On Saturday, January 6th, Netflix and 626 Night Market kicked off a special two-day, free-to-attend event in Arcadia, to celebrate the launch of The Brothers Sun.
Cast members in attendance at The Brothers Sun x 626 Night Market Pop Up Mini included Michelle Yeoh, Justin Chien, Sam Song Li, Highdee Kuan, Joon Lee, Alice Hewkin, Jon Xue Zhang, Jenny Yang and Madison Hu, as well as Byron Wu (Co-creator, Executive Producer, Writer), Kevin Tanchareon (Director, Executive Producer) and Mikkel Bondesen (Executive Producer).
626 Night Market takes its name from the 626 area code in the San Gabriel Valley, and is inspired by the famous open-air nighttime bazaars of Asia. This special pop-up 626 Night Market featured over three dozen food, art and merchandise vendors, celebrating the local community in the San Gabriel Valley where The Brothers Sun was filmed.
In remarks to the crowd, 626 Night Market’s Van Quiambao expressed “All of us at 626 Night Market are thrilled to partner with Netflix on celebrating with this special show that showcases our beloved San Gabriel Valley, and especially with all of you that are part of our 626 community.”
Saturday’s event was sold out with 20,000 signups, and consumers were treated to a surprise performance by GRV Dance Crew, who also appear in the series, followed by a cast introduction on-stage by co-creator Byron Wu.
When asked about celebrating with the 626 community at the event, Byron Wu shared, “We set out from the beginning to make a show that takes place in the 626, and highlights this community. When I first moved to Los Angeles, I lived in Hacienda Heights and I looked around and it was such a vibrant place. It’s so specific and there’s so many amazing things about it that have never been seen on television. It deserves a place and seeing all these fans so excited about the show is wonderful. That’s why we do it.”
Michelle Yeoh addressed the crowd with warm words, “Thank you San Gabriel Valley for all your love and cooperation that made it possible for us to film here and have such a great time. We had too much good food and we were all worried we wouldn’t fit into our costumes, but somehow we figured it out.”
Food vendors featured items named after characters from the series, and guests experienced branded photo opps, giveaways of “Soupreme” t-shirts, and churros.
Host: So we’re here at the 626. So much of the show was filmed right here. What does it mean for you? What does it mean to be here celebrating with the community tonight?
Michelle Yeoh: Oh, fantastic! And I want to thank the community for being so cooperative when we were here. It was really nice because normally I stay back in Beverly Hills. It was a really nice opportunity to meet more Asians out here. And the food here is fantastic, always good.
Justin Chien: I’m getting chills just thinking about it. It feels like a real full-circle moment. I remember this was our parking lot for the Dino fight scene, and to be here with this many people is pretty freaking crazy. I’m just honored and grateful that people are enjoying the hard work we put into the show.
Sam Song Li: The 626 San Gabriel Valley is a really rich, vibrant part of LA. It’s a massive area with a rich Asian culture. Most of the stores are in Mandarin or Chinese or Korean. It feels like a very authentic Chinatown-esque part of Los Angeles, and I’m glad we get to see it on the silver screen and on TV. It’s special to have this many people celebrating the same thing.
Highdee Kuan: I was telling everyone else, when we pulled in, I come here once a month to go to the mall. It’s the best mall, and there’s a Ranch 99 inside that is so nice. It feels like a homecoming and a celebration. I’m taking it all in, and it’s really special
Joon Lee: To have this many people celebrating the same thing, what a time to be Asian-American. It feels surreal, it feels opportune.
Jon Xue Zhang: I’m overwhelmingly grateful to be here with the community, especially in San Gabriel Valley, where there’s a huge Asian community. Coming from the UK, I feel right at home here.
Alice Hewkin: It’s my first time at this festival, and it’s a dream come true.
Host: We are here in the 626, so much of the show was filmed right here. What does it mean to you to be back here celebrating with the community tonight?
Jenny Yang: I was a day one 626 Night Market person. I performed as a stand-up comedian to a crowd that didn’t care. These were humble beginnings for me, and now we’re here for a Night Market themed for the show I’m acting in. It’s a huge milestone. It’s special that we involved the Night Market in helping to get the word out about our television show. It means the absolute world.
Madison Hu: I just heard that the San Gabriel Valley has the most Asian people in America, out of like half of the states. I don’t know if that was not an eloquently said statistic, but it just feels amazing to be here. I’ve never been to the 626 Night Market. I’m raised in Southern California, so shame on me. I’m excited to be here, try out the food, and celebrate. I’m so happy and excited about the reception of the show. I’m mind-blown.
The Brothers Sun is available globally now on Netflix as of Thursday, January 4, 2024.
