The Honest Drink Podcast

Matt Chen is a Chinese American entrepreneur, social media content creator, and builder of Daily Hanzi, an app helping people learn to read Chinese.  Currently at 24 years old he's decided to ditch his aerospace engineering degree and restart his life by moving to China.  Focused on bridging East and West through content about language, culture and identity he hopes to reconnect with his Asian heritage while improving his own Chinese literacy, finding a different path for himself in a new world.  Today, we talk about Matt's experience growing up in the US as an ABC and compare it to our own experience from an older generation.  We talk about his choice to move to China just ten months ago, his revelation during a job interview with a US defense contractor, and what's behind the "A Very Chinese Time In My Life" trend happening in America.  We also talk about the broad anxiety amongst his younger generation, finding purpose, and balancing digital and analog life.  
Happy Chinese New Year!
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We are joined by friends of the show Charles Zeng, owner of Charlie's Burger, and James Wu visiting from the U.S.  Today we debate the pros and cons of having kids or not.  James shares his reasoning on his and his wife's decision not to have kids.  We talk about societal pressures, its impact on marriage and our thoughts on using physical force when it comes to disciplining our kids.  We talk about chasing happiness, comparing kids to chocolate, and our biggest fears when it comes to growing old.  We talk about the midlife crisis, aging and managing anger day to day.
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If you enjoy this show don't forget to leave a rating!
Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehonestdrink_/
RedNote: THD The Honest Drink
WeChat: THD_Official
Find us on: Spotify, Apple, YouTube, 小红书, Ximalaya, 小宇宙, 网易云音乐, Bilibili or anywhere else you get your podcasts.

Today we welcome in the new year as we film a special episode facing the camera.  We play "agree or disagree" and discuss several relatable topics, from the effectiveness of New Year's resolutions to whether romance is dying.  We also rank our worst personal habits to leave behind from the past year.  This episode is packed with introspection, light-hearted debates, and a drive to live better in 2026.  
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If you enjoy this show don't forget to leave a rating!
Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehonestdrink_/
RedNote: THD The Honest Drink
WeChat: THD_Official
Find us on: Spotify, Apple, YouTube, 小红书, Ximalaya, 小宇宙, 网易云音乐, Bilibili or anywhere else you get your podcasts.

Rico Zhang is a Chinese-Australian Director known for his technical filmmaking, award-winning music videos and bold aesthetic world-building.  His most recent project was Dongji Rescue 东极岛 (2025), a film based on the true story of Chinese fisherman from Dongji Island who risked their lives to rescue over 300 British POWs after a Japanese transport ship was torpedoed by the U.S. Navy in WWII.  Today Rico shares the challenges working on Dongji Rescue, finding cultural identity in his filmmaking in China and the West, and we discuss the complexities of being an ABC in today's world.  We talk about the impact of cultural influence, and how the evolving global landscape shapes identity. Rico also reveals his fascinating physical ability to not get drunk and the importance of focusing on commonalities rather than differences.
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If you enjoy this show don't forget to leave a rating!
Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehonestdrink_/
RedNote: THD The Honest Drink
WeChat: THD_Official
Find us on: Spotify, Apple, YouTube, 小红书, Ximalaya, 小宇宙, 网易云音乐, Bilibili or anywhere else you get your podcasts.

In this special episode, the hosts delve into the theme of rushing through life and reflect on their personal experiences with close friendships. They discuss the difficulty of savoring moments, and the significance of 'Irish goodbyes'.  The conversation centers around Aric's impending move to California, exploring the emotional and practical implications for their friendship and the future of the podcast. They also touch on the broader societal impacts of AI and their evolving perspectives. Despite the impending changes, the hosts affirm their commitment to their deep-rooted friendship and the continuation of the podcast.
_____________________
If you enjoy this show don't forget to leave a rating!
Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehonestdrink_/
RedNote: THD The Honest Drink
WeChat: THD_Official
Find us on: Spotify, Apple, YouTube, 小红书, Ximalaya, 小宇宙, 网易云音乐, Bilibili or anywhere else you get your podcasts.