Debrief Sesh

Pre-Debrief:  “Catching print” is going viral and honestly… it’s about time the tables have turned. Women have been judged forever by the physical appearances like chest size, so now we’re out here analyzing men’s pants. Anwar White (our hero) breaks down how to “read” a man’s sizes- A, B, or G. Shoutout to Stacy for the intel - ladies, take notes.Main Topic:  Even the loud, positive, extroverted girl has weeks where everything just feels off (aka Hannah). Hannah gets real about being in a slump and how it starts to affect everything-mood, energy, and motivation. Do you lean into it (sad music, dramatic moment, just feel it out) or force yourself to get up and reset? Stacy, who doesn’t live on this emotional rollercoaster, shares her go-to tips to make these low energy days a little easier. We get into how differently we handle these moods, and why Hannah might be a little more up-and-down.

Pre-brief:BTS released their new album after 4 years, and holy crap the SCALE of their comeback was huuuuge. Netflix hosted a free concert to premiere their first comeback performance, renting out the entire Gwanghwamun Square and amassing ~100K+ views in person and on streaming (which is actually insane), and it was so freaking cool. (P.S. Hannah actually watched the full thing after recording the ep, and she absolutely loves the album now lol)Main Topic:How do you know if a guy is boyfriend material? We tell you all the green flags we've noticed in guys, from obvious things like washing dishes & folding your laundry, to more niche ones that only we probably think are green flags (does he use a baby voice to talk to cats?). Tune in to get the deets on all the positive signs that he could be *the one*, because at the end of the day you have to be able to honestly ask yourself - could he truly be my emergency contact?

Pre-brief:Arashi released their new song "Five" for the first time in 5 yrs (what a coincidence), and Stacy and Hannah have some...thoughts. Stacy also gushes about the new group that's been taking TikTok by storm - モナキ (Monaki). Also sharing thoughts on the new Netflix K-Drama "Boyfriend On Demand" starring Jisoo & the most star-studded male cast we've ever seen.Main Topic:Ugghhhh can we VENT?? For some reason, both of us have been plagued by men who stink (literally and figuratively) ruining our peace of mind. The guy who manspreads on the train, the guy whose B.O. could kill a horse, the guy who over-promises and under-delivers when he could've just...not promised anything at all??? We're fed up with these men who don't think twice to take, take, take from us. So this is our way of coping - by airing out our grievances to you guys <3

Pre-brief:This week's ep was recorded a bit earlier than usual so we're a little late buuut Bridgerton Season 4 ayyyyy💃 Stacy watched the whole season in one sitting (per usual) and Hannah shares her favorite (and not so favorite) Bridgerton seasons. One thing we both agree on -- Queen Charlotte season is superior. Also Blackpink released their new album + MV for their song "GO" and it's...ok? Hannah thought the visuals and dubstep were pretty cool, but Stacy's deeply unimpressed and lowkey disappointed.Main Topic:We're getting DEEP this week and addressing something a lot of our listeners have asked us for advice on - low self esteem. As women, it's so easy to fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others and feeling like we're not enough. Beauty, marriage, finances...the list goes on. Especially in Japan, where conforming to the norm is encouraged and praised, it can be hard to feel confident when you don't. Trust us, we've been through it, and we're sharing our thoughts + advice on how to improve self esteem💓

This episode we have a special guest: Richard, aka Richaado!!!🥭You might also know him as Momo-chan or Hashimoto-san… and if you don’t, go check out his content immediately. While he’s known for his hilarious, relatable (and sometimes out-of-pocket) “foreigner in Japan” content, we go beyond the skits and ask some more personal questions about his journey as a content creator. We talk about the behind-the-scenes of how he comes up with his viral videos, what it’s like dating in Japan, and some of his wild encounter stories living here - especially moments involving race and cultural misunderstandings. And because we had the opportunity, we get some advice on how you actually go viral on the internet. Tune in to also hear about his upcoming stand up comedy show in Tokyo if you want to see him live :)

Pre-brief:Stacy’s favorite comedy duo 令和ロマン(Reiwa Roman) member 髙比良くるま(Kuruma Takahira) was recently caught in relationship rumors with Japanese TV personality MEGUMI (she was the commentator for Badly in Love) !!  Another 推し, another relationship scandal... But this is exactly why we diversify our celeb crushes, people! We also accidentally discovered that we’re both really into dietary fiber right now. Everyone talks about protein… but are you hitting your daily fiber intake?? You heard it here first. Eat your edamame, chia seeds, avocado, and lentils!! Main Topic:Q&A time! Thank you to everyone who sent in so many questions :) For our new listeners, we properly introduce ourselves - how we met and why we started this podcast. We also answer your questions about our backgrounds, and give our  advice on relationships, work, and living in Japan.

Pre-brief:We’re recapping our weekends - Stacy had a relatively healthy night out (lol), her first night out at Zero Tokyo, and Hannah shares her snowy getaway for the japow to Hakuba.Main topic:Books and movies are obsessed with romantic tropes…friends to lovers. Enemies to lovers. Lovers to friends. Are they actually romantic? Hannah admits she’s a certified friends-to-lovers girl and somehow still stays friendly with her exes (controversial, we know). Stacy? Absolutely not. If anything she prefers enemies to lovers (and hopefully friends to lovers happening soon..??)

Pre-brief:Hannah's hometown team wins the Super Bowl, Stacy has no idea what teams even played, but we both absolutely loved Bad Bunny's halftime show <3 Also, happy almost-Valentine's day! We reminisce the good ol' days where we'd send "Valentines grams" to each other in high school, and how the V-Day culture is so different in the U.S. versus Japan.Main Topic:How does a relationship fall apart? We analyze the all-too-common scenario of one person fighting to keep the relationship alive (*cough* usually the girlfriend *cough*), while the other dismisses or deflects. Brb, reliving traumatic flashbacks of drafting talking points in your notes app just to have a serious conversation...let's just say we both experienced some ROUGH times. We also talk about indicators that a relationship is not looking so great, like when your friends don't get along with them, or it gets nearly impossible to keep "the spark" alive physically.

Pre-Brief: Last weekend, Hannah completed her first-ever HYROX in Osaka -- otsukaresama deshita!! Stacy came through as moral support, and we recap the highlights of the trip: hot men sightings (like SHINee Choi Min-ho), a Kyoto getaway, and a USJ adventure.Main Topic: We’re talking about situationships: the in-between where you guys aren’t official and you start off “casual” but somehow come with real feelings. Ending one can be easy if you get the instant ick, but choosing to walk away on your own (when he’s not even technically your boyfriend) is much harder. Stacy shares her recent situationship drama and how surrounding herself with good people reminded her of the standards we should have in men. Also, cue the stories about all our other past situationships where we definitely learned a lesson (or two..or three....) about when it's time to call it quits.

This episode is a special one 💫 Debrief Sesh’s very first collaboration, and we’re joined by the amazing girls of SWEET REVENGE, LDH’s first global girl group! We get into all things dating and crushes in the music industry, whether dating within the industry is a go or a hard no, how our behavior totally changes when we start liking someone (Larissa may be a social butterfly, but eye contact with her crush? Absolutely not), and how the girls prefer to be approached (hint: do not invade Agnes’s personal space). We also talk about types, like how Asami shares her love for guys who really know their music and can sing. From first impressions to honest girl talk, it’s no surprise we became close friends by the end of this sesh.

Pre-brief:The good ol’ nostalgia of 2016 is back. With everyone posting their throwbacks, we couldn’t help but reminisce about the simpler times...before Trump entered the political picture, Snapchat filters, posting whatever on social media and giving less of a f*ck in general. Ohhh, how we wish we could go back. And speaking of peak 2016…did you know Fetty Wap was in prison?? Because we definitely didn’t LOL. Now that he’s out, Stacy is fully simping and gives us a complete history lesson on her newest stan <3Main Topic:We’re sharing all the specific things guys do that make us kyun kyun ♡ Not the generic, surface-level stuff, but super specific behaviors that make us swoon. For example, Stacy's ideal type is a guy who can savor a piece of expensive chocolate (it makes sense we promise). We also talk about which kind of physical gestures we're weak against - like playing with our hair, a touch on the waist, and all that jazz. If you want to know how to steal a girl’s heart (or more specifically *our* hearts) and also learn what NOT to do...this one’s for you.

Pre-brief:Stacy shares her recent celebrity crush obsession, and Hannah cannot keep up with the wide variety of Stacy’s types...But hey, she’s inclusive to all types of ikemens, and we support. Main topic:We’re talking about first dates. First dates can really tell you a lot about a person, both good and bad, and first impressions matter more than we like to admit. Between the two of us, Stacy and Hannah have had our fair share of first dates, so we break down what we look for on a first date, first date red flags you should not ignore, good first date recommendations, and also the places you should absolutely not go on a first date. And of course, we share our first date stories along the way. Here’s to more first dates that either turn into something great… or at least a great story.

Happy 2026!! Pre-brief: Hannah and Stacy spent New Year’s Eve together and welcomed 2026 in the most on-brand unplanned, chaotic, fun way possible. We went from eating sushi and watching 紅白 (kouhaku) at Stacy’s house to somehow ending up at Bar Lion (club)… and yes, Stacy was definitely eyeing a cutie. A fun way to start the year indeed. Main topic: Of course we had to kick off our first episode of 2026 with New Year’s resolutions. We share our goals for the podcast - our subscriber number targets across all platforms, collab/guest ideas, and all the new things we’re excited to bring to the pod this year. We also dive into our personal resolutions for 2026 (fitness goals, new content ideas, hosting gatherings/clubs, traveling, etc.) Andddd to end things off (per usual), we go on a little rant about the “365 Buttons” and “Bean Soupification” theory trending on TikTok. If you don’t know what we’re talking about…don’t worry, we gotchu. It’s a new year, new energy, and it’s time to manifest !!!

Pre-Debrief:We’re recapping the M-1 Grand Prix from this past weekend (Japan’s biggest annual comedy competition), and talking about why this year’s winner たくろう(Takurou) absolutely deserved the win. We also dive into Netflix’s new love-reality show ラブ上等 (Badly in Love), and… yeah, we’re fully obsessed. If you haven’t started it yet, take this as your sign, highly recommend.Main Topic:Happy Holidays!!!  Staying on theme, we share our holiday wish lists - both tangible (like being desperately ready to say goodbye to our iPhone 12s, needing more furniture for our new places, etc.) and intangible ones too (boyfriend vs. rental boyfriend??? lol). Since this is our last episode of the year, we also take a moment to reflect on this podcast and everything this year brought us. Huge thank you to everyone who listened to us yap about our lives, we love you!!! See you in 2026 :’)

This week, we’re skipping our usual pre-debrief and jumping straight into a topic we all deal with: jealousy. When you’re dating, feeling a little jealous is normal… right? We unpack the small (and not-so-small) things that can trigger it - from boyfriends with a “girl best friend,” following プチ influencers (up and coming influencers) on Instagram, realizing their ex is a totally different vibe from you, to that uncomfortable/weird/jealousy feeling when you find out you’re just one of many people they’re dating (ugh roaster dating). It’s honest and hopefully very relatable.

Pre-Debrief:Justin Bieber was in Tokyo for the launch of his new clothing brand, Skylrk. We love to see his ongoing obsession with Japan and honestly, we feel a little special that he chose Tokyo as the first launch spot lol. We also get into the dating rumors swirling around aespa’s Winter and BTS’s Jung Kook. Fans are spiraling over their matching fits and “twin” tattoos, but… let’s be real, no high-profile K-pop idols would ever intentionally show off that kind of thing if they were actually dating, right?Main Topic:This week’s episode is a bit different from the usual because we’re giving you a recap our own chaotic night out. After being stood up on a date (the audacity!!), Hannah comes to the rescue and Stacy had her very first Ebisu Yokocho adventure… and it did not disappoint. We break down the whole night, the three genres of men we encountered (the Tall Guy, the Suits Guy, and Eyebrow Man), and we discover how Stacy really acts when she sees someone she’s into. Tune in to our actual debrief!

Pre-debrief:Stacy has officially moved into her new place, and she may or may not have asked out the guy who helped her move her new furniture in (eeeeek!!) Meanwhile, Hannah recaps her much-needed YOLO trip to Hawaii, complete with unexpected new friends, almost getting into a fight, nearly passing out on a hike, and plenty of chaotic vacation energy. Main topic:We dive into 甘える vs. 甘えられたい - there's no direct translation in English, but the question of whether you prefer to be the one relying or the one being relied on. Think: emotional little spoon vs. big spoon energy. Hannah loves when a guy shows his soft, vulnerable side (again the ギャップ!), while Stacy prefers not to deal with too much 甘えん坊 behavior. Tune in to hear why our preferences differ, how this plays out when dating older vs. younger men, and what it says about modern relationship dynamics.

Pre-debrief:We’ve got a bit of Johnnys… uh, Starto (still getting used to that name) news for you! Unfortunately, Ae! group fans were hit with some sad updates: Richard was arrested on suspicion of public indecency, took a brief hiatus, and Starto has now announced his decision to leave the group. Meanwhile, the Heisei Kings KAT-TUN held their post-disbandment farewell concert… RIP. Also, are people still calling them Johnnys? Would we get cancelled for that? Starto? Both? We’re confused too.Main Topic:Ah yes… the Friendzone. Being friendzoned is awkward, and friendzoning someone is equally painful. We talk about the subtle things we do when we’re trying to friendzone someone; calling them “bro”, avoiding one-on-one hangouts by suddenly turning it into a group activity, or replying to texts like we’re writing a formal business email: “It was very nice meeting you as well. Hope all is well.” We also share our many stories of being friendzoned ourselves… including our personal favorite: the infamous Disneyland story. Shooting your shot and failing is part of life, so we’re putting our embarrassing experiences out there in hopes you’ll laugh with us, relate to us, or maybe learn a thing or two along the way.

Pre-Debrief (プリブリ):The annual 紅白歌合戦 (Kohaku Uta Gassen) lineup is finally out! Japan’s biggest New Year’s Eve music show is back with a stacked list of artists, including the reunion (kind of) of King & Prince and number_i, Hannah’s fave group &Team, Chanmina, and the queens Aespa… and the rumors that ARASHI might appear for their final Kohaku performance?!Main Topic:Should the guy pay on the first date? We share our unspoken rules and awkward encounters when it comes to money in dating and relationships. From the guy who pulled out coupons on the first date, to the mega-rich dude who wouldn’t shut up about his career while manspreading his takes on the current market - we’ve seen it all. And of course, Stacy brings another chaotic “would you rather” that ends with us split again.

Pre-Brief: Hannah’s deep in her Fit Girl era after signing up for Hyrox…but the training’s brutal. Will she make it? TBD. Stacy’s cheering her on (from the couch, naturally). The duo also dives into Vogue’s viral piece, “Is Having a Boyfriend Embarrassing?” (Spoiler: it kind of is…)Main Topic: The glow-up is real. Stacy and Hannah reflect on growing out of their awkward phases both inside and out. From better skincare and style to stronger mindsets and post-breakup reinventions, they’re sharing the habits, mindset shifts, and mini transformations that helped them level up. Tune in for the ultimate glow-up guide!