What is Happening with South Koreans in Cambodia?
The 2nd season of “Taxi Driver” depicted a fictional storyline that is eerily similar to what is happening now in South East Asia.
Go Away With … JT Habersaat
Comedian and author JT Habersaat is a keen observer of life, which is why a lot of things he hears make their way into his stand-up shows. “I tend to pull from real life quite often,” said Habersaat, who resides in Austin. “I’m a bit of a storyteller. The constant travel of stand-up comedy lends itself well to adventure and insane situations. I try not to include specific people by name unless they are crucial to the material, but that happens sometimes too.”
If You’re Not a White U.S. Citizen, Get a Passport and a Certificate of Citizenship ASAP
Ordinarily, “K-Culture with Jae-Ha Kim” is dedicated to Korean or Korean-adjacent topics. Today’s newsletter fits into that realm, but with a broader scope – because what is currently happening in the United States can happen to any of us.
The 250 Greatest Songs of the 21st Century So Far
I was one of the critics asked to review songs for Rolling Stone’s lastest list: 25 years of classic hits from all over the musical map and every corner of the globe.
Go Away With … Vitamin String Quartet
“My maternal grandfather took me to Germany the summer between junior and senior year of high school,” Vitamin String Quartet cellist Derek Stein saids. “It was my first time out of the [United] States and an amazing experience. We went there specifically to look for a cello that he would purchase for me. We went all around the German countryside visiting different string shops and looking at the instruments that they had for sale. I was able to sit in on a couple rehearsals for a little community orchestra in one of the villages that we stayed in for a couple of days.”
“The Summer I Turned Pretty” and Its Lack of Asian American Identity
Some people have said that Asian Americans should just feel grateful to be represented at all, and I absolutely do not feel that way. I used to when I was a child when there was almost no representation, and that’s actually a bit depressing to think about.
Go Away With … Charlie Sexton
“When you travel, you bring back what you’ve heard and you also take with you what you know,” said musician Charlie Sexton. “There’s this amazing Chinese instrument [sanzian] with a long neck and a little snakeskin body. It’s a three-string instrument and I’m obsessed with it. I’ve heard it being played on the street in various parts of the world, and it has the most beautiful, haunting sound.”
“Bon Appétit, Your Majesty” (폭군의 셰프)
Bon Appetit, Your Majesty is a delicious mashup of sageuk (or historical dramas), time travel, and mukbang. But basing the fictional king on a real-life despot has been controversial.
Go Away With … Stephen Bishop
“When I was five, my mom took me on a bus from San Diego to Key West, Florida, to see my relatives, ” remembered “On and On” singer Stephen Bishop. “Looking back now, with a child of my own, I have no idea how my mom kept me sane with one comic book for almost five days. We did not fly. It was not fun. It was hot and exhausting. So was the ride back.”
Go Away With … Dar Williams
“I love walking through a museum, thinking my thoughts, then getting a coffee and working on a song,” said “Hummingbird Highway” singer Dar Williams. “I also love being at home with my guitar and messing around with different chords to jumpstart things. The best is when songs just come up in daily life.”
TWICE’s Chaeyoung Makes Her Solo Debut with “LIL FANTASY vol.1”
TWICE’s Chaeyoung talks about her debut solo album, “LIL FANTASY vol.1,” plus writing songs for her fellow introverts, working on the hit “KPop Demon Hunters,” and more. My latest exclusive for Rolling Stone magazine.
Hannah Bahng’s Lush, Lowkey Self-Discovery
Korean Australian singer-songwriter Hannah Bahng delivers a great introspective indie-pop on her “The Misunderstood EP.” My latest Rolling Stone review.
Beyond the Bar (에스콰이어: 변호사를 꿈꾸는 변호사들)
“Beyond the Bar” does such a great job of creating complete characters who don’t need a partner to be whole, leaving viewers satisfied with either choice, because we’re confident they will all be OK.
Go Away With … Alicia Hannah-Kim
When “Cobra Kai” actress Alicia Hannah-Kim was asked to help secure a team of western actors to appear in the K-drama “Tempest,” she went to work to assemble a cast that includes well-known actors like John Cho, Spencer Garrett, Michael Gaston, Brooke Smith, Christopher Gorham and Jacob Bertrand. “I think a lot of people think that K-dramas are all romantic love stories, but there are a lot of different genres,” Kim said in a Zoom interview from Los Angeles. “’Tempest’ is an international spy thriller. It’s a very sexy show with a lot of different elements.”
Go Away With … Maia Sharp
Singer-songwriter Maia Sharp remembers what it was like when she was a struggling musician trying to get gigs. “It was on a Monday night at 10 p.m. at Molly Malone’s Irish Pub in Los Angeles,” Sharp said. “The booker told me I needed to bring 50 people to get called back. I brought 51.”
Monsta X Celebrate 10 Years Together — and It’s Just the Beginning
For my latest Rolling Stone exclusive, I talked to Monsta X to discuss their new album “The X,” celebrating their 10th anniversary, and their place in K-pop.
OMEGA X’s Kevin Talks About “My Bias is Showing!”
One of 11 members of the group OMEGA X, Kevin (born Park Jin-woo) is making his leading man debut in the Boys’ Love (BL) K-drama “My Bias Is Showing!” You’d expect him to portray the K-pop idol of everyone’s dreams in this series, right? Nope. Here, Kevin tackled the role of a high school teacher who’s also Si-yeol’s biggest fanboy.
Go Away With … AMPERS&ONE
“L.A. left the biggest impression on me,” said AMPERS&ONE member Seungmo. “We stayed there the longest and so many fans came to see us. I especially remember how beautiful the sky was.”
Go Away With … Stella Cole
“We’re hitting around 40 cities between September 1 and December 31,” said vocalist Stella Cole. “At the beginning of 2026, we’ll be playing in Japan, China and Hawaii, which I’m really looking forward to. The food in Japan is unreal. I’ve never been to China before, so I’m really curious about the food there.”