Benny Luo
140 articles
The Rage Asian Americans Feel Right Now
One of the most powerful emotions I see many Asians feel right now is rage — and it’s the deepest and most personal kind. It’s a hard feeling to live with when many of us were born and raised to be…
Andrew Yang Responds to Backlash on Washington Post Op-Ed [EXCLUSIVE]
Last week, Andrew Yang published an op-ed in The Washington Post highlighting the growing racism against the Asian community. The piece, published on April 1, was met with immediate backlash from the…
Meet the Chinese Trump Fan Dedicating His Time to Helping COVID-19 Healthcare Workers
Nearly three years ago, I sat down for an interview with David Tian, entrepreneur and the founder of “Chinese Americans For Trump,” who is responsible for mobilizing massive groups of Chinese…
Meet Jonny Kim – The Man Every Asian Tiger Mom Compares You To
“Why are you not like Auntie Yi’s kid?! He works so hard.” “Did you know that Steve’s kid just got into Harvard? He’s so smart.”
Silicon Valley’s Most Secretive $575 Dinner Lets You Dine on a $100,000 Table
Los Altos is the Silicon Valley city that has been home to elite residents including Sergey Brin, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg. Nestled in the heart of downtown Los Altos is a Japanese Downtown…
Andrew Yang Once Chewed Me Out During a Job Interview and Changed My Life Forever
It’s the summer of 2007, I’m sitting inside my room on campus with the A/C on full-blast. I had just finished my freshman year at UC Irvine. Back then, it was known as a “safety school” before…
I Got Prescription Glasses For My Asian Face in Under 30 Minutes
People of Asian descent have historically had a hard time finding glasses that fit them. Why? Because most of us have narrow and/or low nose bridges and other different facial features compared to…
Bruce Lee Once Had a Dream That Hollywood Destroyed, Now His Daughter is Bringing it Back to Life
Bruce Lee is remembered by many as a legend in the martial arts community. His innovative movies featuring epic fights continue to stand the test of time even decades after his death. His influence…
One of OC’s Best Sushi Chefs Reveals How to Make World Class Sushi Rice at Home
“We do not serve American rolls.” These are the words you’ll see written on a chalkboard right before you walk into Ikko. Unlike most sushi restaurants in America where we are accustomed to seeing…
She’s the Cleanest Person in the World
NextShark met with Marie Kondo, author of the best-selling book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing”.
A Crazy Rich Conversation With ‘Crazy Rich Asians’
Growing up as a Chinese-American, finding role models who looked like me on the big screen was always difficult. I saw many movies with all-Asian casts, but they were all Asian, not Asian American.…
Old and Out of Touch Asian Man Skypes With Subtle Asian Traits
As a 30-year-old Chinese-American who grew up in San Francisco, I remember a time before the internet, and then seeing it quickly become the thing we can’t spend one second off of. I was grateful for…
Idiot Goes to Denmark, Pays $350 For The Craziest Dinner Ever
René Redzepi is a chef I’ve been curious about for a while. When Chef Jiro Ono, dubbed “The World’s Best Sushi Chef,” gave his last interview, Chef Redzepi was the one who received the honor. When I…
‘You Gook! You Slant Eye!’: Steve Aoki Recounts Struggles Growing Up Asian American
Steve Aoki is hands down one of the most successful DJs in the world. He was ranked 5th on the Forbes 2016 list among the world’s highest paid DJs and raked in $23.6 million in 2015. These are…
$15 Melon vs. $270 Japanese Melon Taste Test
When I first heard about luxury fruits in Japan, I was skeptical — what kind of an idiot would buy ONE apple for $20!? Well apparently, I’m that idiot. I recently made a trip to Sembikiya Fruit…
Meet the Adorable Teen From Hong Kong Taking Over Your Instagram Feed
If you’re on Instagram, odds are, you’ve come across the hilarious profile of fruitypoppin. this is how asians determine the freshness of something @ the supermarket
Meet the ‘Crazy Rich Asian’ Teaching Others ‘How to American’
I was first introduced to Jimmy O. Yang after seeing him on HBO’s “Silicon Valley” where he plays Jian-Yang, a Chinese app developer struggling to immerse himself in American culture while creating…
The Most Decorated Winter Olympian in U.S. History is Asian American
Apolo Ohno reveals how the mindset that made him the most decorated winter Olympian United States history.
Meet the Mysterious Chinese Trump Supporter Who Gets Over 500,000 WeChat Messages a DAY
It’s no secret that Donald Trump is not particularly popular among minority groups — especially Asian Americans. In a 2016 survey conducted by AAAJ with 1,000 registered Asian Americans, only 19%…
Idiot Travels to Taiwan, Pays $329 For the World’s Most Expensive Beef Noodle Soup
Beef Noodle Soup is probably the most iconic dish in Taiwanese Cuisine. While it was first created by the Hui people, a Chinese Muslim ethnic group during the Tang Dynasty, the red braised beef…
Amazing Restaurant in Japan Serves Possibly the BEST Uni in the World
On the Japanese island of Hokkaido are two restaurants named Uni Murakami in the cities of Hakodate and Sapporo. The restaurants specialize in Uni (sea urchin) dishes — and they are possibly the best…
Korean-American Whose Family Store Was Looted During the L.A. Riots Tells His Story in ‘Gook’
On March 3, 1991, taxi driver Rodney King was beaten by four police officers in Los Angeles following a high speed car chase. George Holliday, a witness on scene, videotaped the incident from his…
We Saw ‘Birth of the Dragon’ to See How Offensive it is To Asians and Bruce Lee
Last year, “Birth of the Dragon”, a film inspired by the epic fight between Bruce Lee and Wong Jack Man, debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film stars Philip Ng, Xia Yu, Billy…
He Was Bullied as a Kid For Being Chinese, Now He’s the Black Power Ranger
Although I am straight, any idiot can see that Ludi Lin is an absolute heartthrob. Lets list everything out that makes Lin awesome. He’s: Ridiculously good looking JACKED AF A Muay Thai and Jiu-Jitsu…
Meet the Most Famous Black Man in Korea
Sam Okyere is the most famous black man in Korea. Within the last few years, Okyere’s built up quite the reputation as a T.V. personality in South Korea, where he is also known as Sam Ochiri. His…
He Was Bullied for Being Asian, Now He’s a Badass MMA Fighter and Hollywood Star
Meet Cung Le. He’s a badass Vietnamese-American actor and retired MMA fighter who had quite the track record for being an undisputed fighter. He has a professional Sanshou (Chinese kickboxing) record…
Meet the Hong Kong Superstar Breaking Asian Male Stereotypes in Hollywood
Daniel Wu, who plays Lu Ren in “Tomb Raider”, has been making headlines for his hit AMC martial arts drama “Into the Badlands”. The great storytelling, drama, and beautifully choreographed fight…
Meet the Man Who Charges $780 a Day to Reveal Japan’s Hidden Secrets
I’m just going to come out and say it: Shinji Nohara probably has the best job in the world. Known as the “Tokyo Fixer”, Nohara’s job is to take people to the best spots Japan has to offer. Each…
Meet the Trump Fan Who Wants Liberals to Suck His ‘Big Asian Cock’
On January 31, an Asian American man who calls himself “Uncle Chang” made headlines after condemning liberals for their identity politics and explaining why they lost to Donald Trump. He delivered…
Filipino-American Who Made Millions Off Snapchat Explains Why He’s Spent NONE Of It
At 28, Garrett Gee is living the life. In 2011, he launched his QR code startup Scan in his college dorm at BYU. In 2013, he received national attention after pitching his company on Shark Tank in…
Inside Japan’s Most Expensive Fruit Parlor Where Mangoes Cost $230 EACH
This is the Sembikiya fruit parlor in Tokyo, Japan. It’s the flagship store of the Sembikiya fruit emporium. They specialize in selling high-end fruits that are often bought as gifts. In Japan, it’s…
Inside Japan’s Magical Park Where Deers Bow to Humans For Food
About 290 miles west of Tokyo, there’s a magical place called Nara where over 1,200 wild deer live in harmony. The deer are a symbol of the city and are considered national treasures.
Tasting the World’s FIRST Michelin-Starred Ramen
Ever since Tsuta became the world’s first ramen restaurant to get a Michelin Star last year, I’ve been dying to visit Tokyo, Japan to try it for myself. Unfortunately, the lines were just too insane…
Donnie Yen is Cool, But His Mother is MUCH Cooler
Donnie Yen has been making some huge strides in mainstream entertainment. From his breakout roles in the “Ip Man” movies to his recent role as Chirrut Îmwe in “Star Wars: Rogue One”, it’s safe to say…
Bruce Lee’s Daughter Drove Herself into Debt to Preserve Her Father’s Name
Bruce Lee is perhaps the most influential Asian entertainer and martial artist of the last century. Aside from his achievements in martial arts, his work in Hollywood essentially changed the…
Former SNSD Trainee Reveals the Distorted Reality of Beauty in K-Pop
For K-pop fans around the world, the group SNSD, or Girls’ Generation, is a household name. They’re the flagship act for SM Entertainment, a major South Korean entertainment company that was valued…
