Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
It’s always fun to see Korean groups like BTS, Blackpink and Day6 being interviewed on American talk shows. But it’s also eye-opening to see international acts having fun on South Korean programs, whether it’s Tom Cruise appearing on “Running Man” or NBA star Stephen Curry on “Infinite Challenge.” But one of the most charming segments I’ve seen in a long time is 5 Seconds of Summer’s guest appearance on “YO~! WELCOME TO KOREA!”
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.”
“Friends from College” star Jae Suh Park is based out of Los Angeles, where she resides with her husband, actor Randall Park, and their daughter, Ruby. But she also spends a lot of time in New York City, where her Netflix series is filmed. “I would say that New York is the seventh friend in the show,” says Park, who portrays Marianne. “The energy of the city is so inspiring. I can’t help but bring it into my role on the show.”
“After 50 years of being in America, I took my mother back to Korea,” says actress Lindsay Price. “She had been adopted at age 12 and had never been back since. I was seven months pregnant with my first child and I wanted to understand where she came from in a deep and true way. It was the most profound trip ever for the both of us, but it was also no vacation. Talk about coming home exhausted. But I’ll say it will be the trip of my lifetime as far as meaning and transformation goes. And man, do I love Seoul.”
As part of the group f(x), Amber Liu has grown used to performing worldwide. But this winter marks her first ever solo tour, to promote her mixtape “Rogue Rouge.” Her Gone Rogue tour kicks off December 5 in Chicago. Born and raised in Los Angeles, the singer-songwriter splits her time between L.A. and Seoul. The Taiwanese American artist recently signed deals to be an ambassador with both L’Oréal and Nike. Liu, 26, did this interview while on a break from shooting with Nike in New York City.
Singer-songwriter Charli XCX (“5 in the Morning”) is earning rave reviews as Taylor Swift’s opening act. The English star also is a headliner at W Hollywood’s Wake Up Call music festival. Born Charlotte Emma Aitchison, she spends so much of her life on the road that she has a fool-proof plan for dealing with dateline changes: “Party through the jet lag. Or, if you’re not up to that, enjoy a spa day as soon as you get there and really let your body bounce back so you can make the most out of your trip.”
Not long after James Lee celebrated his 27th birthday, the Royal Pirates bassist was involved in a freak accident in Seoul that nearly severed his hand and left it permanently damaged. No longer able to feel the strings of his bass, he quit his band and returned home to California, where he was born and raised. Lee, 30, is celebrating his burgeoning solo career, which includes performances at KCON LA, a premiere party for his EP “The Light” and an acoustic duet of “Let’s Get Away” with his good friend Sooyoung (of Girls’ Generation).
“Traveling has been a really big part of my upbringing and I’ve been fortunate enough to travel for different reasons,” says singer Eric Nam, 29. “I’d like to think that it has had an impact on my character and personality, which ultimately affects my music.” Born and raised in Georgia, Nam currently is on tour promoting his Billboard World Top 10 EP, “Honestly.” His song, “Float,” also is featured in the film, “Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation.”
“I am always deeply influenced when I go to Korea. It is an endless source of inspiration for me. I have ties there, so it is special. But I also approach it as an outsider and learn new techniques and cooking traditions. I always look forward to going back again and again.” — Chef Edward Lee, star of “Culinary Genius” and “Fermented.”
This is for the A.R.M.Y! I wanted to do something fun and special for you… and this is my (small) way of thanking you: I am giving away some copies of my newspaper article and a copy of my book about the TV show, “Friends.”
BTS’ Rap Monster remembers being blown away by the opulence of Las Vegas during his first trip there: “I was last here in 2009 when I was 15. What I remember the most was the inside of the Bellagio. It was amazing. I had never seen a hotel like that before, where there was a whole world inside the hotel. It was beautiful. I got to see Cirque du Soleil’s “O” show. It was so nice. I remember the night view of Vegas, which was tremendous. I remember all the lights and people having fun. I saw a lot of people drinking, which was shocking to me then (since I was so young).”
“A Small Revolution” author Jimin Han says, “When I was about 10 years old, we drove to Boca Raton, Florida. My great aunt joined us, flying in from South Korea. We went to the beach a lot, but one afternoon we went with her to a cemetery. She knelt at a grave and cried. I heard later that it was the grave of her estranged son, who had been a marine biologist and died in a scuba-diving accident. I’ve developed a novel around that visit and that mysterious great aunt.”
The main characters in K-dramas often demonstrate their love by attaching personalized padlocks on a fence on the tower’s observation deck. Tens of thousands of “love locks” can be found here. It’s a trend well established in cities such as Paris and Prague, but the tradition has taken on an added dimension in Seoul. While couples still attach locks to declare their love for one another, the fence has become a popular spot for adoptees and their adoptive parents to leave padlocks honoring the day they became a family.
Andi Dorfman, formerly of “The Bachelorette” says, “My best vacation memory was eating at a hole-in-the-wall Korean barbecue restaurant in Seoul, South Korea. It was one of my favorite meals. My worst memory has to be when I got food poisoning on a trip to Mexico. That was my first and last time drinking tap water there.”
“There’s nothing better than getting paid to see my country and connect with the fans who gave me a career,” says Iliza Shlesinger, host of TBS’ relationship-based game show “Separation Anxiety” and a former winner of “Last Comic Standing.” The savvy world traveler says she is up for going anywhere, anytime: “I’m a travel fiend. If I’m in love, I want to go to Paris. And if I want to eat everything and get lost in someone’s culture, I’ll take anywhere in Asia. I loved Cambodia and I can’t wait to go back to Japan. I also loved Europe.”
“I admit I really only travel to places that have strong culinary cultures,” says chef Judy Joo. ? Word!
Thanks to his striking good looks, Daniel Henney was cast in a Korean television series — despite the fact that he couldn’t speak any Korean at the time. Today, his work takes him around the world. With a resume that includes roles in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” “Hawaii Five-O” and “Big Hero 6” (he was the voice of Tadashi), Henney is one of the stars of the new CBS procedural, “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.” Fans may follow him on Twitter and on Instagram, where he posts photos of his travels and his dog, Mango.
Born in New York and raised in North Carolina, where she played basketball for the Tar Heels, Jessica Breland has overcome so much to get to where she is today. The summer before her senior year of college, Breland was excited thinking about all the places she wanted to visit before school started. Instead, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and spent the next half-year undergoing chemotherapy treatments.
Released in 2004, “Once Upon a Time in High School” is set in 1978. During this time-frame, South Korea was ruled under the brutal dictatorship of Park Chung-hee (the father of Korea’s current president Park Geun-hye). The movie depicts a bleak period where students had few rights and teachers could beat them at will. There’s a trickle down factor to that kind of abuse. The boys settle their differences not with words, but with fists, chairs and bats.
“I didn’t make it to Perth, but I went all over Australia,” says actress Carla Renata. “I was working over there long enough that I could take vacations. If I could figure out a way to make a living there, I would move there. The food is to die for. Everything is fresh and prepared spectacularly and the people are really loving and warm. The theater and arts scene is wonderful.”