Welcome to episode two of our newest block of Big Fan Podcast episodes! This episode is a timely one, on the heels of the premiere of Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. My amazing friend and friend of the pod, Ann Vu Ngo, is here to chat about the intent and impact of movies like Raya and the Last Dragon, Mulan (2020), Crazy Rich Asians, and more. Why are only 6% of speaking roles in Hollywood box office hits given to Asians and Pacific Islanders? How are big companies like Disn...
Sep 06, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 6
With our first episode after a brief hiatus, Big Fan pod is back and better than ever with a number of amazing episodes lined up for the month of September and October! The first of these is a conversation with one of my best friends and friend of the pod, Mollie, to talk about back to school, college experiences, freshman year struggles, and what we think of it all now. Spoiler, it wasn't all fun and games. But we are so happy with what ended up being. Join us for tips, tricks, (rants) and enco...
Aug 30, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Korean dramas have been hitting Netflix and the hearts of MANY Americans hard in 2020, since COVID has kept us all quarantined in our homes and glued to our tv's. Yet, the 2020 Korean hits only scratch the surface of what Asian media can (and has) meant to so many people for decades and decades. In this episode, Jonah and Nikki trade tv favorites! Jonah gave Nikki his number one Anime recommendation and Nikki gave Jonah her number one Kdrama. Here to represent what they know best, they chat abou...
Mar 08, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Nikki is joined by the wonderful Ann Vu Ngo to discuss the uncharted world of motivational speakers. For decades, a select group of people have gained significant momentum in dishing out motivation and inspiration through interviews, conferences, speeches, books, and more. Everybody and their mother's have heard of Oprah and Tony Robbins... and we ourselves have come to know speakers like Jay Shetty and Rachel Hollis. But what is their deal? Are they legit or are they problematic? And why are pe...
Feb 22, 2021•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 3
In the second episode of season TWO of BIG FAN podcast, Nikki and her best friend Lizzie return to chat about Lizzie's upcoming wedding, what their preferences are, and certain trends in the wedding industry that do (and DO NOT) make sense. It is the wedding planning podcast: This or That Edition!! Thank you so much for listening and supporting!
Feb 08, 2021•56 min•Season 2Ep. 2
WE ARE BACK and better than ever! Join Jonah and Nikki in the season premiere of BIG FAN podcast as they discuss and review all the hits and misses of Kpop in 2020. We decide our winners for categories such as "Best Comeback," "Best Collaboration," "Best Dance Break," "Best Drama of the Year," and so many more. Disagree with us? Let us know! Make sure to follow us at @bigfanpod on Instagram to tell us who you would've picked as your winners for 2020!
Jan 25, 2021•1 hr 47 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Nikki and her sister Megan grew up watching many, many Christmas movies. They hold a special place in their hearts..... So much so, that they have turned into self-proclaimed Christmas movie "experts" (others may say Christmas movie snobs but that's neither here nor there). But in the spirit of the new Christmas season, the girls sat down to pit their favorite Christmas movies head to head to decide one ultimate winner! Hallmark movies, the classics, we talk about all of our childhood (and curre...
Nov 30, 2020•56 min•Season 1Ep. 25
No new episode this week--just a short message (or current state of the union address?) as we enter into a busy but also not really busy season. Thank you to all of my listeners, all of my friends, and all of my family who have supported myself and this podcast this year. I am looking forward to a period of rest and rejuvenation soon as we end season 1 of Big Fan Podcast. Happy Thanksgiving!
Nov 23, 2020•13 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Here's a little bonus episode for ya as Ann and I recap the latest episode of the Bachelorette! Enjoy!
Nov 18, 2020•38 min•Season 1Ep. 23
What a crazy season of the Bachelorette it has been so far and Nikki and Ann are here to DISCUSS. Join the two as the chat more about Claire and Dale's “happy ending” and Tayshia finally entering to redeem the whole season... leading into a much more personal conversation about how and when the girls knew the person they were dating was they’re "one" Thank you so much for listening and supporting Big Fan pod!!
Nov 16, 2020•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 22
My husband and I zero in on his home country, South Korea, to discuss a few differences he and I have noticed while living in both America and Korea in the past 10 years. Jigon is the most relaxed, even-keeled person I have ever met in my life so this is sure to be a soothing episode after last week's chaotic (but still great) SPECTRUM episode. After the week we have all had, what a great time to just sit down and learn more about where other people came from, our differences within that, and ho...
Nov 09, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 22
This week, we get a bit more *controversial* and have our hand at the popular Jubilee series "Spectrum," which gathers people of similar backgrounds and asks for their stance on several different topics. Nikki and her friends, Mollie, Lizzie, and Ellie, (all millennials, all young female professionals) sit down to discuss. Here are the statements addressed in this episode: 0:44 Episode begins Agree or Disagree: 04:21 *The AP/College Classes we took in high school were worth the time. 09:31 * I a...
Nov 02, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Nikki and Ann discuss their favorite self-care "aesthetics," how social media hurts (and helps?) self-care, and share a huge announcement! Listen to part 2 on Ann's new podcast " girlwiththemic "
Oct 26, 2020•36 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Intro starts around 0:42, discussion starts around 5:52 I am reunited with Jonah, my Kpop-loving best friend, to discuss the impact and influence that BTS and Blackpink are currently having on America. Full transparency: my Fitbit logged this podcast recording as a workout... But that is only because this was SO MUCH FUN to make! I am actually so impressed with the analysis and overall cultural commentary this episode ended up being. So if you are a longtime Kpop listener, BTS/Blackpink-only lis...
Oct 19, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 19
About three weeks ago, we put out a podcast episode titled "Messy Desks and Coffee 24/7... Do we love HUSTLE CULTURE?" And turns out, we do. We love routine, we love working hard, and we love achieving success. But after just one month back at school at the university we both work at, Ann and I discovered that we had been previously speaking from a place of hustle but more importantly... BURNOUT. Listen in on a looooong overdue check-in about these scary feelings, how to identify burnout, and wh...
Oct 05, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Nikki and Mollie are back with PART 2 of their conversation regarding body confidence, body positivity, health, and fitness journeys. The duo talked last week about both of their upbringing's in a small town and how that really influenced who they became (and are becoming) as young adults in a much-larger circle. For more context on this week's episode, listen to that episode first! It is titled: Small Town, Big Pressure: A Conversation About Body Positivity, Popularity, and *Releasing Weight*" ...
Sep 28, 2020•54 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Nikki is joined by her long-time friend, (and first time guest on the podcast!!!) Mollie, to talk all about growing up in a small town - the mental, emotional, and PHYSICAL changes that have occurred as a result of our upbringing. We get real honest and real vulnerable, jumping into a conversation about being a "bit bigger" than the societal average of a small, tight-knit community. How did this affect the both of us in the long-term? What happened as a result? And where do we stand now, especia...
Sep 21, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Jonah and Nikki sit down to discuss several August 2020 KPOP comebacks! The songs covered in this episode are listed and linked below, in order of discussion: Nunu Nana by JESSI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYto4QevRAo) No Shy by ITZY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTowEKjDGkU) Gunshot by KARD (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_tP-vcTjq4) THANXX by ATEEZ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eStMLC_rp0) Dumdi Dumdi by G-Idle (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPQ5mqovXHo)...
Sep 14, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Nikki and Ann dive into what it means to "hustle" as young professionals today. They share experiences and personal goals that have led them to their own point of burn out in the past, as well as discussing some goals that have been extremely motivating. But what is the line between hustle culture and workaholism? Is it just a "millennial thing?" If you are motivated by seeing other people's productivity and hustle or aren't sure if your current job is one that you are willing to die for, this e...
Sep 07, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Nikki and her husband, Jigon, sit down to discuss all of the wonderful details from their wedding day! Since TECHNICALLY, they are no longer newly-weds, the two look back on all of the feelings, potential problems, do-overs, and joys of honoring two cultures in one wedding day. Hope everybody enjoys listening!
Aug 31, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Nikki and Lizzie watch and review Korean horror HIT "Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum" (곤지암). We start the episode by sharing our background and thoughts regarding horror movies and thrillers, reminisce about our movie-watching experiences growing up, and give predictions on what Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum will be like! THEN, the two return to share their REAL thoughts on the movie, after watching it together. We practice our Korean language skills, we compare Korean horror movies to Japanese to American on...
Aug 24, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Nikki is joined with friend and talented female BOSS, Ann Vu Ngo, to confront and discuss the dreaded IMPOSTER SYNDROME that we all seem to experience but don't seem to talk about enough. In this episode, we define the syndrome, look back on the seasons of our lives where we dealt with the phenomenon head on, and, lastly, recognize how move forward (HINT* get yourself a friend like Ann!!). We hope this episode encourages each one of you as much as it encouraged us to make. If you enjoy, please c...
Aug 17, 2020•50 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Welcome back to another episode of Big Fan Podcast! Today, Nikki is joined with her bff, Lizzie, to discuss their experiences with the modern-day church. Having grown up in the same small-town, Baptist church, the two girls reminisce about their favorite church moments, the "hard truths" that were learned through experiences, and how it all shaped their post-high school lives. It's time to talk about some good, hard stuff. But it's also time to rejoice in the underlying fact that GOD is at the C...
Aug 10, 2020•1 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 9
WE ARE BACK with part two of our two-part KPOP 2020 summer comeback review! Jonah and Nikki continue their discussion on some of this summer's hottest hits, and the blood temperatures RISE as a result. Thank you to everyone who listened to the first portion last week and reached out with comments and praise about this new series. Continue listening to BIG FAN every Tuesday with new episodes, and please leave us some reviews if you enjoy! Music discussed in this episode: 00:55 "Pporappippam" by S...
Aug 06, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Nikki invites her great friend, Jonah, into a conversation reviewing some great summer 2020 KPOP comebacks that we are currently loving! Join the two as they venture deep into each song's choreography, lyrics, best moments, and overall vibes. Music discussed in this episode: 06:06 "Telephone" by EXO-SC (feat. 10CM): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Lw38CVAVxw 17:21 "Basquiat" by Pentagon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cdx2PSqZoPY 28"10 "Nonstop" by OHMYGIRL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDj...
Aug 04, 2020•59 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Nikki and Lizzie are going DEEP into their 24 years of life experiences to debunk the dreaded "dream job" narrative, and what a great conversation came from it! The girls also talk about their childhood influences, key events that directed them to their current career path, lessons from their academic journeys, and, most importantly, learning to be more accepting of non-traditional academic/career moves. Also- STAY TUNED to the end to hear a fun new surprise announcement from Lizzie! Thank you f...
Jul 30, 2020•1 hr 47 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In a fun new episode, Nikki sits down with her FAMILY (her mother, father, and sister) to reminisce and discuss their favorite family vacations together. Listen to get to know our family better and to satisfy that travel bug that's permeating in each one of us this summer. Apologies in advance for (some) inside jokes, but no apologies for all of the laughter and good vibes. Thanks for joining us today!
Jul 29, 2020•56 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Nikki is, once again, joined by her bff and recurring podcast guest, Lizzie, to learn all about the wonderful world of makeup. As one who would define "makeup" as mascara and some blush, Nikki learns the in's and out's of "how to" makeup. 2:31: Topic introduction 3:10: Introduction to Lizzie's makeup journey 14:30: Go-to brands 25:47: How to avoid "guess-buying" 36:41: Hypo-allergenic makeup? 49:51: Products we'd invest in 53:40: Foundation and "Setting" 70:30: Tips on finding complementary colo...
Jul 20, 2020•1 hr 49 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Nikki and one of her closest friends, Lizzie, venture into the topic of navigating major life events during a global pandemic. The duo begins by talking about how Lizzie and her fiancé first began to get to know each other and how their relationship turned into more. Then, they discuss the difficulties of wedding planning on a budget on top of other major commitments, the difference between grad school pre-COVID and post-COVID, and finally, why Lizzie is ultimately okay with their decision to po...
Jul 02, 2020•1 hr 36 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Join Nikki and her sister, Megan, as they break down their top FOUR (thanks Megan) TV shows that have influenced their lives. If you are interested in more content, head over to becomingthekangs.com to read, see, and hear more! This episode is sponsored by Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm.app
Jun 25, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 1
