The origins of bubble tea, one of Taiwans most beloved beverages [Video]

(CNN) — What do a sexy Hong Kong icon, a bankrupted entrepreneur and a failed military defense campaign have in common?

They all contributed to the rise of bubble tea, the insanely popular Taiwanese drink that’s taken the world by storm in recent years. And now, it’s back in the spotlight thanks to recent comments by Marvel actor Simu Liu, accusing a Canadian drink business of cultural appropriation.

It all went down on an episode of “Dragons’ Den,” a “Shark Tank”-style reality show produced by the CBC in Canada. During the program, two Quebec-based beverage brand owners described bubble tea as a trendy, sugary drink, noting that customers are “never quite sure about its contents.”

Chinese-Canadian Liu, who was appearing as a guest star/potential investor, interjected, “Hang on, hang on. I am quite sure about its content,” letting them continue before proceeding to challenge them on their desire to “make it better.”

…