Unlocalized

The Closest Thing to a Metaverse Isn't Coming From Meta - It's a Korean App

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 19:58:20 GMT

Join Jay and Brian as we discuss Wrtn and their fast growth in Korea as one of the most popular chat storytelling apps.

This episode is sponsored by Lux & Luna.

Follow Lux & Luna on Instagram: https://instagram.com/luxandluna.official

Visit and order on their website: https://luxandluna.com

Naver: How Korea's Biggest Search Engine Got Started

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 19:10:00 GMT

Join us as we kick off a multi-episode arc on Naver, and discuss the origin story of Korea's largest search engine.

Karrot: How Hyperlocal Communities Took Korea by Storm

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 07:11:21 GMT

In this episode, Brian and Jay discuss Karrot, hyperlocal communities, and the rise of french fry meetups in Korea.

Is Hyundai's World Cup Sponsorship Worth It?

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 04:13:00 GMT

Join us as we discuss Hyundai Motor's sponsorship of the World Cup.

Can Korea's Amazon Conquer Taiwan?

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 23:13:00 GMT

Join Jay and Brian as we discuss Coupang's growth in Taiwan and their international expansion.

The information provided in this episode is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice.

Why did Naver Buy 60,000 GPUs?

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 22:13:00 GMT

Join Brian and Jay as we discuss the latest meetings between Naver and Jensen Huang and their growing partnership in the AI infrastructure space.

Why Korea is the Next Architect Behind the AI Revolution | Won Kim

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 21:13:00 GMT

Jay and Brian are joined by Won Kim, former investment banking associate at Citi, to discuss AI data centers and why Korea is the next architect behind the AI Revolution.

Why Does Jensen Huang Keep Coming to Korea?

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 20:13:00 GMT

Join Jay and Brian to discuss the Korean business Jensen Huang is visiting on his second trip to Korea in 7 months.

Show notes:

0:00:00 Celebrity Status

0:02:30 NVIDIA's Reliance on Korean Memory Chips

0:08:40 The Samgyeopsal Summit

0:10:30 Physical AI and the Future of Robotics

0:19:46 The Korean Stock Market Boom

0:23:25 Will Korean Chipmakers Dominate Long-Term?

0:35:46 The Search for a Global Korean Consumer Platform

0:49:16 The Rise of Asian Business Leaders

0:52:38 Who Wins the Physical AI Stack?

1:08:45 Geopolitics and the US-China-Korea Dynamic

1:14:26 Pop Culture

Why are pop-up stores in Korea so popular?

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 19:12:00 GMT

In this episode, Brian and Jay dive into the explosive growth of pop-up stores in South Korea, particularly in Seoul's Seongsu district. We explore the cultural drivers behind this trend, such as 'kidult' culture and the 'feel economy,' analyze the business and real estate mechanics making it possible, and debate whether experiential retail is a passing fad or the future of global commerce.

Why Did Chipotle Expand to Korea?

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 18:12:00 GMT

Join Jay and Brian for another episode of Unlocalized, where we are joined by guests Anna Tyan and producer Erica Choe. We discuss Chipotle upcoming first store open in Korea and the Mexican food scene broadly in Korea.

Ex-Waymo PM goes all-in on AI startup | Brian Shin

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:12:00 GMT

In this episode, Jay interviews Brian as we dive deep into his journey from engineering and product management at LG and Waymo to building an AI startup as a solopreneur. We explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and content creation, discussing how we can leverage tools like Claude Code to build products faster. We also share our thoughts on the realities of bootstrapping, the future of AI SaaS, and why Brian decided to build our business from Seoul.

Is Gentle Monster on the decline?

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 16:12:00 GMT

Jay and Brian dive into the rise and potential plateau of Korea's iconic eyewear brand, Gentle Monster. We discuss our thoughts on their recent smart glass collaboration with Google, the threat of fast-growing competitors like Blue Elephant, and whether losing Blackpink's Jennie as an ambassador signals a broader decline.

Was Buldak Ramen's Growth a Happy Accident?

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 14:12:00 GMT

In this episode, we test out a more free-flowing format as we dive into the massive global success of Samyang's Buldak ramen. We kick things off with a blind taste test between Buldak and Nongshim's Bokkeummyun before exploring whether Buldak's viral explosion was a calculated strategy or a happy accident. We also discuss the fast-paced nature of food trends, the innovator's dilemma, and what we think might be the next big Korean food craze.

How SK Hynix Became the King of Memory

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 13:11:00 GMT

On this episode of Unlocalized, we dive into the incredible rise of SK Hynix, a South Korean memory chip manufacturer that has become a critical player in the global AI boom. We explore the company's turbulent history, from its near-collapse during the IMF crisis to its massive bet on high-bandwidth memory that positioned it as an industry leader.

How Korea Succeeded at Unmanned Retail

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 12:11:00 GMT

In this episode, Brian and Jay explore how Korea successfully built an empire of 13,000 unmanned stores using basic technology, while Amazon's highly funded, tech-heavy Amazon Go model failed. We discuss the cultural and economic factors driving this trend, the hidden costs of theft, and whether the US micro market model is the true equivalent.

What Business Executives should be doing on Asia trips | Brian Lee

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 11:11:00 GMT

We sit down with our guest Brian Lee to discuss his unique career as a cross-cultural consultant and executive educator. We explore how we can better understand Asian markets like China and Korea, the hidden innovations in everyday things like convenience stores, and why we need to rethink our assumptions about global business. We also dive into his journey as a solo operator and the importance of aligning our work with our core values.

Recorded: May 8 2026

Show Notes:

0:00:00 Intro

0:03:29 Brian's Background

0:06:05 Facilitating Executive Trips

0:10:17 Assumptions About China

0:28:45 The Typical Bad Trip

0:34:42 Cultural Context In Business

0:43:40 Convenience Store Innovation

0:48:29 The One Plus One

0:57:20 High Level Strategy

1:10:32 Robotics And AI Adoption

1:25:18 Japan Versus China

1:38:36 The Super App Future

1:45:39 Building A Solo Business

1:58:35 Crypto Culture And Values

2:06:31 Episode Wrap Up

Brian Lee's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-s-lee/

https://instagram.com/unlocalizedpod

How Viable Is the Mega Coffee Business Model in the US?

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 09:02:55 GMT

Brian and Jay dive into the explosive growth of Mega Coffee in South Korea and analyze how they turned budget espresso into a half-billion-dollar empire. We break down their franchise wholesale business model and debate whether this hyper-dense, low-cost strategy could successfully translate to the US market.

Show Notes:

0:00:00 Intro

0:07:31 Mega Coffee Domination

0:09:17 The Cheap Coffee Landscape

0:16:31 The Franchise Wholesaler Model

0:20:50 Why Korea Loves Coffee

0:30:21 Takeout Over Third Place

0:42:37 Mapping the US Market

0:52:12 Analyzing US Demand

1:04:22 The Blank Street Case Study

1:08:30 Korean Brands Expanding Overseas

1:17:06 Debating US Viability

1:25:41 Final Verdict

https://instagram.com/unlocalizedpod

Is the Beef Season 2 Medical Tourism Business Idea Viable? | Anna Tyan, Decentral AI

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 08:29:47 GMT

On this livestreamed episode, we are joined by Anna Tyan, co-founder and product designer at Decentral AI. We dive into whether the medical tourism business depicted in Beef Season 2 is actually viable. We also talk about Anna's startup Decentral AI and why companies in regulated industries can't trust the large AI platform companies with all their data and AI usage needs.

Show notes

0:00 Intro - First Live Stream

1:25 Beef Season 2 Discussion & Hot Takes

6:07 The Medical Tourism Business in Beef

10:30 Korea Medical Tourism Stats

15:22 Price Comparison: Korea vs US Skincare Procedures

18:43 The $40K VIP Package Breakdown 25:30 Revenue & Margin Analysis

30:12 Business Viability

38:00 Go-To-Market: How to Find Ultra-High-Net-Worth Clients

42:18 Competitive Landscape & Moat

55:00 Risks: Malpractice, Legal Issues, Shell Companies

1:02:00 Expansion: Hair Transplants, Dental Tourism

1:11:46 Segment 2: Anna Tyan, Co-founder of Decentral AI

1:19:32 The TBPN/OpenAI Acquisition & AI Geopolitics 1:26:07 What Decentral AI Does

1:36:27 UAE Market Experience: Trust & Local Relationships

1:41:41 Energy Summit: 70% Energy Savings

1:46:00 Wrap Up & Final Thoughts

One Viral 5M View VIdeo Built Her Agency | Esther Lee + Harris Choe

Mon, 18 May 2026 02:07:10 GMT

On the fourth episode of the Unlocalized Podcast, Brian and Jay speak with Esther Lee and Harris Choe, a married entrepreneurial couple who share how they built successful businesses by identifying market gaps and leveraging social media. From TV journalism to TikTok virality and gym closets to brick-and-mortar clinics, they discuss their "quality over quantity" approach to scaling and the evolving landscape of content creation.

Esther Lee

Asian Founded: https://instagram.com/asianfounded

Dr. Harris Choe: https://instagram.com/dr.harrischoe

HYC Physio: https://www.hycphysio.com/

Following the Rich Dad Poor Dad Framework to Become an Investor and Business Owner | Brian Kim

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:33:22 GMT

In this third episode of the podcast, Brian Kim (Bumzy) shares his non-linear journey from engineering graduate to serial entrepreneur and investor. He discusses his experiences building a dental startup, grinding his way into the crypto industry and a Wall Street hedge fund, and his thesis on AI that led him to invest in physical food and beverage businesses.

Show Notes

0:00 Introduction and the Cash Flow Quadrant

4:18 First Foray into Food and Beverage

11:15 Building the Family Dental Startup

16:15 Entering the Crypto Space

20:59 The Barcelona Nightclub Cold Approach

25:34 Landing a Wall Street Hedge Fund Job

37:19 The Underdog Mentality and Basketball Scouting

43:45 The AI Tsunami Thesis 50:45 Investing in AI-Resistant Businesses

59:36 Creating Leverage and Final Thoughts

Landing $100K Deals Growing a Global Media Startup | Hannah Lee

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 03:15:14 GMT

On the second episode of the Unlocalized Podcast, Brian and Jay interview Hannah Hyo Bin Lee, founder of Holaste and ex global BD at EO Studio, a media startup from Korea with 1.5M+ subscribers across three countries. Hannah talks about how she helped grow EO’s global business in the States through a diversified set of revenue streams including white-labeled content production, sponsored placements, and an online startup school for founders.

How I Helped Bring Korea's Biggest Brands Overseas

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:30:54 GMT

Jay Lee reveals how he helped start and build a marketing agency for Korean brands to over $1M within a year and a half. He talks about the early days, scrambling to land their first client, lessons, and how he thinks AI will impact the marketing industry.