Year: 2020

Will K-pop’s BTS or Blackpink get Grammy nominations finally? Boys’ single, Dynamite, and girls’ debut album ought to help

Jae-Ha Kim

The South China Morning Post recently interviewed me to chat about BTS and the upcoming Grammy nominations: “If BTS aren’t nominated this time, it’s not because of their lack of talent,” said Jae-Ha Kim. “All it will mean is that the Grammys are as clueless as they were in 1989, when they handed the trophy for best hard rock/metal performance to Jethro Tull, rather than Metallica.”

Go Away With … Daphne Maxwell Reid

Jae-Ha Kim

“I do miss my international travel opportunities, which I usually have at this time of the year,” said Daphne Maxwell Reid. “I have had the pleasure of taking a few plane rides under very strict precautionary measures, the last being to Los Angeles to shoot ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion’ special for HBO Max (for) our 30th anniversary.”

A.C.E Talks Exclusively to KOCOWA about K-dramas!

Jae-Ha Kim

“(Starring in ‘Twenty-Twenty” was) a very precious and unforgettable memory,” said A.C.E’s Chan. “The role of Sohn Bo-hyun was the best fit for me and the personality was the same as myself in real life. I enjoyed every second of the shooting. I am also very happy that I could play this role with great actors, actresses and staff.”

Go Away With … Linda Perry

Jae-Ha Kim

4 Non Blondes vocalist Linda Perry said she is a light packer: “I can leave with only a toothbrush. I am a light packer. I don’t like to bring a lot and I feel (like) if I need something, I can just buy it. That’s what you end up doing anyways when you go somewhere — we consume.”

Go Away With … Pia Mechler

Jae-Ha Kim

“I first traveled (to Japan) as a kid with my father, who was a flight captain for a big German airline,” said “Devils” star Pia Mechler. “I was lucky to have seen many exotic destinations already at a young age, but Japan took my breath away. It’s a culture clash between the hyper-modern and the extremely traditional. I have loved it ever since and I cannot wait to travel there again.”

Go Away With … Lisa Roth

Jae-Ha Kim

“I remember taking the train from Boston to Miami to visit my grandparents when I was four,” said “Rockabye Baby” co-founder Lisa Roth. “We stayed in a hotel with a huge pool, which was all very exciting. I clearly remember climbing out of the pool with a tummy ache, climbing into my mother’s arms and throwing up into the front pocket of her polka dot, terry cloth coverup. It was a perfect aim and a great trip.”

“Seoul Searching”

Jae-Ha Kim

Once “Seoul Searching” gets past the caricatures, the story delves into the deeper meaning of what it means to be Korean in societies that view you as a perpetual foreigner. Though the film concentrates on Korean Americans, two of the more memorable characters are Korean teens raised in Germany (Klaus, played by Teo Yoo) and Mexico (Esteban Ahn’s Sergio).

“Stranger” (비밀의 숲): Season 2

Jae-Ha Kim

There’s so much lying going on in the second season of “Stranger” that it’s difficult to figure out who’s truth is real. There are so many players convinced that their own criminal acts are for the betterment (cough cough) of Korea’s economy and future that they should be given a pass on their own wrongdoings.

“Flower of Evil” (악의 꽃)

Jae-Ha Kim

The chemistry between Lee Joon-Gi and Moon Chae-Won is strong in “Flower of Evil.” Viewers never doubt their love for each other. One of the most telling signs of their relationship is that even during times when she isn’t sure who he really is, she never stops referring to him as 자기야 / jagiya, which literally means that he is hers.