“Squid Game” Season 2 heads back into the arena
NPR invited me back on their Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast to discuss the second season of the Korean series “Squid Game.”
Category: Musings
What We Can Learn About Ourselves from ‘Worldwide Handsome’
Referring to himself as Worldwide Handsome isn’t about Jin’s ego. It’s the affirmation that we all need.
Behind the Scenes of K-pop
I was one of the speakers at the University of Southern California’s “Behind the Scenes of K-pop” — an all-day symposium featuring insiders and experts who fostered conversations about the art, culture, business, and the future of K-pop.
Tzuyu Is Ready for Her Solo Moment
Tzuyu — the youngest member of the successful K-pop group TWICE — talks about her first mini-album, “abouTZU.” My exclusive interview for Rolling Stone magazine.
Does Racist Vintage Art Get a Pass?
This is how stereotypes work. Westerners have depicted Asian men as being effeminate since forever.
When I Visited South Korea Last Year, My Blended Identity Complicated Everything
I was quoted in today’s Huffington Post about how Korean diaspora are treated differently than other tourists in South Korea. I shared my story about visiting the DMZ.
South Korea is reckoning with the death of beloved ‘Parasite’ actor Lee Sun-kyun
NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe speaks to syndicated columnist Jae-Ha Kim about the scandal that led to the death of beloved South Korean actor Lee Sun-Kyun. Note: This conversation has mentions of self-harm.
Do Koreans Swear?
Do Koreans swear? You betcha! You’ve probably heard them plenty of times in your favorite K-dramas, but they weren’t subtitled as such.
Would “Friends” Work in the 2010s?
I’ve always been one who has loved TV and never understood people who said, “I don’t watch TV.” I love TV and wish I had more time for it. I really don’t watch much TV these days — not because I don’t want to, but because of lack of time. When I do have an hour or two to spare, I watch K-dramas (Korean Dramas). They’re just more interesting to me now.
South Korea’s Criteria for Military Exemption is Outdated
BTS’ Kim Seok-jin announced today that he is preparing to enlist in the Korean military, which is required of all able-bodied Korean males. There are exceptions for athletes, classical musicians, and some academics. So why didn’t the Korean government exempt BTS, whose global achievements are unparalleled?
What Makes BTS Standout?
Boy bands generally don’t get a lot of respect from journalists regardless of what language they speak. But if BTS was a white boy band singing in English, I’m positive their songs would get more attention and radio play.
The Social Significance of BTS in the U.S.
I’m most grateful that Asian American children today have pop culture role models who look like them. It’s so important for children to see themselves represented. When I was my son’s age, there were no famous artists in the U.S. who were talented, young, handsome, great role models AND Korean! I’m so happy that he has BTS to listen to, laugh with and look up to.
Was BTS Just Lucky? Nope.
Did luck and timing play a part in BTS’ success. It’s important to remember that luck isn’t just something that happens while you’re sitting around doing nothing. As Jungkook said in an episode of “Burn the Stage,” “We’ve been lucky, but we worked hard for that luck.”
These Are a Few of My Favorite Tweets
The very nature of Twitter is that tweets roll by and then disappear — or, rather, get hidden by a mountain of more recent tweets. These are some of the tweets that I would like to remember.
Reader … That “Famous Journalist” is Me
IU, D.O., V, Suzy, Park Hyung-Sik and Chanyeol are a few of my favorite Triple Threats. Who are your top picks?
Happy 2020!
It’s the first day of the new decade and I want to approach every day — or as many days as possible — like Park Hyung-Sik’s character does in “Strong Woman Do Bong-Soon.”
Favorite Tweets: 2019
The very nature of Twitter is that tweets roll by and then disappear — or, rather, get hidden by a mountain of more recent tweets. These are some of the tweets that I would like to remember.
Favorite Tweets: 2018
The very nature of Twitter is that tweets roll by and then disappear — or, rather, get hidden by a mountain of more recent tweets. These are some of the tweets that I would like to remember.
BTS: Why Can’t You Speak English Better?
I am feeling salty today. So grab a cup of hot tea (and maybe a slice of delicious cake to make this all go down better). There’s no shame in not speaking English perfectly as a foreign language. But it is obnoxious to use a person’s words specifically for the intent of shaming them.