Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Gavin Rossdale is the lead singer and songwriter for the British grunge rock band Bush and an occasional actor (“The Trainer,” “Constantine”). He’s also the host of his own VIZIO WatchFree+ cooking show, “Dinner With Gavin Rossdale,” where he has conversations with guests like Serena Williams, Brooke Shields, Selma Blair, Common and Sir Tom Jones over meals that he prepares for them.
“Even before I knew I was going to get to play the part, I was very excited when I saw the breakdown of the character,” said “XO, Kitty” star Gia Kim. “She was described as this queer, Korean, queen bee. I’ve never seen that combination in a character before. There are so many aspects to her that I thought, ‘She’s gonna just be a whole new archetype of a character. And I’m so thankful it was me who got cast to play her.’”
The last time a president declared martial law in South Korea was in 1980.
South Korea’s most famous hip-hop group, Epik High, has created some of that country’s most influential music over the past two decades. Acclaimed for their clever lyrics – which tackle sociopolitical issues with biting wit and humor – the trio is in their element performing live. On their current world tour promoting their critically-acclaimed mixtape “PUMP,” rapper-songwriter-producer Tablo trades verses with co-lyricist Mithra Jin, while co-producer DJ Tukutz takes a break from laying down beats to show off his b-boy moves.
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.
“I’ve thought at times about the fact that I was born to people who, for many generations, lived on just that one strip of land – Korea,” said “Exhibit” author R.O. Kwon. “When I’m in Korea, it feels as though my body recalls the soil I’m made of, attending to a song in the wind, rain and foliage that I can’t quite find elsewhere.”
Actor Sebastian Roché talks about his K-drama debut in “Queen of Tears.”
Location, location, location! You can’t beat Shilla Stay Hotel Haeundae when it comes to location. It is literally across the street from the famous Haeundae Beach in Busan.
After debuting in 2019, the K-pop quintet CIX has had the opportunity to travel around the world, which the group acknowledges as a fun perk of their job. “I try to explore each city as our schedule allows,” said group leader and rapper BX.
“When you’re in a new country by yourself, there’s nothing greater for character development than putting yourself out there,” said P1Harmony leader Keeho. “Having traveled so much as a kid helped me adapt to new environments. Honestly, it was not difficult for me when I moved to Korea. There was some culture shock, but it was overall just fun for me.”
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.
“South Koreans are very serious about their skincare,” said SMD Cosmetics Intl. founder Lauren Ing. “Many liken it to exercise and eating healthy. It is seen more like a lifestyle with long-term results from a lifetime of dedication versus a quick fix. I feel like many women in the U.S. want skincare to be quick results from a single use. The approach is more like a fast-food approach.”
The Somerset Palace Seoul is located near two of the five grand palaces in South Korea—Gyeongbokgung Palace and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Changdeok Palace. While it’s not a 4-star hotel as it bills itself, it’s located in a central area. I would stay there again.
Less than seven months after xikers debuted, the 10-man Korean pop group has already released two EPs and is currently on their first headlining world tour – which includes a Chicago concert at the Patio Theater on October 24.
For her upcoming novel “The Apology” (Little, Brown and Company) – which releases on Aug. 1 – Jimin Han culled on years of memories for parts of her book. “I’ve had fragments of it written out on my laptop for years but never knew what to do with them,” said Han, who resides with her family outside of New York City.
In the Netflix series “XO, Kitty” – which has been renewed for a second season – Peter Thurnwald plays the role of a high school teacher who happens to be a Korean adoptee who grew up in Australia. In real life, Thurnwald also was adopted from South Korea to Australian parents.
With her first memoir “All You Can Ever Know,” Nicole Chung candidly offered personal reflections on being a transracial adoptee. The bestselling author’s latest book “A Living Remedy” (Ecco) deals with grief, classism and America’s broken healthcare system, which contributed to the deaths of both her adoptive parents.
Helen Park wasn’t awake when the Tony Award nominations were announced a few weeks ago. “My agent called me and I was still asleep!” said Park, who bears the distinction of being the first Asian American female composer on Broadway. “When I checked my phone, the first text I saw was, ‘OMG’ and the second was, ‘You’re Tony nominated.’ I just sat on my bed completely speechless for about a good 20 minutes.”
“I’m lucky to have family roots that stretch around the globe,” said screenwriter William Yu. “I was born in Philadelphia, moved to Hong Kong when I was five, then to Boston, and then to New York, before coming out here to Los Angeles. My older sister currently lives in London. While we still have family in Seoul, where my parents were born, my mother went to high school in Taiwan, while my father spent formative years in Jamaica, before the two ended up in America for college and beyond.”
“My first overseas performance as a musician was in Japan,” says singer-songwriter SHAUN. “It was a club performance during the time I was playing in a band. We performed at a small venue called Eggman. I have fond memories of the enjoyable time we had. Prior to that, I visited several European cities in England, France and the Netherlands.”