Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
These Korean shows (including “W,” “All of Us Are Dead,” “Prison Playbook”) deftly utilize sports in their storylines to demonstrate the characters’ unrelenting perseverance and will to survive. My latest reviews for Teen Vogue.
With her debut novel, “The Singer Sisters” (out Aug. 6, 2024 from Flatiron Books), Sarah Seltzer weaves together a multi-generational story of an alt rocker and her folk legend mother. Full of fractured relationships, deceit, love and mystery, the page turner reads like a confessional full of music that readers can almost hear.
This is how stereotypes work. Westerners have depicted Asian men as being effeminate since forever.
For stuntman-turned-actor Hymnson Chan, the transition was easy because his work doing stunts required acting skills. “We have to sell hits to make them look more painful than they actually are,” said the Los Angeles-based filmmaker.
Time travel adds a relatively unique element that differentiates K-drama storylines from other shows, but there is also a very visceral component. K-drama story arcs excel at telling tales of love and revenge. And what better way is there to get these points across than depicting how love and revenge transcend all boundaries, including time?
While the U.S. leg of IVE’s ‘Show What I Have’ world tour is over, the pop group will return to Chicago on Aug. 3 to make their Lollapalooza debut. While preparing for the festival, the group’s members said it was important to them to create a unique set so that their show is enjoyable for both fans and newcomers who may not be familiar with their music.
I was quoted in today’s Huffington Post about how Korean diaspora are treated differently than other tourists in South Korea. I shared my story about visiting the DMZ.
James Paxton doesn’t remember visiting his dad – the late Bill Paxton – on the set of the 1996 blockbuster film “Twister.” At the time, he was barely a year old. But when he was asked to make an appearance in “Twisters” – in theaters July 19 – he immediately said yes. “I did this cameo for Dad,” he said. “It was important for me to get to represent his memory.”
“We filmed ‘Find Me Falling’ in Cyprus and I spent most of my time in both the capital city, Nicosia, as well as the city of Pafos,” Ali Fumiko Whitney said. “Both were absolutely stunning! I made sure to explore as much of Cyprus as possible on my days off.”
“One of the first places we played together that was the most memorable and [that] we will never forget is Woodstock ’94,” said Collective Soul’s Ed Roland.
It is easier for a cisgender man than a gay man to survive in a cutthroat society where the latter is unwelcome. This is true in just about any society, but especially so in South Korea where LGBTQ rights are still sorely lacking.
“The dB’s started in June 1978,” said drummer Will Rigby. “Our first gig was at Max’s Kansas City, opening for the Feelies. Our first show outside New York City was in Philadelphia that same summer or early fall.”
“What truly made filming ‘Shirley’ unforgettable was the camaraderie among the cast,” said Loren Escandón. “Sharing moments with artists like Regina King, Terrence Howard and the late Lance Reddick was both humbling and inspiring. Despite the chaos of a bustling set and the added hurdle of unpredictable weather, each actor remained deeply committed to their craft.”
“I’ve had so many different, wonderful experiences traveling over the years to incredible places like Paris, Bermuda and West Africa,” said singer-songwriter Laurie Berkner. “But often, the joy I feel depends more on who I’m with and what happens while I’m there.”
Like “Under the Queen’s Umbrella,” “Lovely Runner” uses the 우산 to represent how our protagonists fight to protect themselves from countless obstacles — including a messy serial killer subplot that I found redundant and not particularly compelling.
“One of my favorite memories was running 10 blocks across Austin in high-heel boots after my set at SXSW so I could catch her set,” said Kings of Leon drummer, about his wife Jessie Baylin. “And all I could think was, “I hope I don’t stink when I hug her afterwards.”
“I’ve thought at times about the fact that I was born to people who, for many generations, lived on just that one strip of land – Korea,” said “Exhibit” author R.O. Kwon. “When I’m in Korea, it feels as though my body recalls the soil I’m made of, attending to a song in the wind, rain and foliage that I can’t quite find elsewhere.”
Actor Sebastian Roché talks about his K-drama debut in “Queen of Tears.”
“I loved living in Boston,” jazz pianist Hiromi told me. “I still love it. It brings me such nostalgic memories from my school days. What is great about Boston is it is a walkable city, just like New York. I love cities where you can just walk and explore.”
Location, location, location! You can’t beat Shilla Stay Hotel Haeundae when it comes to location. It is literally across the street from the famous Haeundae Beach in Busan.