Suspect in executive’s slaying: ‘I have made many mistakes’
Los Angeles Times
In a blog posted two weeks after detectives say Orange County Internet advertising executive Edward Younghoon Shin killed his partner and covered up his death last year, the businessman wrote even a “hardened killer” is worthy of being saved by “the Creator.”
Orange County prosecutors allege that Christopher Ryan Smith, a 32-year-old executive, was killed by Shin in their San Juan Capistrano office.
Dave Kim Wanted To Be Your BFFF
Philebrity.com
Starting on April 1st of this year, Dave Kim made it his mission to be your Best Friend Facebook Forever. The month-long social experiment had Dave attending every event he could (in 30 days he attended 84), making people’s birthday wishes come true, and friending over 700 people. And as far as social experiments go, it was pretty regimented. Dave lived by a set of 14 rules during the project, which included friending at least 30 people per day, messaging every new friend, and meeting people at every event.
Asian-Americans Buck Stereotypes, Find Fame on YouTube
Voice of America
The next Legaci or Apl.de.Ap of the Black Eyed Peas is probably out there—uploading videos of themselves on YouTube.
YouTube stars like Ryan Higa, David Choi, Kevin Wu (KevJumba), or Clara Chung (Clara C) may not be household names yet, but their popularity is serving as an inspiration for other young Asian-Americans.
Caught between parents pushing traditional careers and a relatively disinterested mainstream entertainment industry, many young Asian-Americans are turning to YouTube to express themselves artistically, break down stereotypes and change the way they’re seen by the wider culture.
Which Woman Directed the Highest-Grossing Female-Helmed Movie to Date?
MovieLine
[Jennifer Yuh] Nelson is now ranked above Phyllida Lloyd (whose Mamma Mia grossed $609.8 million worldwide), Vicky Jenson (whose Shrek grossed $484.4 million) and Catherine Hardwicke (whose Twilight grossed $392.6 million worldwide). Congratulations!
Love clashes with tradition in ‘This Burns My Heart’
Today Books at MSN.com
Read an excerpt from the first chapter of the debut novel by former KoreAm staffer Samuel Park.
South Korea suicide toll doubles over a decade
BBC News
Suicides in South Korea have more than doubled in 10 years, according to new figures from the government.
South Korea has one of the highest suicide rates in the world and pressure has been growing for the government to do more to stop the problem spiraling.
Prestigious Fellowship Will Advance Care in Korean American Community
Johns Hopkins Nursing Magazine
Miyong T. Kim personifies the immigrant success story in America.
The School of Nursing associate professor left her native South Korea 18 years ago with her husband and two young sons to begin a new life in Arizona. As a nurse researcher, she has developed an expertise in community-based health research, mainly among the Korean immigrant population, and is a tireless advocate for health care access and education for under-served minorities.
Last summer the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation named her one of 20 Executive Nurse Fellows who will take part in a three-year program aimed at preparing nurses for executive leadership roles. As a recipient of the prestigious fellowship, Kim will receive financial and educational assistance to expand her efforts in improving the delivery of health care to under-served minority communities.
Korea draws against Kuwait in World Cup qualifier
Korea Times
Unable to hold on to an early lead, South Korea managed a 1-1 draw against Kuwait here Tuesday in the third round of the continental World Cup qualification.
At Peace and Friendship Stadium, captain Park Chu-young gave South Korea a lead in the eighth minute, but Hussain Fadel evened the score eight minutes into the second half of the physical contest to salvage the draw.
Korean-Born French Lawmaker in Racist Controversy
Chosun Ilbo
The ethnicity of former French Green Party lawmaker Jean-Vincent Placé, who was born in Korea and adopted by French parents, has become an issue of political debate in France. Alain Marleix, a lawmaker with French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s conservative Union for a Popular Movement accused Placé (43) of being a “Korean national” and warned he would “pay the price.”
K-Pop Impresario Buys Luxury Villa in LA
Chosun Ilbo
Lee Soo-man, the chairman of K-pop factory SM Entertainment, has bought a luxury mansion in the U.S. According to a U.S. media report on Thursday, Lee bought the house in Studio City, Los Angeles for US$2.8 million in May.
Angry Birds theme park opens in China
CNNGo
Angry Birds addicts around the world may still be committed to the ultimate destruction of the game’s irritating porcine rogues, but at a real-life Angry Birds theme park, Chinese gamers are already knocking over actual green pigs.
The Angry Birds theme park opened to the public on September 1 in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province in southeastern China.
Jay Park’s New Music Video for “Demon”
South Korea Reacts to Jobs’ Resignation
Wall Street Journal
The fate of Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is dominating the South Korean media Thursday but the resignation of Steve Jobs from his CEO role at Apple Inc. isn’t far behind.
Mr. Oh presided over a failed referendum Wednesday to reduce the scope of Seoul’s school free-lunch program and strongly intimated that he’d resign as a result. So people are waiting for that shoe to drop.
But Mr. Jobs’ departure from his main operating role at Apple is also getting huge attention. In part, that’s because of a media-driven narrative that Apple and Google are threatening to South Korea’s “national champion” companies Samsung and LG. On the other hand, Mr. Jobs is widely admired in South Korea as a visionary and entrepreneur.
Court Denies Motions to Dismiss Kim Leak Case
FAS.org
A federal court yesterday rejected multiple defense motions to dismiss Espionage Act charges against former State Department contractor Stephen Kim, who is accused of leaking classified information to a Fox News reporter.
Mr. Kim’s defense team had marshaled a series of seemingly ingenious arguments for dismissal. The use of the Espionage Act to punish “political crimes” such as leaking is prohibited by the Constitution’s Treason Clause, one defense motion said. Further, the language of the statute appears to prohibit unauthorized disclosure of tangible items, such as documents, not “information” which cannot be surrendered on demand. Also, the defense argued, the Espionage Act is impermissibly vague and ambiguous with respect to oral disclosures. Finally, prohibitions against leaks are enforced and prosecuted rarely and unpredictably, rendering those rare cases intrinsically unfair.
Hines Ward Builds His Dream House
Atlanta Magazine
Ward’s custom home in north Atlanta combined his wish list—often inspired by projects he’d seen in home and garden magazines or during his travels—with practical ideas from a talented team of architect, designer, builder, and real estate broker. “I like modern, but we wanted to build something that will last for a long time,” says Ward, who grew up in Atlanta and wanted to respect the city’s architectural tradition. The athlete also envisioned a spacious home, with plenty of room for memorabilia and entertaining—but more intimate than other supersized celebrity homes he’d seen. Privacy was a big priority.
North Korea’s Kim visits China
CNN International
North Korean leader Kim Jong Il arrived in China Thursday after a visit to Russia, the state-run Xinhua news agency in China reported.
The brief report from Inner Mongolia said Kim was visiting northeastern China but gave no further details about what he was doing or who he was meeting.
The trips comes after Kim visited Russia earlier this week, where he said North Korea is ready to return to nuclear talks without preconditions, according to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s spokeswoman.
Breaking down barriers
The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
An outspoken bisexual, feminist and equal rights campaigner, Margaret Cho is known for her frank comic style. ”I’m not really into the supermodel body type,” she says in her live show, Beautiful. ”Like, Kate Moss – she doesn’t have a vagina. She didn’t feed it and it died.”
Korean Nationalism Put to Song in Lavish ‘Hero’
AP via ABC News
Non-Korean-speaking theatergoers attending Lincoln Center’s production of “Hero: The Musical” might find themselves occasionally skipping some of the English supertitles projected high above the stage to devote more visual attention to the exorbitant onstage attractions in this lavish, $6 million production.
It would be understandable considering the elaborate set and ornate costumes that adorn the sweeping, historical tribute to Korean nationalism — a somber, grueling epic that is as ambitious as it is long.
David Choi Q&A
TheOtherAsians
The grandfather of YouTube and the unofficial spokesperson for Chick-Fil-A, Mr. Choi has the one-of-a-kind combination of exceptional musical talent, tenacity, modesty, effortless humor, and the ability to sing about a girl picking her nose and make us fall in love with her. It certainly helps that he’s not afraid to show off his endearing idiosyncrasies, and no matter how much he doesn’t smile, he leaves us grinning from ear to ear.
From not having heard his first pop song until the 6th grade (Smashmouth’s “All Star” remember?!) to becoming one of the most beloved musicians on YouTube with television, film, and international acclaim, David still remains unassuming, humble, and treats each and every single person—Hollywood celebrity to high school fan—with the same respect and kindness.
Remembering Korean WW II victims
Queens Chronicle (N.Y.)
The Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center and Archives at Queensborough Community College has joined forces with the Korean American Voters Council to present a new exhibit, “Come from the Shadows,” which tells the story of Korea’s “Comfort Women.”
John Kwak: A not-yet-ready-to-retire business owner and Korean community leader
Northwest Asian Weekly
Kwak immigrated to Seattle from South Korea in 1973. In Korea, he participated in the pro-democracy movement against a totalitarian regime, first as a student and then as a professor of education at Korea University. He was primarily a speechwriter, as he did not like to speak in front of crowds himself. However, he was able to articulate ideas for others. Eventually, his activities brought him to the attention of the government, and he was asked to desist.
Cleveland Indians’ Shin-Soo Choo plays for a country
USA Today
The South Korean outfielder is getting a chance to play again, to salvage a season marred by not only the injury but also a DUI arrest. It’s a season in which arguably the best player his country has produced often felt alone and isolated, feeling the weight of the world — or at least countries on both sides of the world — pressing down on him.
Chinese weather woman in ‘F–king’ T-shirt
Korea Times
A weather woman in China broadcast while wearing a T-shirt with a swear word, stirring criticism among the public. The weather caster is said to work at WZTV, one of the national channels in Zhejiang Province.
5 best clubs in Seoul
CNNGo
Seoulites don’t seem to know when to stop partying, as anyone who has ever been near Gangnam station on the weekends can attest.
Lines snake out of the hottest venues all night long, and managers vie with each other about who’s throwing the best party that week. So the next time you’re looking for where to go after round three, look no further. Here are the five best clubs in Seoul, where Champagne and shots flow like water.
Paul Kim – You Left Me For That (Official Music Video) HD
It’s showtime!
What better way to spend your night than to serve the community by attending Showtime 2011?
Showtime 2011, the 18th Annual Benefit Concert for the Asian American Drug Abuse Program (AADAP), raises funds to provide the necessary treatment and programs to families, victims of substance abuse. The Carson Student Movement, Filipino Student Forum, the Carson Red Ribbon Week, and Connexions are just a couple groups that participate in this non-profit organization’s substance abuse prevention program.
AADAP proudly presents this year’s lineup of performers:
Clara C
David Choi
Jennifer Chung
Feats In Inches
The Bricks
That’s right, the YouTube stars have come together to color this special night with their music. AND afterwards, a dessert reception will follow. For those avid fans out there, grab those VIP tickets that include the privilege of partaking in the exclusive meet-and-greet with the artists! A delightful treat awaits non-VIP guests as well: the silent auction and raffle. Continue Reading »
Clara C and David Choi will be participating in a White House Ustream Panel on education today (Feb. 17th) at 4 p.m. PST.
The event, which is put on by the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, is part of a national campaign to recruit more diverse/qualified teachers – only one percent of teachers in the country are Asian American or Pacific Islander.
Sefa Aina, the commissioner of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and Taryn Benarroch, project director of the U.S. Dept. of Education TEACH Campaign will also be participating.
If you can’t make it to the panel, which will take place at Granada Hills Charter High School (10535 Zelzah Ave., Granada Hills, Calif.), you can watch it live through Ustream!
The panel will also be taking questions through Twitter (#AAPITEACH) and email (eddie.lee@ed.gov.)
This is part of our cover series on Asian American YouTube stars. Check out our recent profiles on Wong Fu Productions, Dumbfoundead and Megan Lee.
Story by Julie Ma
Photo courtesy of David Choi
Check out David’s music video after the jump. Continue Reading »
FOR ONLY $28!
Featured Event
It’s the new year, and Yim Jae Beum is coming to town! After a sold-out show in Los Angeles last October, he is coming back to hold two U.S. concerts for the 2012 Lunar New Year. Everyone already knows this man can sing! He’s got an impressive resume, debuting as a rock singer back in 1986, releasing Korean classics, such as “For You,” and most recently, joining and winning first place twice on the MBC show, “I am a Singer.”
Seattle and New Jersey, get ready! We are happy to announce that we will be giving away TWO (2) pairs of tickets! read more
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