. Social media platforms will be required to strengthen content reviews, remove offending clips, and penalize repeat violators. The crackdown comes as AI spoof videos continue to spread widely on platforms like Douyin, where altered scenes from classic works often rack up hundreds of thousands of views.

Read the full article here.

Joeydolls by Samantha Ong: A Story of a Daughter’s Search and a Mother’s Mission

Samantha Ong grew up in Australia knowing what it felt like to be one of the few. She started her career in finance, later found her creative path in wedding photography, and then watched that work come to a halt when the pandemic hit.

As anti-Asian hate became more visible, she began thinking more deeply about what her young daughters were absorbing from the world around them. When she went looking for dolls that looked like her girls and reflected their culture, she couldn’t find anything that felt right, affordable, or truly representative.

With no background in toys and no roadmap to follow, she decided to create what she wished existed. That decision led to Joeydolls, a brand that has now sold over 15,000 dolls and gives children the simple but powerful feeling of being seen through everyday play.

Read her full story here.

🚀 Michael Kim, founder of Floof Pets, launched organic, vet-approved supplements and dental drops. He is currently scaling his D2C platform to offer holistic wellness for urban pet owners.

🚀 Elizabeth Clenci, wellness coach and founder of the Detox 2026 initiative, recently transitioned her platform to "living foods" targeting chronic skin issues. This month, she kicked off a community-led reset focused on seasonal fruit.

🚀 Paolo, Pamela, and Patrick Bugayong, founders of AIDE, are currently expanding their home health care super app to offer more personalized, tech-driven medical services for families. Their focus for January is connecting families with curated local medical practitioners.

🚀 Christopher and Ada Lim, founders of Gleetrees, just released an affordable "AI Agents" to help small businesses automate data tasks. They are currently helping "mom-and-pop" shops adopt cognitive automation.

🚀 Ellie Chen and Jensen Neff, founders of Oddli, launched the "January Deadstock Series" using discarded factory textiles. They are scaling their micro-batch model to prove sustainable fashion can remain community-focused.

 Mobile App Strategy: Why Your Post-Launch Maintenance Plan is More Important Than Your Initial Build

The biggest mistake you can make is treating your app launch like a finish line. In reality, the work that happens after you go live is what determines if your app survives its first year. If you aren't actively managing the technical health of your build, you’re just waiting for a "surprise" crash to alienate your users.

Here are three ways to move from a fragile launch to a stable, scalable app:

• Focus on "Time to Interactive" (TTI): If your app takes over 2.5 seconds to become functional, you’re losing users. Have your team audit API payloads to ensure the experience is snappy from the moment the app opens.

• Pin Your API Versions: Your app relies on services like Stripe and Firebase that update constantly. Use version pinning to stay on stable builds so a third-party change doesn't accidentally break your entire platform.

• Install a "Kill Switch": Don't wait days for App Store approval to fix a bug. Use Feature Flags to remotely disable a failing feature instantly while your developers fix the code in the background.

Flashy features get downloads, but reliability is what keeps users from hitting delete. At Asian Hustle Solutions, we help AAPI founders build and scale high-performance mobile apps designed for long-term stability and growth.

✨ A New Way to Date—With Help From Your Friends ✨

Be one of the first to try RedThread, the new matchmaking app that makes dating social again.

Instead of navigating the dating world alone, RedThread brings your trusted circle into the process. Your friends can browse profiles on your behalf, send you their top picks, and even vouch for you directly in the app.

📱 What Makes RedThread Different:
• Friends help scout matches
• Vouching boosts your profile
• Perfect for singles and matchmaker alike

🌟 RedThread Wants You
The team is opening spots for 1,000 early testers (yes, both singles and their friends!) to help shape the app before its full launch. Early testers will get first access to new features and help shape the future of modern matchmaking.

🎟️ How to Join the Early Access Group:
Simply sign up, invite a few friends, and you’ll be among the first to explore a fresh, community-driven approach to dating.

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