Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
2019 is shaping up to be Blackpink’s breakthrough year. The all-girl Korean quartet kicked off the U.S. leg of a world tour with a concert at Coachella that was livestreamed in New York’s Times Square.
Actress Roselyn Sanchez says when she thinks of the perfect vacation destination, Puerto Rico is always on her mind.
Monsta X has been nominated for their first MTV Video Music Award for their English-language single “Who Do U Love?” They will become the first K-Pop group to perform at the iHeartRadio Music Festival later this year. (They previously were the first Korean boy band to take the stage at Jingle Ball.) But a highlight of 2019 for the group was performing in Oslo for South Korean president Moon Jae-in and King Harald V of Norway, where the countries’ dignitaries celebrated the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Norway.
Born in the Dominican Republic, actress Katherine Castro (“Someday”) has a minimalist’s approach to hitting the road. “Travel light,” she says. “Less is more. If it doesn’t fit in your carry-on, you don’t need it.” A resident of West Hollywood, Castro says it’s helpful that she speaks several languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Arabic), but stepping outside of your comfort zone can make trips an enjoyable learning experience regardless of your level of fluency.
Best known for playing Katana in “Suicide Squad,” Karen Fukuhara will next be seen in the Amazon series, “The Boys” (premiering on July 26). Her resume also includes the feature film “Stray” and Netflix’s “She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.” An avid traveler, the actress says she’d like to explore Southeast Asia next.
“Face the Nation” moderator and CBS News’ chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan has seen the world. She has reported stories from Havana, Kabul, Beijing, Tehran and throughout the United States. “A lot of the traveling that I have done is for work,” says Brennan. “I’ve been to spots in Afghanistan and Iraq that are lovely, too, but I wouldn’t put those on travel itineraries.”
Nearly 20 years after their last No. 1 album, the Backstreet Boys’ debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with their latest release, “DNA.” As the group prepares to kick off their North American tour, Howie D (born Howard Dorough) is also celebrating the July 12 release of his debut children’s album, “Which One Am I?”
Better known by his stage name of San Holo, Dutch DJ, guitarist and producer Sander van Dijck, 28, says that he often finds inspiration for his music in his travels. “Traveling has affected my music a lot,” he says. “Seeing new places and meeting new people — it always gives me fresh insights and new perspectives on life, which tend to have an effect subconsciously when I write music.”
Veteran actor Tim Lounibos (“Hawaii Five-0,” “Criminal Minds,” “NCIS”) is best known for his portrayal of Ed Sung on Amazon’s “Bosch.” Well-traveled and always ready to explore, the actor said he learned a valuable lesson from his treks around the world. “We all might look different and have differing perspectives, but we’re all essentially the same.”
Born in Canada, Avan Jogia came to the United States with a challenge. His parents gave him six months to get an acting job or return home and finish school. He has remained in Los Angeles ever since. Best known for his roles in Nickelodeon’s “Victorious” and STARZ’s “Now Apocalypse,” he can be seen in Samuel L. Jackson’s reboot of the feature film, “Shaft.”