K-DRAMA REVIEWS (INDEX)
K-CULTURE WITH JAE-HA KIM is the space where I curate my reviews and views about Korean-centric things happening in the pop culture realm (and beyond) that pique my interest…and I hope yours, too. Won’t you join me?
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.”
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.
Music, music, music
I’ll be updating this page periodically to include music that’s piquing my interest at the moment. Song of the day: “Pretty Baby” by Blondie.
Eat, Drink and Be Merry
True story: When I was in college, we didn’t have access to The Internets like all you young whipper snappers today. So, instead of drooling over all the photos of food on Pinterest and Instagram, I used to look at recipe books and imagine that I could be eating that instead of the dorm food my parents had paid for.
Go Away With … Richie Moriarty
“The house in Montebello where we film all of the exteriors of the mansion definitely feels like its own character on the show,” said “Ghosts” star Richie Moriarty. “It’s the site of the deaths of all of the ghosts, so it feels so deeply personal to each character and their backstory. And now that we’re 80-plus episodes into the show, we’ve gotten to explore and showcase so many parts of that amazing property.”
Go Away With … Zina Wilde
Actress, producer and wellness entrepreneur Zina Wilde is used to traveling the world. Born in London and raised in Thessaloniki [Greece], she currently splits her time between homes in New York and Los Angeles. Wilde said that one of the things she has learned over the years is to go with the flow.
Go Away With … Thurston Moore
When I was a wee child, my family took a trip to Key West and we climbed up to the top of some old lighthouse,” he recalled. “The perimeter of it had a chain-link fence around it prohibiting people from falling off the edge,” said Thurston Moore. “I thought that was rather controlling. I climbed over it and prowled around the edge until my father spotted me and yelled for me to come back, and I did. I was wondering why he was so angry. I climbed back over to the safe side and got a bit of a wallop.”
Go Away With … Song Sohee
“I think travel shouldn’t turn into work, so I usually don’t do any songwriting while I’m away,” said singer-songwriter Song Sohee. “However, when I visit a place that inspires me or go somewhere peaceful where I can enjoy quiet reflection, I sometimes end up writing lyrics. None of those songs have been released yet, though.”
Go Away With … McKinley Freeman
“There was no version of media that could convince me or my sisters differently about the value of who we were, as defined by the examples we were blessed to see in our parents, grandparents and cousins, ” said “Reasonable Doubt” actor McKinley Freeman. “Having the courage to tell truthful points of view is important in storytelling, but having the courage to know and be who you are [is just as important].”
Bestselling Author Baek Se-hee Dead at 35
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.
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 … 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.”
