Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
BTS’ Kim Seok-jin announced today that he is preparing to enlist in the Korean military, which is required of all able-bodied Korean males. There are exceptions for athletes, classical musicians, and some academics. So why didn’t the Korean government exempt BTS, whose global achievements are unparalleled?
My absolute favorite thing about the Kahi Wrinkle Bounce Multi Balm is the beautiful light scent, which I love. It takes me back in time to whatever products my mother used on her face when we lived in Korea. Obviously, she wasn’t using a stick balm, since they didn’t exist back then. But the fragrance is so familiar to me that it feels like home.
I loved “Extraordinary Attorney Woo.” The storylines were compelling and the actors did a fine job in bringing their characters to life. Park Eun-bin has been singled out for her extraordinary portrayal of a highly-functioning autistic attorney. But that’s where my conflict lies. As many autistic people have already pointed out, as good as Park was in her role, it is unsettling to watch a non-disabled actor portray a character who is on the spectrum. Most of my friends and acquaintances who have autistic children said they couldn’t force themselves to watch beyond the first episode, because her portrayal felt like a mockery of what they live through.
Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin fell in love while filming the popular K-drama “Crash Landing on You” and were married earlier this year. “A new life has found us,” Son said on Instagram. The couple are expecting a baby!
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Coincidentally, it’s also Mental Health Awareness Month. And while the latter designation draws attention to the benefits of taking care of our overall well being, mental health care traditionally has been overlooked by Asians – a mindset that experts say has trickled down to Asian Americans.
Had Tablo not experienced the alienation and toxicity of TaJinYo, Tablo’s music – and therefore Epik High’s, too – most likely would not have resulted in “Epik High Is Here 下 (Part 2).” From all those lies, truth survived.
Combatting racism isn’t accomplished by whoever makes the first social media post or writes the first article. It’s a lifelong commitment that focuses on the victims —all of them — and not just one specific group that you happen to favor.
During this pandemic when most of us can’t travel and are stuck at home, we can live vicariously through the delicious adventures of Rain and Noh Hong-chul in “The Hungry and the Hairy.”
“Having been raised using Korean in her family, a Korean American journalist said that she still struggled to speak Korean fluently, and this experience led her to question why Korean entertainment writers and consumers failed to question improbable stories, such as that of ‘Vincenzo,” Lee Kyung-eun — the director of Human Rights Beyond Borders — wrote in her OpEd piece. The journalist she is talking about … is me.
“Having diverse characters leads to endless possibilities for storytelling. And there are infinite ways to tell an adoptee’s story…”
You know those chili oils at Chinese restaurants that come with your meals? I am a huge fan of spicing up my food with those. Though none of the jarred oils are as delicious as the homemade ones, some of them as still pretty darned tasty. I’m talking about you, Momofuku.
“Squid Game” is not this year’s “Parasite,” so much as it is a satire in the vein of “A Modest Proposal.” Just as Jonathan Swift pointed out the abject brutality of telling the poor to satiate their hunger by eating healthy, plump babies, Hwang depicts the cruelty of lording a huge sum of money – literally – over desperate people’s heads, knowing that most will die as they lived: penniless.
“One of my objectives in filmmaking is to bring empathy and understanding to our community,” said “Blue Bayou” writer, director and star, Justin Chon.
It shouldn’t matter what language a group chooses to sing in. And yet, it has become a huge deal in K-pop, with some stans saying BTS are sellouts for singing their last three singles in English. I disagree, just as I defended Monsta X when they released an album sung all in English. But that’s not how some people chose to remember it.
BTS approaches their music as art, because that’s what they want to create – something beautiful and meaningful that withstands the test of time.
I never paid that much attention to McDonald’s previous celebrity collaborations (Travis Scott, J. Balvin). But when the hamburger chain announced that its latest celeb partnership would be with BTS, it made me happy. I know it’s easy to trash talk fast food. And while fast food usually is something we reserve for road trips, I will buy it on occasion for my son as a treat, just as my parents did for me.
Minority journalists should have the same opportunity as white reporters to tackle prestigious assignments. Maybe their take won’t be better than their white colleagues. Maybe they will. But how will we ever know if they’re not given a chance?
Ever make ramen in a rice cooker? It’s something young children can do themselves. And it’s perfect for students living in dorms.
In this essay, writer Jae-Ha Kim examines BTS’s recent statement calling attention to anti-Asian racism. Content warning for discussions of racism and use of a quoted slur.
Celebrities are like all of us. When we’re hungry, we can’t function. But Korean celebs are extra when it comes to eating — it seems like they’re starring in their own mukbangs.