In Luffy Huang’s Vision for Pulse Events, Cultures Align Through EDM Music
Stories
September 22, 2024
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CEO of Pulse Events Luffy Huang made waves across New York City this past Labor Day weekend. Known as “the world’s wettest party,” the S2O event made a splash in the Brooklyn neighborhood, delivering euphoric EDM melodies with Thai-inspired traditions that stretch across borders to America.
But as the CEO of Pulse Events, his vision yearns for unity and togetherness through the power of music. Throughout the years, Luffy has been a driving force behind the diversification of the EDM festival scene, condensing the beats into a spectacular celebration of culture and community.
The Sounds of Luffy Huang’s Chinese Upbringing and American Dream
Growing up in China, his early passion for music led him to a career as a singer and TV host between 15 to 20 years ago. Encouraged by the eclectic soundscape in the U.S., his American dream for a successful music career was granted by one of the artists he was touring along with, paving the way for his move to the States.
“I grew up in China and following my passion for music, I became a singer and TV host 15 to 20 years ago. Since it was always my dream to break into the music industry in the U.S., I began touring with artists and finally came to America with one of them in 2020.”
When he arrived in the U.S., Luffy was bewildered yet determined. The hustle in a foreign land might have caught him off guard for a moment but it also helped him head towards a new direction. “I found the industry here to be very open-minded and felt inspired and encouraged to start my own entertainment company here,” he says.
Luffy left China for the U.S., driven by the fast-paced music scene.
This geographic shift is a tableau of music inspirations, cultural shock and a deepening sense of identity, all of which prompted him to create Pulse Events, an event agency focused on bridging the Eastern and Western cultures through music and community.
Cultural Harmony Through Music and Luffy Huang’s Pulse Events Journey
“What inspired me the most was seeing people of different cultures embrace shows produced in Asia and influenced by Eastern traditions,” he says.
Such ethos were themselves echoed throughout his work, by introducing a global audience to the purpose he wanted to share more of, from highlighting notable Asian creatives and talents, to celebrating the vibrant culture of the Asian community. “I realized that this experience was missing in the U.S. and it became my mission to produce shows here that expose fans to the traditions and dance community culture in Asia,” he says. “I am proud that my shows include elements like Asian night markets, lion dances and spraying water that is the Songkran Thai New Year custom.”
One of the drawbacks of starting Pulse Events in a new country, however, is the balance and harmony among different communities, especially in the U.S. where multiculturalism has long been its celebrated trademark. Yet, despite this animated diversity, Luffy needs to traverse the tricky waters of inclusivity, representation and U.S. culture:
“Turning my vision into a reality took a bit of time. But once we put on our first Pulse Events show, we learned from the process and got into a good rhythm where we put on multiple shows annually and continued to expand. One of thechallenges I face on a daily basis is figuring out how to represent Asian culture in the most authentic way possible, while having our shows appeal to a diverse audience. Striking that balance takes a lot of thought and hard work, finding the right partners to bring that to life. Another challenge I face is that English is my second language, so I sometimes have to take the extra step of using translation tools or making a greater effort to make sure my ideas are communicated correctly.”
Luffy Huang leads Pulse Events with determination, expanding the reach of Asian culture through unforgettable shows
While those challenges might have vexed him in the beginning, every show, event and festival was an emblem of the connectivity that he always has in mind for Pulse Events. The 2023 Spring Festival that Pulse Events had orchestrated last year was an EDM-heavy event to honor Lunar New Year and pull together traditional elements, joyful moments and different communities. It was the first event to infuse electronic music and Asian culture that introduced the beauty of this cultural festival to more American youths:
“I am proud of every show Pulse Events has put on and the legacy we are slowly building by making them annual. We are gearing up for our second Winter Festival in November and our third Spring Festival next year, and planning to bring back S2O after debuting it to the U.S. this past Labor Day weekend. I feel fortunate that we have established a good working relationship with one of the most famous venues in New York City and the world, The Brooklyn Mirage. I am also proud to be the founder of the Krazy Super Concert elevating K-pop in America.”
When East Meets West in Luffy Huang’s Vision for Pulse Events
As an organization that holds the same values as AHN to uplift and highlight the Asian community, AHN takes this interview as a special opportunity to explore how Asian talents are being showcased and represented in the industry. Luffy’s vision remains unchanged:
“Themission and vision of Pulse Events is to bridge the East and the West through music events that unite people of all backgrounds and educate them. Through bringing fans of all kinds together through the common love of music, we are able to open their minds and hearts to understanding Asian culture and embracing the immense talent within our community, from music producers and DJs to entrepreneurs like myself and my colleagues.”
This determination and commitment has led Luffy on a road of success, producing annual mega shows like the Lunar New Year Spring Festival, the Winter Festival and most recently S2O New York, all to celebrate cultures and unite communities through EDM. Even just at the start, Pulse Events has landed performance deals with many prominent artists in the electronic music scene, from the enigmatic Marshmello to platinum record-selling DJ Afrojack.
Luffy’s goal is clear: bridge the East and West through music, uniting fans from all backgrounds while showcasing Asian talents.
Connect With Luffy Huang
Much of Luffy’s current success comes less from pure luck and more from a consistent performance of hard work and innovation. Whether it be electric live festivals, or getting deep down into his heritage, Luffy knows better than ever that Pulse Events was a child of hustle and resilience, no matter where you came from and who you are:
“From my own journey,I believe that if you hustle hard enough and never give up on your dreams, you will succeed, even in a foreign country or place outside of your comfort zone.”
Hana Center, a nonprofit organization for Asian American and immigrant rights, provides neighbors new opportunities to teach them traditional Korean folk drumming, which activists frequently use in their advocacy.
Community engagement coordinator Won Joon Lee tells Block Club Chicago that the group teaches Pungmul, a Korean folk tradition with deep historical roots. It originated in Korea’s pre-industrial farming culture and used the hourglass-shaped janggu (a double-sided drum) to protest immigration and racism.
Lee explained that during the Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945, public gatherings were prohibited except for musical performances, making Pungmul a form of resistance.
In 2017, two long-standing organizations, the Korean American Community Services, and the Korean American Resource and Cultural Center were combined to become Hana Center, named from the Korean word for “one.”
The organization has a long history of youth Pungmul programming, but this summer marked the first time the non-profit offered classes for adults interested in advocacy work.
The first-ever class will proceed after the initial session of eight weeks has passed. As the new program expands, the instructors intend to continue enrolling new students in it on an ongoing basis.
Hana Drum School instructor Inah Jeong said Pungmul drumming is loud as planned, and they are culturally and politically distinct. Korean immigrants may connect with Chicago immigrants and join the immigrant rights and citizenship march, she tells Block Club Chicago.
The ensemble delivered its first drumming class this summer, but new students are always welcome to join in. Residents and community organizations can benefit from such events, according to the center’s administrators.
Choi tells Block Club Chicago that the current situation is both exhausting and frightening, but she believes the strong and loving communities they form may provide joy even in difficult times.
Their communities enable them to change the world now and in the future. The goal according to Choi is to turn community building into advocacy that targets racial, gender, and economic concerns along with immigrant rights.
Hana Center is located at 4300 North California Avenue in Irving Park. It also offers services to address needs related to citizenship and immigration, housing, and other areas.
TomoCredit announced that it had raised $22 million in a Series B funding round, giving it a post-money valuation of $222 million.
It has also secured $100 million in debt financing and has raised $39 million in equity since its launch.
The newly acquired funds will be put to use by the corporation in the form of product line expansion, which may include the provision of mortgages and automobile loans.
Kristy Kim founded TomoCredit in 2019 to help international students get credit. Three and a half years later, the fintech no longer focuses just on immigrants but is now also eyeing domestic students and SMBs that want to “build credit fast”. They received 2.5 million applications over time.
TomoCredit provides users credit limits of up to $30,000. It earns revenue from merchant interchange fees, not consumers. It doesn’t require a credit check, a deposit, or an APR.
According to TechCrunch, the firm doesn’t use FICO scores to underwrite, unlike many other credit offerings. Tomo Score, a “proprietary” underwriting algorithm, identifies “high potential borrowers” without credit scores.
“Our customers are not in financial trouble…Once you identify them and give them a card, they spend a lot and don’t default. Our performance has been great and that gave us and our investors the confidence to scale.” Kim told TechCrunch.
Morgan Stanley’s Next Level Fund and Mastercard participated in the equity portion of the deal including GoldHouse, Asian Hustle Network, and Hyphen Capital, while Silicon Valley Bank provided the debt.
Alice Vilma co-manages Morgan Stanley’s Next Level Fund, which invests in early-stage innovation and tech-enabled enterprises with women or diverse founding teams, said that she was amazed by Kim’s ability to recognize a need as a young female immigrant and create a financial product.
“As a first-generation South Korean immigrant, I wanted to help immigrant communities to reach their American Dream faster with TomoCredit,” Kim told TechCrunch. “It has been wonderful to partner with minority-focused funds who truly understand Tomo’s mission.”
You might have heard a tale similar to this one here and there, but for every family who is now going through this — it feels like the beginning of the end.
What more if your father left your family when you were young and just beginning a new life in a foreign place?
Nevertheless, it is utterly devastating that some even end up questioning themselves, “what have I done wrong or what should I have done right?” But eventually, you’ll come to the conclusion that you should just accept it, keep a positive attitude and figure out how to go on living your life without a father figure.
But what if one day your father knocks on your door and asks if he could come back to your family’s life?
Here’s Ai Nguyen, A Life and Business Breakthrough Coach, who shares a powerful story through her voice and experience of her 80-year-old dad.
The Crucial Memory
Last week, I celebrated my dad’s 80th birthday. It was a deeply healing experience for me. Many of you don’t know this, but my dad left our family for another woman when I was around 6 years old, about a year after we had immigrated from Vietnam over to America. Here we are in a strange new country, and then he left us.
One of the last memories I had at that time was that he took me to the bus stop in the morning for school and told me that he was leaving the family and wasn’t coming back. That was it. I came home from school and he was gone.
For decades, I had blocked out this CRUCIAL memory of the bus stop day. It was brought out again during a healing hypnosis session I had last year. While growing up, he would come and visit our family from Guam every few years to attend any huge celebrations such as family weddings.
Here we are in a strange new country, and then he left us.
-Ai nguyen
The Comeback
But then, about 18 years ago, he asked us if he could come back because he was struggling with his business. He was basically going to be homeless if we didn’t take him in.
This was such a stressful time in my life because we had to learn to build a life without him fully being there and then we had to also learn to accept him as he came back. Long story short, when he came back, even though he stayed, he had lost his power in the family.
We weren’t interested in what he had to say. I wasn’t interested in his opinions. Because, honestly, he lost our respect when he left the family. So, we had never celebrated his birthday.
My dad had to learn how to make peace with himself. He practiced Buddhism, spirituality, and yoga to calm his internal state.
Long story short, when he came back, even though he stayed, he had lost his power in the family.
-Ai nguyen
The Celebration of Birthday and Healing
Fast forward to last week, his birthday party, my husband Dave and I flew back to St. Louis, Missouri to celebrate this with my family. My dad has been asking the family for the past year to do a party for him. He had an inkling that he would die soon and it was important for him to experience this. And so we made tons of food and brought the whole family together.
And there was a moment where I caught him feeling super happy, in front of the colorful walls, getting photos taken by me. Like a child’s smile when they are being acknowledged and celebrated. I caught it in the moment and in the photos.
Ai’s father all smiles for his 80th birthday
And all of a sudden..
A deep level of compassion and forgiveness fell into my body.
(As I am writing this, I am CRYING. Nose dripping, wiping my shirt all over my face type of crying)
I suddenly realized that this man is 80 years old. And now he’s finally being celebrated. My heart felt the pain of living in a body for 80 years and not experiencing the greatest, most loving moments in life.
I felt compassion for the pain of him having to forgive himself for his mistakes. I felt compassion for him, probably realizing he could have done more in his lifetime, but he didn’t get to do so. I felt compassion for him for having to release guilt, shame, and resentment over the years. Because death is near, and he simply wants to be acknowledged.
At that moment, I saw the inner child in him; the child who just wants more praise, love, and attention on this special day. And I wish if I had been quicker in my realization, that I had taken more pictures, to make him laugh, and make it even more of a special day for him.
(A moment of regret showed up for me)
I suddenly realized that this man is 80 years old. And now he’s finally being celebrated. My heart felt the pain of living in a body for 80 years and not experiencing the greatest, most loving moments in life.
-ai nguyen
This was the level of compassion that I had prayed for, and I wasn’t ready to fully receive it for many years until I participated in this birthday party.
I got balloons with his favorite celebration colors: red and gold. (Coincidentally, his outfit matched my balloon colors). Intuitively, I knew what he wanted. If my sister had not asked me to be in charge of the balloons and decorations at the last minute, I would have missed out on seeing the joy and happiness in my dad.
It was as though SPIRIT planned all of this to happen FOR ME.
I share this story with you because I want you to know that we all have the opportunity to experience forgiveness and healing. Be present, be open, and compassionate and spirit will give you powerful insights. Life flies by fast. Always celebrate yourself. Find gratitude and greatness in your reality and everything will shift for you!
Lastly, you have the power to turn your pain into your purpose.
Mega Global Corporation began as a fishing vessel in 1975 and is now one of the Philippines’ most successful canned sardine manufacturers. It has 88 ships, two functioning factories, one under development, and two headquarters.
The company’s founder William Lim said that her wife was from a fishing family and his enthusiasm for fishing sparked his successful business – but his entrepreneurial journey wasn’t easy.
Be a risk-taker
He advised taking calculated risks and anticipating outcomes. “When we came up with advertisements, in three to six months, our sales started to improve slowly. You need to spend to build your brand name so people will have confidence in your product,” he told Esquire.
Good Brand Communication
By learning how to communicate effectively to store owners and consumers about your brand, you will be able to differentiate it from its competitors. “Because nobody knew our brand, supermarket owners did not want to accept our products to be on their shelves,” he told Esquire Magazine, he had to personally visit the stores to convince them for a chance to sell their product.
Adapt to the times
Simply abandoning ineffective old methods, and always taking opportunities to improve.
Remain focused on your vision
Never forget what the goal was when starting and always remember what the company stands for. He added that when it comes to making decisions about the company, these guiding principles will serve as the primary motivation and compass. “If you keep changing your focus, you have less time to succeed. You have to put your heart and mind to your vision and never give up, no matter the odds,” he tells Philstar.
