Jihee Junn 
Disillusioned with social media, a pair of American tech entrepreneurs decided to launch an app that encourages people to interact in real life. Co-founder and epidemiologist Jesse Berns explains why that meant making an unexpected shift to Aotearoa. While Covid-19 forced most businesses to change their plans one way or another, few seem to have … Read more
The American lunch meat has a special place on dining tables halfway across the world, from the Philippines to Japan to South Korea – and now, on the tables of Asian communities in NZ. How did this happen? Jihee Junn investigates. Believe it or not, but Spam and Seolnal (or Lunar New Year as it’s … Read more
Just over a year ago, startup darling Unfiltered was valued at almost $12 million with ambitious plans for global expansion. Now, under the umbrella of Crimson Education, the business as we know it faces an uncertain future. UPDATE (February 11, 3.20pm): Since the publication of this article, Millar has contacted The Spinoff to clarify that … Read more
He’s been popping up all over central and south Auckland, and his moves have found him local TikTok fame. So who is this mysterious dancer? Jihee Junn caught up with him for a chat. The first time I saw him dancing was from a TikTok I’d stumbled on late last month. Crossing the road at … Read more
Our guide to stopping procrastinating and actually (finally) getting on top of investing. Because there’s a good chance that if you’re reading this, you don’t know a single thing about it. In part one, we covered some of the basic things you need to know about investing – why do it? How hard is it? … Read more
Summer reissue: How to stop procrastinating and actually (finally) get on top of investing. Because there’s a good chance that if you’re reading this, you don’t know a single thing about it. First published September 29, 2020. I can’t say I have a lot of good habits, but one habit I can vouch for is … Read more
Summer reissue: Homeownership has long been touted as the great Kiwi dream, but not everyone’s looking for a permanent fix. Jihee Junn explores the rising phenomenon of renters by choice. First published February 25, 2020. Even if I had a hundred grand sitting in the bank for me to spend right now, I’m not sure … Read more
Recapping the highs and lows of 12 turbulent months. It’s officially the last week of the year and yet March 2020 feels just like yesterday. So much of our lives have been affected in strange and unexpected ways since the global pandemic was declared and our markets and economies have been no exception. So what … Read more
It’s the most lucrative time of the year for retailers but a myriad of problems is threatening to change that. So what’s with the hold-up? And what are some goods New Zealanders might be hard-pressed to find on Christmas shelves this year? Despite being a geographically isolated country at the bottom of the globe, flowing … Read more
We’ve all bought or received gifts we know are never going to be used, which is why The Good Registry has created a way to channel those wasted funds into making a difference. Three years ago, Christine Langdon decided to give up a lucrative career in corporate communications to do something a little bit different. … Read more
With a $1.3 million seed round now under its belt, New Zealand startup Yabble is looking to help everyday consumers get fairly rewarded for their data by shaking up the way information gets bought and sold. Data is a powerful resource in today’s economy. Managed well, it can help businesses get ahead by giving consumers … Read more
With retailers being urged to advertise honest and genuine savings this Black Friday, here’s what consumers should be looking out for. It’s been tough for a lot of businesses this year, but there was some good news for retailers earlier this week when Stats NZ revealed sales had jumped 7.4% year-on-year in the September quarter … Read more
With a Covid-19 vaccine potentially on the horizon, here’s how the markets reacted to the news. On Tuesday, pharmaceutical company Pfizer and biotechnology company BioNTech jointly announced that one of its vaccines was found to be 90% more effective in preventing Covid-19 in participants than those who received a placebo injection. Currently, the vaccine is … Read more
You’ve heard of Black Friday, you’ve heard of Cyber Monday, but have you ever heard of mega shopping bonanza Singles’ Day? If not, here’s what you need to know about Double 11. What is Singles’ Day? Singles’ Day is a shopping holiday that’s held every year on November 11. It first started in China as … Read more
Which side spent more and why? Jihee Junn crunches the numbers and finds a few misleading claims along the way. Ahead of election day, a handful of interest groups took to Facebook and Google to lobby for their respective views on the assisted dying and cannabis referendums. In the end, New Zealanders voted decisively for … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for November 7-8, covering all the latest from the US election along with New Zealand news, updated throughout the day. See the latest results on an interactive US map here. Reach me on jihee@thespinoff.co.nz 8pm: The day in sum Joe Biden was declared the next president of the United … Read more
Think you know an energy provider who delivers 100% renewable power to its customers? Think again. From the clothes we wear to the food we eat, much of what we consume we take for granted. Part of that is because, as consumers, we only ever see the final product, and electricity – the thing that … Read more
A new survey from the CFFC has highlighted the gender gap when it comes to financial literacy, with some of the lowest scores among women with children and women over 35. (PLUS: How financially knowledgeable are you?) While much has been said about the wage gap between men and women in recent years, it isn’t … Read more
Which parties spent the most on Facebook and Google, and was it really all worth it in the end? The election is over and the results are in: Labour swept the polls, National lost big, and the Greens and Act are set to return to parliament with an even bigger cohort of MPs than they … Read more
Few hobbies have captured the mainstream imagination in 2020 quite like roller skating. Jihee Junn explores the many reasons why. Just down the road from Auckland’s Glenfield mall is the ActivZone Indoor Sports Arena, an inconspicuous-looking building which, many years ago, used to be a Chipmunks play centre. These days though, it’s the self-proclaimed “home … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s Election Live for October 10, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other NZ news. The essential campaign dates are here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Explore the parties’ pledges at Policy. I’m on jihee@thespinoff.co.nz 5pm: The day in sum … Read more
Voting is under way in the New Zealand general election. Explore the main parties’ pledges at Policy.nz, but here’s a whistlestop tour of what’s on offer for small businesses. Read more two-minute policy wraps here Small businesses have long been considered the bread and butter of New Zealand’s economy, accounting for 28% of all employment … Read more
How to stop procrastinating and actually (finally) get on top of investing. Because there’s a good chance that if you’re reading this, you don’t know a single thing about it. I can’t say I have a lot of good habits, but one habit I can vouch for is my inclination to save. I’ve saved up … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s Election Live for September 26, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other NZ news. The essential campaign dates are here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Explore the parties’ pledges at Policy. I’m on jihee@thespinoff.co.nz The day in … Read more
Apple has finally announced its long-anticipated content bundle Apple One. So what do you get, and for how much? What is Apple One? Apple One is a new content “bundle” that gives you access to the company’s music, TV, games and storage offerings via a single subscription. It was announced this week in a virtual … Read more
The Social Dilemma includes a clip from the shooter’s live-streamed Facebook video showing him preparing to enter one of the Christchurch mosques. A warning has been added to a new Netflix documentary-drama for featuring a banned excerpt from the video filmed by the Christchurch terrorist. The Social Dilemma, which explores the rise of social media … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s Election Live for September 12, bringing you the latest on election 2020 and other New Zealand news. Find official Covid-19 information here. For all you need to know about the cannabis referendum click here. For the assisted dying referendum click here. Explore the parties’ pledges at Policy. Contact us at info@thespinoff.co.nz The day … Read more
The company’s latest product, made with supplement company Jeuneora, has come under fire from Consumer NZ for failing to comply with food standards. High-end dairy company Lewis Road Creamery is the latest brand to jump on board the collagen craze with a new collagen-infused milk that hit shelves just last week. However, the company has … Read more
Welcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for August 21, bringing you the latest on New Zealand news and Covid-19 as it returns to the community. Auckland is now in alert level three and the rest of NZ is in level two. More details here. Official information here. Contact me at jihee@thespinoff.co.nz 7pm: The day in sum There are … Read more