Magic, Identity, and Being @AsianVerified
A Modern Minorities Conversation with Michael Wong
One of the best things about building Dear Flor has been meeting the most incredible people, each with a story that challenges how people see Filipino culture. These are the stories that I want to tell, so when I got the invitation to guest-host Modern Minorities, I was all in.
Modern Minorities is a podcast about work and life through the lens of race and gender. Created by Raman Sehgal and Sharon Lee Thony, it’s the kind of show that doesn’t tiptoe around the hard conversations. It leans in. Over the years, they’ve had guests like Margaret Cho, Sam Yo, and Tanzina Vega, tackling everything from media representation to cultural erasure.
For my first guest episode, I sat down with Michael Wong, a.k.a. @AsianVerified. If you’re on Instagram or TikTok, you might have seen his posts. I still remember the first post I saw of him taste-testing Trader Joe’s Calamansi Mango sorbet to determine if it was “Asian Verified.” He took a bite and the video dissolved from Michael holding the sorbet to Michael wearing a barong tagalog with a parol around his neck like some crazy Pinoy Flavor Flav. The Datu Puti Value Pack in his hand was the clincher: Trader Joe’s Calamansi Mango sorbet is Asian Verified.
In short, Michael is the guy giving you the ultimate Asian-American litmus test, from the best hole-in-the-wall eats to the most iconic Costco dad fits. But he’s not just another content creator. He calls himself a cultural anthropologist for Asian America. He’s a half-Filipino, half-Chinese guy who looks Korean (his words, not mine) with over 100,000 followers and a monthly column in The Stranger. Michael isn’t just verifying Asian culture; he’s out there shifting narratives every day.
Our conversation was a ride. We covered everything from how a non-drinking, half-Filipino, half-Chinese kid from Auburn, Washington, used magic to get into a fraternity to the dumpster fire that is dating apps for Asian men to what it means to “Asian Verify” anything.
The Reality of “Asian Verification”
Michael and I both agreed on one thing: just because an Asian person is somewhere, that doesn’t mean the place is “authentic.” There may be a lot of Asians in a joint because it’s in the neighborhood. Unpopular opinion, but we all know Asians with questionable taste in food. So what does Asian Verified even mean? Who gets to decide what’s verified? For decades, critics and chefs ignored Filipino cuisine. It was always too brown, too oily, too whatever. Anthony Bourdain (RIP) and Andrew Zimmern have been calling Filipino food the “next big thing” for over a decade. And while we see signs that things are shifting – Kasama getting a star in the Michelin Guide, Abi Balingit and Kuya Lord winning James Beard Awards. We gotta ask: do we really need Gordon Ramsay and the Michelin Guide rolling through the motherland to verify Filipino food?
Michael is reclaiming the whole narrative around Asian Verification. For him, it’s not just a stamp of approval. He’s creating a framework for what makes a restaurant genuinely good, culturally authentic, and worth it. Because if we don’t define it, someone else will. “If you see a Buddha, the food’s finna be gooda.”
On Dating While Asian
Dating apps have been an absolute wasteland for Asian men. I’m hearing things have gotten better, but not too long ago, if you were an Asian guy on Tinder, you were getting the hard-left swipe no matter what. In college, Michael was surrounded by white frat bros effortlessly crushing the dating game and doing magic tricks just to get into a frat.
But then something happened: BTS, Crazy Rich Asians, and the Physical 100 entered the chat. Manny Jacinto was on The Acolyte. Asian men moved from being background players or the quirky best friend to leading men, which meant more swipe rights for Asian dudes on the apps.
When it comes to his own relationships, Michael apologized for “the decade of mid-White women he brought to the crib.” And then he started dating his now-fiancée, Tash. Let’s face it. Some of us still have Filipino family members that are both low and high-key racist. Michael was very strategic about how he wanted to introduce Tash, who is black, to his Filipino family. I’m still not sure if he was joking about prepping them with a PowerPoint deck. Regardless, he sent a pretty strong message: if you’re going to have a relationship with me, you will accept Tash. Michael’s approach worked. His family loves Tash.
Owning the Narrative
We talked about a lot of stuff, but at the heart of our conversation was the idea that to be Asian American isn’t to be just one thing. Michael’s @asianverified platform is all about showing the layers, exposing the nuance in all its hilarity and messiness.
His viral ‘Dad Cam’ videos celebrate our immigrant dads, their undying loyalty to Skechers, and how they win at Costco every single day. Michael’s food reviews aren’t glossy reels or ASMR Asian food fests. He gives us the real deal wrapped in humor. Reference his videos where gets excited at the Vietnamese food joints that have the requisite Café du Monde coffee can repurposed as a napkin holder.
What It Means to Be a Modern Minority
Michael said it best: being a modern minority means living with double consciousness. You’re Asian and American, and sometimes, that means having to decide how you’re going to show up in any given moment. Yes, it’s exhausting, but it’s also a superpower. It’s like having two passports that enable you to seamlessly pass through both spaces so you can start creating bridges and connections between the two.
@AsianVerified Speed Round
One thing about Michael that people don’t expect: Michael loves Disney. He even worked there as a Jungle Cruise Skipper. He also paid for his first year of college by doing magic.
A book or movie with characters he relates to: Lemony Snicket from A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Michael’s hype song: “Icon,” by Jaden.
Michael’s Future Asian Dad at Costco Fit: Mountain Hardwear puffer, a beanie with the school logo of whatever school his grandkid goes to, and the Skechers that look like Balenciagas that he has now.
Who he’d like to interview: “I'd do a panel with Scarlett Johansson and Gwen Stefani and [try] to figure out which one's more Asian for real.”
Final Thoughts
There’s so much of our conversation that isn’t captured here. It was honest and unfiltered and really freaking funny, which is pretty much everything I love about Modern Minorities. One key takeaway from our conversation is that we don’t need someone else’s permission or validation. It’s on us to create the frameworks by which we are seen, reviewed, and are ultimately verified.
Listen to the Modern Minorities podcast featuring Michael here. Follow @AsianVerified on Instagram and Tiktok and read Michael's column at The Stranger.
Did you know Dear Flor gummies are @AsianVerified? Michael’s favorite is Calamansi. Try them for yourself today.
Thank you for the beautiful write up ate 🙏 Really enjoyed the conversation, and look forward to more soon 🫶