Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
“‘What Kind of Asian Are You?’ is what I wished I could do when that question has come up,” said actress and dancer Stella Choe. “But most of the time I’m just in shock and so annoyed [that] I don’t know what to say. The video version of myself is a lot more witty and sassy. I wish I was that quick to clap back!”
A college student asked me what made K-pop, well, K-pop. The gist of what I said was that K-pop has to maintain a Korean element. In my latest newsletter, I dig deeper into this with a K-pop expert.
Accusing a Korean adoptee of ‘not being Korean enough’ isn’t the slam dunk losers think it is.
On March 20, BTS will make their long-awaited comeback with an album called “Arirang.” Since it was announced, fans and media have been speculating about the cultural significance of the title, the album cover possibly being an homage to a group of 19th century Korean students studying in the U.S., and whether the title hints at what kind of music listeners can expect on the upcoming record.
Jung Kyung-ho portrays charismatic judge Kang Da-wit, who seems destined for a political career. But after a night out with an old school buddy, he’s caught on camera accepting what appears to be a bribe. Da-wit loses his job, but lands a new one as a pro bono attorney.
Ahead of next week’s full-length album release, “Evolve,” the South Korean rock group CATCH THE YOUNG sat down with me for an exclusive interview.
While it’s easy to blame the K-pop system for encouraging parasocial relationships between fans and idols, experts told me that the modern “celebrity machine” in general emboldens stalkers.
Made in Korea doesn’t flinch in its portrayal of corruption by both the Korean government and its strongest ally, the U.S. military. Director Woo Min-ho presents a Korea where there are no heroes, but rather desperate survivors caught in the crosshairs.
Easy-to-make muguk recipe with ingedients you probably have at home already!
How a children’s book reflects on the profound impact of losing your first language
“As You Stood By” examines domestic abuse and how people are reluctant to help victims — most often because they are afraid of how their actions could be detrimental to their own lives (which is also a subplot in Our Unwritten Seoul).
Since the release of her book “I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki,” Baek Se-hee opened up dialogue about depression and the importance of normalizing mental health care. May she rest in eternal peace.
The 2nd season of “Taxi Driver” depicted a fictional storyline that is eerily similar to what is happening now in South East Asia.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
The best documentaries will give you a peek into the subject’s life and present something new. But it will also take what’s already known and add a unique element. “The Rose: Come Back to Me” does exactly this.
