About seven years ago, Stephen Park and Kei Ibaraki created a YouTube channel called "AsianBoss". This channel was made for the purpose of bridging the social gap between Asia and the west. As of January 2021, AsianBoss has garnered nearly three million subscribers. Throughout the years of content creation, AsianBoss has developed into a business and a team that reports from countries such as South Korea, China, Japan, Thailand, India, and more.
Recently, they have uploaded a video where Stephen Park talks about how AsianBoss have been hit with a financial crisis. (For full context I have provided the link to the video.) Park addresses that him an Ibaraki never created this channel with the intent of profiting from it or having their content monetized. Park even left his job as a lawyer before committing to YouTube full-time. In order for them (or anyone, really) to pursue content creation, there's going to be money needed. Hence, AsianBoss have been funded by investors who believed in this media startup. However, Park addresses in the video that their investors have recently declared bankruptcy which means they don't have the money necessary to continue with their channel any further. Unfortunately, they have had to lay off a bunch of their staff and have to leave their office as well (which is why you'll see a bunch of boxes and vacant space in the background). In times of desperation, Park has turned to the community for their help. "For the first time and the last time ever, I am asking for your help.", Park says.
AsianBoss have started a GoFundMe for the purpose of raising enough money that would enable them to continue their content creation for the rest of this entire year. With a goal set at $700,000, they have surpassed this goal as of January 28, 2021. Of course, any other contributions beyond this goal would be of amazing help to them. I am no way affiliated with AsianBoss, but I just really support their mission and the content they make which is why I've mad a very small contribution to this donation. As a long-time viewer, it's amazing to see the amount of work they put in to tell the stories that go unheard, give exposure to the people that go unseen, and give "voices to the voiceless". On their channel, you find videos that range from topics and stories such as interviewing North Korean refugees, showing what the foreigner experience is like in countries like Korea and Japan, being a transgender model in Indonesia, and many more. As an Asian-American myself, I am all for their vision.
As they have surpassed their goal, don't feel compelled to donate if you do not have the money to give away! I hope this will make you check out their channel and maybe even possibly subscribing to their videos if you like their content. I sincerely hope AsianBoss comes back strong from this and I want to see Stephen Park, Kei Ibaraki, and the rest of the remaining team to keep creating content and pursuing their passions.
#SaveAsianBoss
