It’s September, which means college students have packed up and left the comfort of their homes to suffer dorm life once again. Sure, you parents were just dying to get them out of the house again—an empty nest isn’t so bad, after all!—but chances are, you already miss your young scholar, just a little. Which is why we compiled what we consider to be the ultimate care package for your penniless mini-me. But sorry hip parents: No sending soju. It’s illegal to ship.
What would you add?
This is part of our cover series on Asian American YouTube stars.
Writers, producers, actors
The trio behind Wong Fu Productions has come a long way since its first hit online video, Yellow Fever. Ted Fu, 28, Philip Wang, 26, and Wesley Chan, 26, can boast over 150 short films, including At Musing’s End and A Peace of Home, both of which were shown at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, and they show a level of professionalism that’s rare, especially compared to all the other hastily webcam-shot videos posted online. Their ability to produce high-quality shorts means that they’re at the heart of the scores of collaborations produced among Asian America’s creative pool. [Video after the jump] Continue Reading »
From the personal archives of Korean America
Joseph Ileto used to carry around this bag while making his mail rounds in neighborhoods throughout the San Fernando Valley of Southern California. Today it sits in a room in his younger brother Ismael’s house in Chino Hills—and the only letters it carries are ones of sympathy that the Ileto family received after Joseph was killed in a hate crime attack 11 years ago. Although many may remember white supremacist Buford O. Furrow’s infamous shooting spree at the North Valley Jewish Community Center on August 10, 1999, when he wounded three children, a teenager and a grandmother, sadly, too many tend to forget that the only person he killed that day was Joseph Ileto. Continue Reading »
Rapper, producer, actor
The Brat Pack: (from left) Bart Kwon, Clara Chung, Ted Fu, Megan Lee, Ryan Higa and Joe Jo.
By Elizabeth Eun and Julie Ma
Photograph by Eric Sueyoshi
It all seemed self-indulgent and border-line narcissistic before 2005, uploading videos of yourself belting out pop songs or talking to an invisible audience. But YouTube made it not only acceptable, but also a cultural norm. And while videos of screaming babies and neurotic cats have flooded cyberspace, there’s been a not-so-quiet revolution stirring within the YouTube arena. Asian American artists are practically omnipresent on the video-sharing website, posting clips of themselves and each other singing, dancing, playing instruments and telling jokes. Which anyone can do these days, right? But these artists actually get views. Continue Reading »
FOR ONLY $28!
Featured Event
In honor of Chuseok, a widely celebrated harvest-oriented Korean holiday, the University of Southern California’s Korean Studies Institute will host a “Chuseok Festival” on Sept. 17. Following a drum performance, lunch will be served. Free and open to all. (college.usc.edu/ksi)
Projekt NewSpeak
Projekt NewSpeak presents the 4th annual NewSpeak SLAM! Confirmed artists/musical guests for the spoken word showcase include Beau Sia, Poetri, Ruby Ibarra, Connie Lim and Kristina Wong. Save the date: Sept. 25 at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles. (projektnewspeak.com) read more
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