Online Personals Watch: News on the Online Dating Industry and Business: Alike

Alike Connects Asian Americans

ASAMNEWS - Since its closed beta test in December 2020 and a subsequent soft launch in August 2021, the app has garnered praise from Asian American users. The app was launched by Hanmin Yang, who immigrated from South Korea to Canada when he was eight, and learned to navigate Canadian society, culture, and language by watching copious amounts of television and film. He was dismayed by the numerous stereotypes Asians were forced into: women who were portrayed as fetishized and submissive, men depicted as asexual martial arts masters, or nerds. Yang says he hit rock bottom after a failed marriage. Creating Alike was a way for Yang to heal from those "scars of trauma and internalized racism." Alike was originally released as a dating app. The development team implemented a friendship feature in July 2021 after receiving feedback from numerous female beta testers who wanted to connect with other women on a non-romantic basis.

by Julia Tong
See full article at AsAmNews

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Mar 18, 2022 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dating App Alike Helps Foster Connections Within the Asian Community

THE VARSITY - Alike is a dating app and social network made specifically for the Asian community in North America. Based in Toronto, it was founded by Hanmin Yang, who immigrated to Canada from South Korea when he was a young child. Alike allows users to upload videos introducing and talking about themselves. Alike also gives users prompts to get the conversation going.

by Georgia Kelly
See full article at The Vasity

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Feb 14, 2022 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Toronto Man Creates Dating App That Celebrates Asian Culture

CBC.CA - May 28 - New dating app, called Alike, is the brainchild of Hanmin Yang, a Korean-Canadian living in Toronto. CBC News spoke to Yang about what inspired him to create the app, and what he hopes users take away from it.

See full article at CBC

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May 28, 2021 | Permalink | Comments (0)

New, Made-in-Toronto Dating Apps

THE STAR - Mar 15 - Dating app Alike has replaced images and written bios with short video prompts. The app is made for second-generation and third-culture Asians. Torontonian Hanmin Yang is the founder of Alike. "Our goal is to celebrate the Asian experience," he explains. "Our core message to the Asian community is 'love yourself'." Alike entered beta testing in Dec 2020 and had 700 downloads across North America in the first week. He's aiming to release the full app in June 2021. Heartcade is another new made-in-Toronto dating app, which soft-launched on March 6 after six months of beta testing. The app combines anonymous messaging - identities and images hidden - with a 1980s video game-themed interface. After 48 hours of anonymous messaging, users can choose who to match with and to reveal their identities.