Hot Stuff

Migrant workers are an integral part of the workforce in Taiwan, so why are they met with discrimination, exploitation, and even abuse? In today's episode, I am joined again by Filipino youth activist Julia Mariano, who is the spokesperson for Migrante International – Taiwan Chapter, a rights organization for Filipino migrant workers. In this episode, Julia sheds light on the appalling working...

According to the American think tank, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies , there are currently around 700,000 migrant laborers in Taiwan, making up about 80 percent of the foreign residents in Taiwan. Approximately a quarter million are in domestic care roles, and the remainder work in industries such as agriculture, fishing, and semiconductor factories. Many are at risk of discrim...

On today's episode of Hot Stuff, I am joined again by  ⁠The Sandbox⁠  COO and Co-founder, Sebastien Borget. If you missed part one, and aren't too sure what The Sandbox is all about, go and check that out now! For our second part today, we're going to be getting into some of the concerns and moral debates surrounding crypto, gaming, and the metaverse. Can humans really make connections...

Today's guest on Hot Stuff is The Sandbox COO and Co-founder, Sebastien Borget. The Sandbox is a virtual world where players can build, own, and monetize their gaming experiences with the game's very own cryptocurrency SAND, an Ethereum-based utility token. Sebastien has 14 years of experience working in Blockchain and mobile gaming, and in 2022, Sebastien was placed number four in the top...

Today I will be bringing you the final part of my interview with Rex How. Rex has had a very successful career in publishing, founding Locus Publishing in 1996 and Net and Books in 2001. In 2009 he was a national policy advisor to former president Ma Ying-jeou but then resigned in 2013 due to the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement with China. This agreement would have forced Taiwan to open up si...

In today's episode of Hot Stuff, I am joined again by the publisher and former national policy advisor Rex How (郝明義). After hearing his take on Taiwan's 2024 presidential election last week, today we'll hear how Rex, born in Busan, South Korea, with parents from China, decided to make Taiwan his home. From selling his green card to founding two of his own publishing companies, Rex n...

We're back with Hot Stuff's first episode of 2024, and it's an insightful one! Founder of Locus Publishing in 1996, and Net and Books in 2001, Rex How (郝明義) has made a name for himself in Taiwan's publishing industry. In 2009 he became a  National Policy Advisor to President Ma Ying-jeou, and in the run-up to Taiwan's 2024 presidential election, Rex has come out with his mos...

Today on Hot Stuff, I am back with part two of my interview with Ivy Chen ( 陳淑娥). Ivy is the co-writer and recipe developer of the Taiwanese cookbook 'Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation,' which was recently named a top cookbook of 2023 by The New York Times.  If you're wondering what it is that makes Taiwanese and Chinese cuisine different, then this one's for you!  Ivy...

Today's guest on Hot Stuff is Ivy Chen ( 陳淑娥), the co-writer and recipe developer of the Taiwanese cookbook 'Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation.' Ivy along with journalist Clarissa Wei, created a book that contains a plethora of mouth-watering recipes and thoroughly researched essays, showcasing just why Taiwanese cuisine is deserving of its own category. In...

On this week's episode of Hot Stuff, I am joined again by Taiwan Digital Diplomacy Association (TDDA) Founder and President Kuo Chia-yo (郭家佑). In this episode, we discuss the work TDDA is doing to combat disinformation, how concerned you should be about cybersecurity, whether soft power is the way forward for Taiwan, and how digital diplomacy is being leveraged worldwide. You can follow TDD...

What do President Tsai Ing-wen, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and milk tea all have in common? They were the subject of the viral ‘Milk Tea Alliance’ meme created by the Taiwan Digital Diplomacy Association (TDDA). Today’s guest is TDDA Founder and President Kuo Chia-yo (郭家佑). In this episode, we discuss TDDA's efforts to increase Taiwan’s exposure and how significant digital diploma...

In this episode of Hot Stuff, I am joined again by the very inspiring Karima Romaniv.  In April 2022, Karima started her escape from Ukraine. She has now published a diary account of her experience in Mandarin, Chinese, here in Taiwan. In this episode, Karima shares her thoughts on Taiwan's response to the Russia-Ukraine war, what Taiwanese people can learn from her experience, and how - despi...

In April 2022, Karima Romaniv embarked on her escape from Ukraine. Leaving her family behind, she took her chances via Crimea. She has now published a diary of her account. On today's episode of Hot Stuff, Karima shares her experience of the Russia-Ukraine war, how it has deepened her love for life, and how she's managed to find a home within herself.  Karima's book (我從戰爭來: 烏克蘭...

About to plan a trip to Taiwan? Looking for new things to do in Taipei? Today's episode of Hot Stuff has got you, as Suzy and Austin are back to share their top spots and ideal 3-day Taiwan itinerary. Curious about how the duo manages to travel and work full-time together? Suzy and Austin will also be sharing what they think the best and worst traits of the other as a travel companion are. It&...

In April of this year, Suzy and Austin took the leap of faith to return to Taiwan and start pursuing content creation full-time. A few months later, they're almost at 10k followers on Instagram. On today's episode of Hot Stuff, Suzy and Austin take me back to when they first met and share what led them to pursue content creation in Taiwan as a couple. We also chat about the logistics of co...

Today we're lucky enough to have Dr. Chen share her expertise again on Hot Stuff, as I bring you part two of our interview.  Dr. Chen is a professor at Shih Hsin University's Graduate Institute of Gender Studies. She specializes in gender and law. In this episode, we discuss the disparity between Taiwan's progressive LGBTQ+ laws and social acceptance, why Taiwan was the first country i...

Today's guest on Hot Stuff is Dr. Chen. Dr. Chen studied Law at Heidelberg University and Cornell Law School, and she is currently a professor at Shih Hsin University in the Graduate Institute of Gender Studies. Her research areas have always related closely to gender and law, including transgender issues, sexual harassment, LGBTQ+ rights, and feminist jurisprudence. In this episode, we delve into...

Today on Hot Stuff, I speak with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) China Representative, Iris Hsu. In this episode, Iris shares her insights into the current state of press freedom in China and Hong Kong, and shares some of the cases CPJ has been dealing with following the enactment of the National Security Law and the COVID-19 outbreak. We'll also be discussing the role that Taiwan plays...

Things are looking up! As we approach the end of September, I am joined by Michelle Chiang to discuss some positive news from this month. The government has increased the funding for its mental health support program, which originally launched on August 1. The program provides 15 to 30-year-olds with access to free psychological consultations. Next, we'll be looking at how the Cabinet has appr...

Today's guest on Hot Stuff is just 16 years old. Catherine is an advocate for mental health awareness and anti-bullying in Taiwan. She was one of the recipients of the 23rd Taishin Youth Volunteer Awards, has amassed almost 50k followers on Instagram, and is also a model and aspiring performer. In this episode Catherine shares her own experiences with bullying, how the government and schools c...

If you're living in Taiwan at the moment, the spectacle of burning paper money or tables of snacks outside businesses will have likely caught your attention. So, what's it all about? It's Ghost Month! Ghost Month falls on the seventh month of the lunar calendar and this year it lasts from August 15 to September 14. For today's episode, I am joined by my fellow Rti host Michelle Chi...

As we reach the end of August, I wanted to take some time today to discuss news from this month relating to social issues in Taiwan. In this episode, Michelle and I discuss three stories relating to Taiwan's 'comfort women,' cannabis laws, and revenge porn. So buckle up and hear some of the things that have been going on in Taiwan this month and our take on it!

Today's guest is Stanford student and winner of the Miss Taiwanese American 2022 pageant, Tiffany Chang. In this episode we discuss Tiffany's pageant journey, how she ended up emceeing for President Tsai Ing-wen's welcoming banquet in Los Angeles earlier this year, and what it means to be Taiwanese American to her. Want to find out more about the Taiwanese American community - this one...

The number of young people who can speak Taiwanese is gradually diminishing, but Taiwanese American college student Taliyah Huang is passionate about keeping it alive. Over the last few months Taliyah has been continuing to develop Bobaway, an English to Taiwanese translator. Hit play to hear why Taliyah decided to build this tool and the progress she's been making.  You can check out Bobaway ...

Today’s guest on Hot Stuff is Kaitlin Hao. Kaitlin is an East Asia Languages and Cultures master’s student at Columbia University, and she holds a B.A. in History of Art and Architecture from Harvard University. She runs the TikTok account  @happyendingmessage , which teaches art history, media studies, and East Asia to a broad audience. The account has amassed over 38,000 followers with some of t...