Debrief Sesh

This week, we’re skipping our usual pre-debrief and jumping straight into a topic we all deal with: jealousy. When you’re dating, feeling a little jealous is normal… right? We unpack the small (and not-so-small) things that can trigger it - from boyfriends with a “girl best friend,” following プチ influencers (up and coming influencers) on Instagram, realizing their ex is a totally different vibe...

Pre-Debrief: Justin Bieber was in Tokyo for the launch of his new clothing brand, Skylrk. We love to see his ongoing obsession with Japan and honestly, we feel a little special that he chose Tokyo as the first launch spot lol. We also get into the dating rumors swirling around aespa’s Winter and BTS’s Jung Kook. Fans are spiraling over their matching fits and “twin” tattoos, but… let’s be real, no...

Pre-debrief: Stacy has officially moved into her new place, and she may or may not have asked out the guy who helped her move her new furniture in (eeeeek!!) Meanwhile, Hannah recaps her much-needed YOLO trip to Hawaii, complete with unexpected new friends, almost getting into a fight, nearly passing out on a hike, and plenty of chaotic vacation energy.   Main topic: We dive into 甘える vs. 甘えら...

Pre-debrief: We’ve got a bit of Johnnys… uh, Starto (still getting used to that name) news for you! Unfortunately, Ae! group fans were hit with some sad updates: Richard was arrested on suspicion of public indecency, took a brief hiatus, and Starto has now announced his decision to leave the group. Meanwhile, the Heisei Kings KAT-TUN held their post-disbandment farewell concert… RIP. Also, are peo...

Pre-Debrief (プリブリ):The annual 紅白歌合戦 (Kohaku Uta Gassen) lineup is finally out! Japan’s biggest New Year’s Eve music show is back with a stacked list of artists, including the reunion (kind of) of King & Prince and number_i, Hannah’s fave group &Team, Chanmina, and the queens Aespa… and the rumors that ARASHI might appear for their final Kohaku performance?! Main Topic:Should the guy pay o...

Pre-Brief: Hannah’s deep in her Fit Girl era after signing up for Hyrox…but the training’s brutal. Will she make it? TBD. Stacy’s cheering her on (from the couch, naturally). The duo also dives into Vogue’s viral piece, “Is Having a Boyfriend Embarrassing?” (Spoiler: it kind of is…) Main Topic: The glow-up is real. Stacy and Hannah reflect on growing out of their awkward phases both inside and out...

Pre-Debrief: Stacy has a major friend update (iykyk - go back to Ep 17)! She somehow made a new friend overnight?! Hannah couldn’t be prouder. Meanwhile, Hannah shares a bittersweet life update: she’s officially moved out of her very first apartment in Japan. From navigating complicated moving logistics to saying goodbye to her first home, it’s a real grown-up moment. Main topic: Happy Halloween! ...

Pre-brief: Watch Stacy gush over the new Netflix J-drama "Romantics Anonymous" because not only is it a great rom-com, but it stars none other than Heisei kings Oguri Shun and Akanishi Jin as romantic leads!! So sexy that we can't stop screaming like teenagers. Speaking of sexy - Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2025 was absolutely stunning, and Hannah gives us the rundown of all h...

Stacy just got back from her annual girls trip with her college besties, and she’s sharing the deets. Her 10-year friendversary consisted of lots of tears, and apparently a surprise strip show starring hot Korean men? 改めて、girlhood最高 <3 Main topic: We’re breaking down the biggest red flags we’ve seen in men, and why you should never ignore them. We cover all the greatest hits: raised voice...

Cultural Digest: We get into Taylor Swift’s new album - before Swifties come for us, let’s be clear: we are not haters, just…observers 😇. We talk about how the lyrics feel a little too TikTok-coded, and honestly, some of the negative feedback might be kinda valid. We also dive into the Japanese idol scandal involving a member of Aえ! Group arrested on a public indecency charge. Some fans say he w...

Cultural digest: Japan's latest trend: a romance-focused personality test called "Love Type 16" (ラブタイプ診断)  - basically MBTI, but for your love life (spoiler: Stacy and Hannah got the exact same result…which means we prob need to retake this lol). Plus, we reveal our current celebrity obsessions (which honestly changes almost weekly): Hannah's crushing on Dylan Efron, while...

Cultural Digest: This week we’re diving into the very messy cheating scandal shaking up the Japanese entertainment world - starring none other than Kentaro Sakaguchi, his former hair stylist, Mei Nagano, and Kei Tanaka. These A-listers who referred to each other as “big brother and little sister”were apparently getting a little too close behind the scenes… Main Topic: We asked our listeners what l...

Cultural digest: We don’t usually weigh in on politics, but we felt it was important to briefly acknowledge what’s happened recently — in short, he was a hateful person who met the fate of his own rhetoric, and empathy can only stretch so far. Main topic: Ah, the things we do when you’re down bad for someone. Camera roll full of screenshots of convos, asking your friends “what it means”, full-blow...

Cultural digest: Sabrina Carpenter’s new album “Man’s Best Friend” is a solid “ok” but what’s more interesting is the public’s critique. The album cover art and her overall portrayal of women is questionable at best, yet her fans defend the album as satire of the male gaze. Sabrina’s own explanation left us… honestly, scratching our heads a little, so we unpack our opinion on why this one isn’t ex...

This week we’re unpacking the latest phenomenon: performative males. You know the type - the ones who brand themselves as“not like other guys” yet somehow end up exactly the same. Think: self-proclaimed feminists only when it benefits them, men who use therapy as an accessory for clout, and those who put on Oscar-worthy performances on dates…like is this really genuine or are you doing this to man...

Cultural digest: GAP understood the assignment!! Their new jeans ad with KATSEYE is everything American Eagle wished it was - fun, stylish, and actually tasteful. Meanwhile, AKB48’s 神7 comeback stage on Music Station threw us right back into the golden idol era. But let’s be real, with groups like CUTIE STREET and FRUITS ZIPPER on the rise, there is a new generation of idols that's taking the...

Cultural Digest: Heisei-core is back and it’s feeding our souls. A new J-drama starring millennial dream team Oguri Shun and Akanishi Jin (yes, they're full-on dads now) has us screaming. RIPSLYME briefly returns, along with a remake of the iconic 熱帯夜 lip-sync video — except now the teens are adults and it's エモい af. Orange Range is also back with a Heisei version of イケナイ太陽 , and honest...

Cultural Digest: This week, we globe-hop through the most unserious corners of the internet so you don't have to: 🇺🇸 In the US: Ben Platt’s Diet Pepsi cover is… kinda divine? And Taylor Swift has announced an album pre pre-sale because apparently we’ll buy anything as long as it comes with a pastel Instagram post. 🇯🇵 In Japan: number_i dropped a new track that we’re not allowed to say is bad or el...

Cultural digest:  Here we go again… Sydney Sweeney’s controversial American Eagle ad that highkey promotes eugenics (gross), the latest Love Island USA drama: Kenny being the actual worst man ever to Jana (leaked messages, ChatGPT-generated apology, the hopes of a Call Her Daddy exposé), and Stacy also shares the best thing she bought this year: a Uniqlo wireless bra. And we uncover yet another “o...

Cultural digest: Japan’s recent election and why voting here still feels confusing af, Justin Bieber back with SWAG (but also…is he actually okay?), Jeff Bezos’s wedding guest list… because why was it so fcking random? Our main topic: Are you still friends with your ex?? Hannah says yes. Stacy says absolutely not. We get into the messiness of staying friendly with exes, situationships, the “what-i...

Starting this week we’re gonna start off every episode with the hottest topics of the week and then talk about our main topic :) So to start off: from Astronomer CEO Andy getting caught cheating ~during~ a Coldplay concert (!!!), to the Love Island US drama (#Nicholandria stannn), to dating rumors between Ren Nagase and Hamabe Minami - we’re breaking down all the chaos. And for the real tea: Pick...

Past few weeks have been full of juicy Kpop gossip, and you already know that’s our specialty. We overanalyze the fact that Blackpink and TWICE made their comebacks on the same damn day (tea), get all sappy reminiscing about 2nd gen legends like Super Junior and Girls’ Generation, and do a rundown on all the recent drama surrounding 4th gen groups like IVE and Aespa. What makes each generation so...

We’re back with episode 5, and this time we’re psychoanalyzing ourselves (and everyone else). These days in Japan, “What’s your MBTI?” is the new “What’s your blood type?” or “What’s your zodiac sign?” So of course, we had to break down our favorite topic: MBTIs and Love Languages - what they say about us, and how we love (or clash) with our friends and partners. And yes, Stacy and Hannah are oppo...

In this episode, we’re diving into the messy world of cheating - in our opinion what counts/what doesn’t, and the time one of us found out months later (from a friend!!!) that things were a biiiit sketchy.… We also break down the cultural differences between Japan and the U.S. when it comes to infidelity, like how prostitution is often seen as “just a transaction” in Japan, and there is no emotion...

Episode 3!! This week we’re throwing it back to the golden age of Japanese dramas - we’re talking 花男 (“Boys Over Flowers”), イケパラ(“Hana-Kimi”), and all the chaotic, romantic, addictive 平成-era classics that raised us. We dive into why that era was so iconic, why the new stuff just doesn’t hit the same, and of course, our eternal love for Arashi (yes, we’re screaming over their comeback after...