Poppin’ Off To Korea

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Happy Tuesday, Future Party. Vying for customers’ attention is getting harder than ever, leading to a big upswing in brands releasing experimental products that feel hot off the R&D shelves. But no one does it quite like Taco Bell, which just announced a Baja Blast skincare line. Yes, that’s real. Maybe the idea here is that catching a hint of your own scent might spark a craving — for tacos, of course.

The unexpected massive success of KPop Demon Hunters is fueling not only increased tourism to South Korea but also growing demand for a variety of uniquely Korean experiences.

The Big Picture: Visiting places where movies or shows are set — known as “set-jetting” — is nothing new, especially in South Korea. BTS, Parasite, and Squid Game have all contributed to tourism surges dubbed the “Korean Wave.” But KPop Demon Hunters is supercharging travel to an unprecedented level while also spotlighting the everyday activities of a typical Korean resident. That momentum is likely benefiting Korean-owned companies beyond Korea as well.

Behind The Trips: KPop Demon Hunters is by far the most popular movie on Netflix, with over 500 million views… which means a lot of people love it.

And that popularity is translating into real-world impact.

Final Itinerary: Haemin Yim, the CEO of Korean travel platform Creatrip, says the KPop Demon Hunters travel fad stands out because cultural experiences like jimjilbang bathhouses, hanyak herbal treatments, gimbap meals, and, of course, K-pop shows are seeing major demand. Yim told Bloomberg that “the film essentially functions as a 90-minute showcase of Korean daily life.”

A good movie really can be the best marketing.

Next Vacation: With KPop Demon Hunters taking home two Oscars this past Sunday, expect travel to South Korea to see yet another surge in the coming months.

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A sports-tech startup called Callandor Group bills itself as the first company to track and protect a pro athlete’s most valuable data — their likeness and body movement.

Why It Hits: While actors, musicians, and artists are receiving a fair share of AI protections, athletes have been left somewhat out in the cold. That may be because athletes rarely have a finished product that’s easily protectable. Instead, their ongoing performance is the real asset — which creates a need to capture continuous streams of data.

Between The Lines: Callandor CEO Michael Fisk declared that “Athletes are the new code. If athletes are the software, we’re creating the app store.”

Here’s what Callandor does:

Last Down: Callandor’s goal is to give athletic partners the ability to further monetize their broadcast portfolios and training materials. The company has assembled an impressive leadership roster, including Fisk (who has held executive roles at Sony and Amazon Studios), co-CEO David Cassidy (who reportedly has relationships with Europe’s Big Five soccer leagues), and CTO An Vu (a former engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory).

With Fisk calling athletes “the training data for the next generation of digital entertainment,” the stakes are high for this team to get it right.

Next Season: With European soccer as its first onboarding target, Callandor could quickly scale into a global player in AI.

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64.8% of you voted No, and I’m not interested in one in yesterday’s poll: Have you ever been to a rage room?

“Destroying things (especially for no purpose) just makes me sad.”

“I got the Elon Musk Boring Company flamethrower for my midlife crisis when my ex cheated and left me for a celebrity. I’m good.”

“I’m a retired soldier with 32 years of active duty, retiring as a Brigade Command Sergeant Major in Armor (tanks) the entire time. I’ve had far more opportunities to break things at work than this little room could ever offer.”

“The first time was my wife’s birthday, and the second was my best friend’s bachelor party.”

“Yes, it’s called my office, and I’m in it every day. 💀”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join Poll Of The Day, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

🎥 Disney chief creative officer Dana Walden has unveiled the new leadership team for the Mouse House’s film and TV divisions.

💿 US vinyl sales topped a billion dollars for the first time since 1983… powered by Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl.

🎧 Spotify now allows premium subscribers to tweak their algorithm to adjust their “Taste Profile.”

🧬 Japan is giving the green light to treatments using reprogrammed human cells.

🚗 Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is rolling out a self-driving car company… with funding from Uber.

📖 Encyclopedia Britannica is suing OpenAI for scraping the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Translation: that’s a big deal.

⚽ Nike and the US Soccer League have unveiled their collaborative kit for the FIFA World Cup.

🧢 DJ and producer Chase B has been tapped as the creative director for hat company Lids.

👀 The White House is cracking down on companies that falsely claim their products are “Made in America.”