15 years ago, the internet was an escape from the real world. Now, the real world is an escape from the internet.

[cc]

novel experiences create fresh memories

keeping long-term friendships alive and fresh

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS9gVBFk6/

[cc]

Singaporeans and the culture of queueing

https://www.instagram.com/p/DYNmQYUkpmF/?igsh=MWdhaGtjYXlsanFnbw==

the timing of Royal Pop is extremely interesting to me and i believe it is well planned out

this release was already in the making since 2023, when AP commented on Swatch’s IG post: when do we launch?

administrative, logistical, legal, etc. issues aside, definitely no coincidence that it comes at a time where consumers are spending more to regain semblance of control in their lives (look at popmart labubu pokémon tcg etc.)

youths have negative perception of the future:
if i can’t buy a house, i’ll buy what i want instead

luxury market is also facing the highest pressure as demand slumps globally, so the natural path forward is the compression of the luxury market (good for retail!)

what AP is doing w Royal Pop seems to be retapping into youths by making a piece of their brand affordable through collab, borrowing concepts from labubu craze, familiarity bias, and demand slumps of high end luxury items

it also works as a way of getting youths one foot in, where they might eventually turn into paying customers of AP

if Royal Pop is a blind box sale, i think it’s the perfect storm for retail

this concur w this article here as well: https://manofmany.com/watches/swatch-audemars-piguet-labubu-of-watches

i used to think retail would be unwilling to shell out big money because of inflation and rising costs, until i saw labubu and especially pokémon TCG

genuinely don’t think a secondary market price of $1000+ on these Royal Pop watches will deter anyone

making it a point to buy a book in the same blind box fashion every trip i take

i will buy based off the book cover and hope that it’s a good read🗿

this time,
The Second Chance Convenience Store

[BR]

Strange Pictures by Uketsu (translated by Jim Rion)

was nudged into reading this after strange buildings. finished it on a flight home.

i felt that this book is better than strange buildings, easy read too. was quite shocked when the murderer was revealed and how every prior chapter connected. i still don’t quite understand the rationale for drawing the mountains when the victims were about to die. both had different motivations, but still it didn’t quite make sense to me rationally speaking. also, i felt really bad for the reporter kid, especially during the narration of his death.

the protagonist is definitely one screwed up character…

4/5

[2026 NYR Reading Goal]

Total: 13/15
- Fiction: 6/8
- Non-fiction: 7/7 ✅

1. The Diary of A CEO - link
2. Purple Cow - link
3. Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop - link
4. This is Marketing - link
5. Ogilvy on Advertising - link
6. The Creative Act - link
7. The Tipping Point - link
8. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle - link
9. Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts - link
10. The Twins of Auschwitz - link
11. Flowers For Algernon - link
12. Strange Houses - link
13. Strange Pictures - link

to save a high income earner or low income earner?

which would you?

https://www.reddit.com/r/korea/s/IFWZmNiHEg

the above article somehow reminded me of this video, whereby ancient civilisations spent a lot of their time creating aside from socialising

contrary to popular belief, hunting wasn’t the bulk of time spent

https://youtu.be/TQd2k1pEXp4?si=Sylk6smDT5OsO7x-