We kicked off this episode with a toast right here in our office, raising glasses of VERBAL’s new sake, SŌMATŌ.
VERBAL is that rare bridge – someone who can effortlessly move from a Shibuya recording studio to a Milan sample room, and then jump into sketching designs for low-gravity apparel.
Before we even dove into AI or fashion, he was already passionately explaining yeast strains and optimal shipping temperatures.
Our conversation flowed just like that: curious, practical, and packed with incredible stories about everything from building AMBUSH® to understanding the nuances of the global sake market.
This was one of my favorite podcast recordings yet!
What’s Holding Great Sake Back?
VERBAL just launched SŌMATŌ, a premium sake crafted with a historic brewery in Akita Prefecture.
What truly hooked him was the puzzle of why such incredible sake struggles to travel globally. As he explained, it’s not only about language barriers or cultural backgrounds; there are real logistical hurdles.
The freshness windows are much shorter than wine, meticulous temperature control is crucial from brewery to table, and true craftsmanship simply doesn’t allow for shortcuts.
His big bet is that with thoughtful branding and airtight cold-chain execution, he can bridge the gap between these dedicated rural breweries and global tables.
The goal? To share the depth and unique floral notes of sake like SŌMATŌ (which uses the Sakura yeast) with the world, all without losing the very essence that makes it so special.
AMBUSH®: The Italian Detour and Taking the Wheel Back
AMBUSH® started back in 2008 as a true passion project – just two distinct items, neon POW! rings and chains, being shipped right out of an apartment.
From those humble beginnings, it quickly rode a wave of word-of-mouth fame onto some very big stages, seen on artists like Kanye and Rihanna.
The brand later teamed up with New Guards Group in 2020, diving deep into the world of Italian manufacturing. While they learned a lot, they also hit the same turbulence the rest of the fashion industry felt during COVID.
As VERBAL shared, centralized production meant that restocking in Asia became slow and expensive. Plus, resources naturally gravitated towards the larger brands within the group, and it felt like their unique creative flow suffered.
But this past April, VERBAL and Yoon bought the company back.
For them, regaining independence means a lot: faster decisions, the ability to produce closer to their customers, and a much cleaner path from their creative vision to what you ultimately see in stores.
Crossing Borders: Japanese Culture Goes Global
We were curious how Japanese streetwear first broke into the US hip-hop scene, and VERBAL credited Pharrell Williams and Nigo.
Long before “seeding” was a marketing term, they were simply trading ideas and building trust – music for garments, garments for music videos.
This organic exchange created a powerful current that carried brands like BAPE, Billionaire Boys Club, and a new visual language straight into American hip-hop, especially with Virgil Abloh being an early AMBUSH® supporter.
The Teriyaki Boyz era, which included Pharrell producing hits like Tokyo Drift (Fast & Furious), cemented this as a global movement fueled by mutual inspiration.
This naturally led us to compare Japan and Korea’s approaches to exporting culture and VERBAL was candid about the structural differences.
Korea’s K-pop success, he explained, stems from robust public-private partnerships, including government subsidies for touring and agile label structures.
Japan, despite its rich “raw material” like music, anime, and VTubers, has fragmented support that’s hard to navigate.
Still, VERBAL is optimistic: Japanese tastes are becoming more global, younger producers are building for export from day one, and the quietly massive VTuber scene (with its six-hour arena shows) is proving a new path.
The tools on his desk: AI and Web3
VERBAL calls himself a realist when it comes to new tech.
He sees tools like Suno as great for sparking a melody or testing a mood, but ultimately, human taste is what decides what makes it onto a track.
For him, AI is a fantastic assistant that speeds up the “messy middle” of creation, but it’s not the final author.
On the Web3 side, Ambush even experimented with token-gating to reward loyal fans with smoother access to drops. But they’ve since hit pause, choosing to let the space mature a bit.
VERBAL is now keeping a close eye on both AI and Web3, ready to jump in when the use case becomes truly real and durable.
Creativity, global flows, and what comes next
Beyond the impressive list of ventures, this episode offers a rare chance to understand VERBAL’s unique approach to building.
We delve into his ‘realist’ philosophy, how he bridges seemingly disparate worlds, and the true meaning of an ‘exchange of inspiration’ that fuels his projects.
The episode also offers a candid look at the challenges and triumphs of bringing Japanese creativity to a global stage.
Find our full conversation with VERBAL on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Senior Associate @ Coral Capital
