Boba Culture: Kawaii Aesthetics in Diasporic Communities

How has kawaii become a part of global Asian popular cultures, and what does kawaii signify for members of the Asian diaspora?

In this special extended interview from the Kawaii in Japan & Beyond: Theory & Praxis project, cute studies scholar Erica Kanesaka interviews Christine Nguyen, the owner of Rebel Teahouse, a boba tea shop in Georgia, USA that celebrates the power of cuteness and kawaii. Christine explains what kawaii means to her as a Vietnamese American woman and how it plays a role in the aesthetics of boba tea. She also discusses the relationship between cuteness and community and how this can support Asian American art and activism.