No Comments
Here we go again with more Asian American artists!*
One of my uber favorites, Motomichi Nakamura, is having a show at Halycon in Brooklyn and if you’re in the area (unlike me, who will be far far away), definitely check him out. He has an awesome monsters series, including a Mongolian Death Worm sculpture that I dream about taking home to cuddle in my bed. Yeah.
*Please keep in mind that I really don’t have any artistic background, aside from drawing Keroppi faces in my notebooks. Wait, that’s a lie. What I really mean is that I am the last person you’d find talking about art and going to galleries and critiquing someone’s painting. I just like to share what I find!
No Comments | Posted in: Discrimination, Entertainment
1 Comment
I can’t be the ONLY one here to have taken these stinky tummy pills to cure stomach aches, gross poop and indigestion, right? I actually used to think Seirogan was just something my mom invented until my college roommate once wished aloud that she had the stinky rabbit-poo-ish pills that HER mom used to give to her. And then we realized we were soul mates, as we would complain about the odd smell of the medicine but the miraculous relief it would give us.
Or not. But it’s definitely an Asian thing, right?
So you can imagine my excitement when I discovered special Seirogan PILLOWS on the Tokyomango blog. Better yet, the pillows even SMELL like the pills! Alright, that’s pretty disgusting, because that last thing I’d want to smell while trying to nap is Seirogan. I think the pills are really a weird placebo because it’s the smell that really makes you feel even more sick, so once you eat one and put the bottle away, you automatically feel better. Or something like that?
Anyway, I also can’t believe they sell pillows of Kinkan, the best mosquito bite medicine, as well. I used to always get the worst allergic reactions to the mosquitoes every humid summer in Japan (allergic reaction = bites would turn into humongous red bumps…okay, TMI), and Kinkan was the only thing that would make them feel better. My mom probaby still has the same bottle in our medicine cabinet at home. And it probably still works, too.
Ahh, the wonders of Japanese medicine.
Wait, let me rephrase that. Ahh, the wonders of Japanese merchandising.
1 Comment | Posted in: Food & Drink, WTF
4 Comments
Near Chengdu, China in the Sichuan province, a 7.8 earthquake struck. After shocks were felt all over the country as news spread like wildfire across world news. People everywhere evacuated out to the streets since it is said to be unsafe to be on the sidewalks since they’re close to the buildings and buildings all over have sustained some damage.
Five thousand are feared dead depending on the news source. CNN was reporting it at three thousand only moments ago and has since updated their article to five. Phoenix TV in China has a special website following the news and are actually more conservative on the death toll saying that it’s between three to five thousand. Some of the worst news includes the fact that several schools were collapsed by the quake.
Here at 8A, our thoughts are with those on the other side of world trying to just live past this day of tragedy.
Photo Credit: (2 dogs)
4 Comments | Posted in: Current Events
6 Comments
I think there is a common stereotype that a lot of Asian cultures have dog as an Asian cuisine. Well, the fact is, there are some select groups and places in China, Vietnam and in Korea that do eat dog. If you ask me, I don’t have a problem with that - meat should be meat except for eating your fellow human being. Though I can see how people in general would find it difficult to ear a domesticated pet. In today’s Wall Street Journal, the newspaper reports that “Seoul Hounds Meat Vendors For Cleaner Chow:”
“…A century ago, when South Korea was a poor, closed and largely agrarian society, dogs were more commonly eaten than other animals. Big animals like ox were valued for their ability to carry loads and people could be penalized for eating them. Dog, which is typically lighter and sweeter-tasting than beef, is also eaten in China and Vietnam. No official estimates exist on the size of South Korea’s dog-meat industry. A 2006 survey by KBS-TV, one of the three main national networks, found that one in three respondents had eaten dog meat. It also found that consumption patterns were no different between people who had dogs as pets and those who didn’t. Only 9% of respondents thought it should be banned.”
Apparently, the Korean government started to ban dog-meat restaurants in the mid-1980s because of worries about the image they would send during the 1988 Olympics the city hosted. Although dog mean is still officially banned within the city of Seoul (and legal outside of the city), you can still find dog being served and can be easily found in the city, though not openly advertised.
The article goes on to describe how restaurant owners would like the dog meat industry to become regulated, giving a legitimacy to the cuisine and increasing the cuisine’s image, popularity and consumption. Personally, I wouldn’t mind at least trying dog at least once (I wonder if it tastes like chicken? 
). Dog food has a whole new meaning to me now! Has anybody out there ever tried dog?
6 Comments | Posted in: Current Events, Food & Drink, Observations
No Comments
I was checking out the Los Angeles Times, and came across “‘Hulk’s’ biggest obstacle: Ang Lee’s version.” Ang Lee is of course the Oscar winning director of Brokeback Mountain. I’ve enjoyed many of Lee’s films, including The Wedding Banquet, Eat, Drink, Man, Woman, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (where I first came across and fell in love with Zhang Ziyi), Brokeback Mountain, and most recently, Lust, Caution. Well, one Ang Lee film I was not a huge fan of, was The Hulk. It was okay, at best, and I agree with the LA Times article that the new Hulk movie coming out this summer will have to overcome a lot of the ill will the first film generated:
“”The biggest challenge on ‘The Incredible Hulk’ was Ang Lee’s ‘Hulk’ in 2003,” says Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios… In absolute and relative terms, director Lee’s superhero movie opened fantastically, grossing $62.1 million in its first weekend… But “Hulk’s” real (and crushing) story unfolded over its second weekend, where middling reviews and corrosive word-of-mouth pushed its grosses down a staggering 70%. In deciding to return to the property after such a brief hiatus, Marvel and Universal tried to figure out what went wrong on the first film and how they could better capture the enduring appeal of one of Marvel’s most popular creations. They also realized they would have to cut through a wall of disbelievers. “We knew people would be out there saying, ‘Why are you doing it again?’ ” says Adam Fogelson, Universal’s marketing chief.”
I agree - why did Marvel make and is going to release another Hulk film? And only 5 years from Ang Lee’s version? Does Marvel really think it can overcome the negative perception of the first film?
No Comments | Posted in: Entertainment, Movies
No Comments
Welcome one and all to the 18th episode - thanks for checking it out.
This episode I challenge you to name all the original performers of the songs I play on the show, plus we have an interview with Director/ Actress Siu Ta (Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle) just before the world premiere of her first documentary, Daddy Tran: A Life in 3D.
Also see what my Fortune Cookie’s answer is to a question from a listener and if anyone out there wants $15 seat tickets to the Korean Music Festival at Hollywood Bowl this coming May 17th, 2008 - let me know ASAP.
For any comments, suggestions, feedback, requests and questions for my Fortune Cookie, leave a comment at Popcast88.com or email me at christine [at] popcast88.com.
Please remember, if you would like to support the podcast, I ask that you support the artist by buying their albums through YesAsia.com by the links provided on this site.
(Continued)
POP88 #18 - The Cover/Sample Show + Int. w/ Siu Ta [46:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (14) No Comments | Posted in: Entertainment, Movies, Music, POP 88
1 Comment
“The metal look works for Chinese males. This shit sprouts out of our head quite naturally and it looks pretty good. And that echoes with the great warriors of ancient times. Long hair means martial prowess.” - Kaiser Kuo, Tang Dynasty
A couple of years ago, I watched a documentary called Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey, which completely changed my perception of Heavy Metal music. I mean, I was never a fan, but I wasn’t completely against listening to it either. I don’t love it, nor do I hate it. I would say, that there are more redeeming qualities in heavy metal music than there is in, say, pop music. You may not like it, but it’s never boring.
For the most part, heavy metal music actually has its roots in orchestral classical music like Wagner and Beethoven. While most of the vocals in the genre are stereotyped with gutterral screaming, a good portion of the vocals have more in common with opera than rock; think Freddie Mercury and Queen.
So imagine my surprise that the same filmmakers created a sequel called Global Metal. Applying the same anthropological mindset as the first film, they set out to find out what and how heavy metal music has been affected by globalization by talking to bands and fans of heavy metal music all over the world (particularly in Asia.) I highly recommend watching it when it comes out in June and also rent its predecessor on DVD.
Before, my exposure to rock music from China was fairly limited to whatever I saw on YouTube through Danwei.Tv and movies. I wasn’t impressed to tell you the truth. It all seemed kitchy and wannabe and really felt something was missing in its delivery. Every so often I would come across a gem, like Cherry Boom, but they were very few and far between. The band credited with bringing heavy metal music to China was Tang Dynasty. It was founder Kaiser Kuo, who was born in New York, went to China in the late 80’s to start the band which sold 2 million legit copies of its debut album ‘A Dream Return to Tang Dynasty‘.
In preparation for the interview with the filmmakers, I go ahead and attempt to do my homework in terms of metal bands from Asia (China and Japan in particular) and I come across this supposed thrash metal band called Overload from China … and slowly find myself turning into a fan.
Known as Chao Zai, Overload is fronted by one-time pop singer Gary Qi, who according to Wikipedia formed the band with elitist musicians in China. Listening to his voice, plus looking at his picture on the album cover (rowr!), I can’t help but be drawn in. I’m almost shock to discover just how pretty one song can be, side by side, with something that is just fueled with aggression. I implore you out there to check out the music on iTunes. Search: Chao Zai.
1 Comment | Posted in: Entertainment, Movies, Music, Reviews
No Comments
Every year, KQED and Union Bank of California honor five outstanding local heroes for Asian Pacific American Heritage month (which is every May). This year’s heroes are:
• Regina Clewlow, founder of Engineers for a Sustainable World.
• The Rev. Norman Fong of San Francisco, deputy director of the Chinatown Community Development Center.
• Cathy Inamasu of San Francisco, executive director of Nihonmachi (Japantown) Little Friends.
• Christina Mei-Yue Wong of San Francisco, director of community initiatives for Chinese for Affirmative Action.
• Connie Young Yu, Chinese Historical Society of America.
Congratulations to all the winners - KQED will air short profiles of the honorees as part of its special May programming on the Asian Pacific American experience.
No Comments | Posted in: Observations
Blog RSS Blog Comments RSS
