Category: Interviews

Go Away With … mxmtoon

Jae-Ha Kim

Like other young female musicians such as H.E.R. and Billie Eilish, mxmtoon is making her mark as a singer-songwriter. Her debut album, “the masquerade,” is out and the 19-year-old artist hosts a podcast called “21 Days,” which gives fans insight into her life and her work process. Based out of Oakland, California, mxmtoon says traveling so much for work can be helpful when it comes to creating new songs. She also says she’s looking forward to seeing more of her colleagues on stage.

Go Away With … Tate McRae

Jae-Ha Kim

Trained at the School of Alberta Ballet, Tate McRae finished third on “So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation” in 2016. She was a voice actress for the “Lalaloopsy” series. And her YouTube channel, “Create with Tate,” has more than 1.7 million subscribers. Recently signed to RCA Records, the 16-year-old Canadian entertainer is following up her debut single, “tear myself apart,” with “all my friends are fake.”

Go Away With … Jai Rodriguez

Jae-Ha Kim

Best known as the culture vulture on the original version of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” Jai Rodriguez got his start on Broadway portraying Angel in the critically acclaimed musical “RENT.” His post-“Queer Eye” work has included acting roles (“Bones,” “How I Met Your Mother” and “Harry’s Law”), as well as host of “Dance Moms.” Though he travels frequently for work, Rodriguez says, “I actually don’t vacation. However, work has taken me to some exceptional places. I usually extend my work trip by a day or two to enjoy the city. Sydney, Key West and New York City are among my favorites for different reasons. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be in awe of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. The park and wildlife there are amazing.”

Go Away With … Amanda Deibert

Jae-Ha Kim

Amanda Deibert remembers the family vacations she took as a child with fond memories. “When I was a little girl, we only had one vacation,” says the television and comic book writer (“Wonder Woman ‘77,” “DC Super Hero Girls,” “Teen Titans Go!”). “It was road trips from Florida to North Carolina to visit my grandparents. I loved stopping at all the weird roadside attractions.”

Go Away With … Dan Payne

Jae-Ha Kim

“The worst vacation memory was when my wife and I were flying home from Australia and were suddenly forced to land in Hawaii because 9/11 had just happened,” says “Descendants 3” actor Dan Payne. “The pilot didn’t explain much except that the plane was in perfect working order, however, there was an FAA closure of all U.S. airspace. We spent four days there trying to figure out what had just happened to the world before we could go home.”

Go Away With … 123 Andrés

Jae-Ha Kim

“Our concert schedule takes us to so many places and we always arrive ready to explore,” says 123 Andrés. “Recently we performed in Lake Jackson, which is south of Houston. We had never heard of this city before, but we ended up having a lot of fun. This is one reason we love being performers — we get to arrive to a new city or town with no plans and get tips from the families who live there. No city, town or neighborhood should be written off as boring or a dump. Every place has something to show us, if you are willing and open to seeing it.”

Go Away With … Mara Hall

Jae-Ha Kim

“I’ve been to Montego Bay several times and absolutely love it there,” says “Ambitions” actress Mara Hall. “The culture, the food, the people — it is such an amazing place. Visit White House. They sell fresh fried fish and bammy (cassava flatbread). It’s absolutely delicious!”

Go Away With … David Archuleta

Jae-Ha Kim

David Archuleta was just 16 years old when he became the runner-up (to David Cook) on “American Idol.” Since then, the singer — now 28 — has released a steady stream of music, including his brand-new single “Paralyzed.” A perk of his career is getting to travel. “I’ve recently gotten to see Russia for my first time for a youth conference,” says Archuleta, who resides in Nashville.

Go Away With … Roger Mooking

Jae-Ha Kim

Once best known as MC Mystic in his group Bass is Base, Roger Mooking is recognized by foodies worldwide for his work on television (“Man Fire Food,” “Heat Seekers,” “Everyday Exotic”) and cookbooks. Born in Trinidad and raised in Canada, Mooking is based out of Toronto. The chef and restaurateur says that one of the small pleasures of life is finding ice cream and gelato spots wherever he travels. “I would eat ice cream every single day and after every single meal if I could get away with it, says Mooking, whose latest album is “Eat Your Words.”

Go Away With … Jeannie Mai

Jae-Ha Kim

It has been a busy year for Jeannie Mai. Besides co-hosting the talk show “The Real,” she is a correspondent on Stephen Curry’s ABC mini-golf competition series, “Holey Moley.” Whenever she can carve out some free time, the on-air talent says she enjoys exploring new cities. One of her favorite memories is a childhood trip she took with her family. “We went to Yosemite and I absolutely loved it,” said Mai, 40. “We lost my little brother for a second and set bear traps, thinking he was bear napped. But that story is for another time.”

Ahead of KCON Los Angeles’ Kick-Off, a Look at Korean Pop Culture in 2019

Jae-Ha Kim

Created to celebrate South Korea’s soft power, KCON has grown into the Coachella of Korean culture. Debuting in 2012 as a one-day festival in Los Angeles just months after Psy’s “Gangnam Style” became a worldwide hit, KCON attracted 12,000 curious fans. Flash forward to 2019, when one of the world’s most-famous groups is the Korean boy band BTS, Korean beauty products are all the rage, chefs are incorporating kimchi into western cooking and streaming sites including Netflix are premiering buzzworthy Korean shows such as the zombie serial “Kingdom.”

Go Away With … Shownu

Jae-Ha Kim

Monsta X has been nominated for their first MTV Video Music Award for their English-language single “Who Do U Love?” They will become the first K-Pop group to perform at the iHeartRadio Music Festival later this year. (They previously were the first Korean boy band to take the stage at Jingle Ball.) But a highlight of 2019 for the group was performing in Oslo for South Korean president Moon Jae-in and King Harald V of Norway, where the countries’ dignitaries celebrated the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Norway.

Go Away With … Katherine Castro

Jae-Ha Kim

Born in the Dominican Republic, actress Katherine Castro (“Someday”) has a minimalist’s approach to hitting the road. “Travel light,” she says. “Less is more. If it doesn’t fit in your carry-on, you don’t need it.” A resident of West Hollywood, Castro says it’s helpful that she speaks several languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Arabic), but stepping outside of your comfort zone can make trips an enjoyable learning experience regardless of your level of fluency.

Go Away With … Karen Fukuhara

Jae-Ha Kim

Best known for playing Katana in “Suicide Squad,” Karen Fukuhara will next be seen in the Amazon series, “The Boys” (premiering on July 26). Her resume also includes the feature film “Stray” and Netflix’s “She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.” An avid traveler, the actress says she’d like to explore Southeast Asia next.

Go Away With … Margaret Brennan

Jae-Ha Kim

“Face the Nation” moderator and CBS News’ chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan has seen the world. She has reported stories from Havana, Kabul, Beijing, Tehran and throughout the United States. “A lot of the traveling that I have done is for work,” says Brennan. “I’ve been to spots in Afghanistan and Iraq that are lovely, too, but I wouldn’t put those on travel itineraries.”

Go Away With … Howie D

Jae-Ha Kim

Nearly 20 years after their last No. 1 album, the Backstreet Boys’ debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with their latest release, “DNA.” As the group prepares to kick off their North American tour, Howie D (born Howard Dorough) is also celebrating the July 12 release of his debut children’s album, “Which One Am I?”

Go Away With … San Holo

Jae-Ha Kim

Better known by his stage name of San Holo, Dutch DJ, guitarist and producer Sander van Dijck, 28, says that he often finds inspiration for his music in his travels. “Traveling has affected my music a lot,” he says. “Seeing new places and meeting new people — it always gives me fresh insights and new perspectives on life, which tend to have an effect subconsciously when I write music.”

Go Away With … Tim Lounibos

Jae-Ha Kim

Veteran actor Tim Lounibos (“Hawaii Five-0,” “Criminal Minds,” “NCIS”) is best known for his portrayal of Ed Sung on Amazon’s “Bosch.” Well-traveled and always ready to explore, the actor said he learned a valuable lesson from his treks around the world. “We all might look different and have differing perspectives, but we’re all essentially the same.”