The first critical mass of third-generation Korean Americans is here, with more being born each day. Now what? This mother of two explores the complexities parents face and choices they make in raising this new crop of Korean America.

By Nina Moon

“Give me a bpo-bpo!” I call out before my 4-year-old son runs off to play with his friends at preschool.

“Bap jeom mugeoyo,” I tell my 2-year-old as I hold a waiting spoon of rice toward his defiantly closed mouth.

“Hajima!” I shout after finding them both illicitly drawing on their toys.

My hard-won, toddler-level Korean vocabulary is embarrassingly sub-par—so much so that my Korean friends laugh when they overhear me. But I persist. I learned Korean in college to claim a part of myself that I felt I had been previously denied, but frankly, I might have given it up a long time ago had it not been for my children.

They are part of the first critical mass of third-generation Korean Americans, the grandchildren of the original post-1965 wave of Korean immigrants. Their generation is in so many ways more removed from the motherland than my own immigrant-reared generation. They are growing up with largely acculturated American parents and sans the linguistic ties that gave most of my generation at least a working familiarity of Korean. They are more and more likely to be the product of mixed-race or inter-ethnic relationships and must subsequently navigate multiple cultural legacies. Continue Reading »

Christina Mijung Lee, Long Beach, Calif.
“The concept of this piece focuses on the inherent need to seek out and connect to one’s heritage. The young Korean American girl (who also may or may not be multiracial) ‘reaches out’ toward butterflies and flowers of traditional Korean symbolism, which signifies a longing to connect with Korean history and culture. The realistic rendering of the girl is juxtaposed against the flat painting style of her surroundings to reinforce the conceptual divide of time and space. The dreamy/idealistic scene alludes to the way we romanticize the culture from which we are disconnected.”

Josephine Park, Los Angeles, Calif.
“I attempted to create a cover that requires more than a quick glance. The longer you stare, the more recognizable the characters and their stories become. Korean Americans have so many shared life stories that are unique to each generation. I think it’s impossible to fully envision the third generation without considering the previous ones.”

Nathan Nowack, Redondo Beach, Calif.
“When I thought of third generation, my friends kids immediately came into mind. This third generation is still Korean on the outside but at the same time American. How could I portray that in a single photograph with a single person. Hmmm, what about creative makeup? Now not only were they still Korean on the outside, they had the patriotism of America painted all over their face. With iPods and next generation computers engraved in their everyday lives, these kids are truly third generation Korean Americans.”
Now it’s time for you to vote. Choose the cover that best conveys the theme of our issue: The Third Generation of Korean Americans.

Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday, February 12. You can vote once per day. Tell your friends and spread the word! Your votes will determine the cover of an upcoming issue of KoreAm!

It’s voting time! Thanks so much to all of you who submitted videos. We were blown away by your talent and humor. We laughed, we cried (OK, we mostly just laughed) — and now we’re so excited to share these clips with the world.

Please vote for your three favorite videos by this Monday, Nov. 16 at 11:59 p.m. PST. You can vote once every 24 hours. The three finalists — two who receive the highest number of votes and one Editors’ Pick — will be announced later that week. We know it’s not a whole lot of time so you gotta get moving. VOTE, VOTE, VOTE! And spread the word!

[poll id="2"]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX0vp2l_YzU[/youtube]

“Phones before Flowers – 꽃보다 핸”
Writer and director: Roy Choi
DP & Editor: Si Joon Lee
Cast: Paul “PK” Kim, Janet Choi, Roy Choi
Production Assistants: Christine Kim, Rina Lee

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeXYe2OH_7w[/youtube]

“Stairway to Autumn Sonata – Episode 1″
Director & Editor: Ngoc Le
Cast : Peter Lee, Ngoc Le, John Kim, Jacqueline Lum, Alex Lee

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fapt25YScE[/youtube]

“Stairway to Autumn Sonata – Episode 2″
Director & Editor: Ngoc Le
Cast : Peter Lee, Ngoc Le, John Kim, Jacqueline Lum, Alex Lee

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF0diqM4A9M[/youtube]

“Kim Sam Soon Parody”
Director: Esther Yoo
Editor: Soo Hyun Lee
Cast: Esna Yoon, Paul Ahn

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaU-8BmXtpM[/youtube]

“GOCHU (고추) Trailer”
Director: Andrew Oh
Writer: Shane Yoon
Producers: Annie Kim, Andrew Oh
Associate Producer: Eugene Choi
Cast: Jun Kim, Shane Yoon, Mina Yoo, David Lee Kane, Ben Chang, John Park, David Rhee, Eugene Choi, Juliana Park
Fight Coordinator: Ben Chang
Set Photographer: John Park (www.johnparkphoto.com)
Special thanks to: Eddie Kim, Soobin Kang, Sunny Hong

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14Ejvus6q0M[/youtube]

“Soulmate”
Director: Esther Yoo
Editor: Soo Hyun Lee
Cast: Soo Hyun Lee, Vivian Lee
“C’mon Through” performed by: Lasse Lindh

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvhllXr-MZk[/youtube]

“Omma Dearest 1 – Omma Raci$t?”
Director: Chil Kong
Writer: Charles Kim
Cast: Charles Kim, Jully Lee, Dom Magwili

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8GUTOumv64[/youtube]

“Omma Dearest 2 – Harvard?”
Director: Chil Kong
Writer: Charles Kim
Cast: Charles Kim, Lanny Joon

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG4js1cxtM0[/youtube]

“Omma Dearest 3 – Harvard? Part 2″
Director: Chil Kong
Writer: Charles Kim
Cast: Charles Kim, Lanny Joon, Rick Steadman, Ryun Yu, Erin Quill, Jennifer Holloway, Elpidio Ebuen, Bobby Choy

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqyb3Yp2nZU[/youtube]

“The Fight for Love (scene 7)”
Writer, director, editor: Girard Tecson

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgZfEpnuMf4[/youtube]

“Summer Sonata”
Director: Richard Choi
Producer: Hahn Cho
Editor: Dino DeLorenzo
Cast: Vivian Bang, Randall Park, Hahn Cho

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Pt04EC4mRc[/youtube]

“Nocturne of the Stars part 1″
Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer: Ang Xie
Cast: Karen Pan, Czharcus Jones, Leon Horn, Sean Kao

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTDUOXBjM_0[/youtube]

“Nocturne of the Stars part 2″
Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer: Ang Xie
Cast: Karen Pan, Czharcus Jones, Leon Horn, Sean Kao

CONTEST DESCRIPTION
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0L5xMXcN-M[/youtube]
Lust. Envy. Deceit. Amnesia. It must be Korean drama time!

To celebrate the launch of iamKoreAm.com, Verizon Wireless and Asiana Airlines are sponsoring a video contest starring you! Your mission: To create your own K-drama scene.

We want it all—mobsters, catfights, mistaken identities, fatal illnesses, and of course, plenty of over-the-top sobbing. Let your imagination run wild.

So write a script, cast your friends, turn on the video camera and get moving! Clips must be no longer than three minutes and submitted by Nov. 8.

That week, we’ll post the top 10 videos for readers to vote on.

Submit your entry by uploading a video response to this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0L5xMXcN-M

Three finalists (two that receive that the most votes and one that editors pick) will win two tickets to KoreAm’s exclusive celebrity-studded gala “Unforgettable” in Los Angeles (a $500 value), where their videos will be screened. Attendees will vote for their favorite scene via text messaging. The winner will take home one round-trip ticket to Korea from Asiana Airlines and a Verizon Wireless phone.

The rules and details:

• Scenes must be in English, or subtitled in English.
• You can remake a scene from an existing Korean drama, but try to avoid using the original audio. Dubbing in your own lines is part of the fun!
• Submissions must be original creations. The video must not have been previously submitted, distributed or aired.
• No profanity or sexually-explicit content.
• Videos will be judged on originality, humor and overall impressiveness.

Sponsored by:

Sing, chat, play — Big Phony style.

Did you miss the show? Don’t worry, here’s a replay.
Continue Reading »

Show Information

• Artist: KoreAm Live
• Date: Tuesday, October 20th 2009
• Time: 7:00pm
• City: KoreAm Live in Big Phony
• Venue: KoreAm Live
• Country: US
• Age restrictions: All Ages
• Notes: Big Phony live chat with KoreAm. October 20th at 7 p.m. PST.
• Add to Google Calendar | Download iCal

BoA. The name conjures up so many images: a financial institution, a type of serpent, a long stole of feathers draped around a woman’s neck. It’s a bizarre set of American references for a certain pop songstress hailing from Korea, who bears the same name.

In the United States, “people will call me Bank of America,” says 22-year-old Asian pop artist BoA Kwon, with a slight roll of the eyes. “Whatever.” (It doesn’t help that her official American site is boaamerica.com). And once, she searched her name on YouTube and videos of boa constrictors came up. “That was so scary to me.”

It’s her real name — the one stamped on her birth certificate and granted by her parents. But before she debuted in Japan at age 13, her company gave the moniker a re-branding of sorts, dubbing her “Beat of Angel.”

Now, she’s the BoA staking her claim as an international pop megastar. This spring, she released her first U.S. album. It took almost two years to record the 11 upbeat dance tracks, which include the single “I Did It For Love,” written by Sean Garrett (who has produced Usher and Chris Brown). The album, which dropped in March, hit the Top 200 charts on Billboard at #127.

But there’s still work to do.

On a recent spring afternoon, BoA is in her suite at the historic Roosevelt, a stones-throw from Hollywood and Highland. An English tutor sits nearby, gently correcting her grammar, if needed. Behind them, a window captures a view of the Kodak Theatre, the foot traffic of tourists, the Walk of Fame. BoA’s lithe, 99-pound frame is cloaked in a Marilyn Monroe tee and skinny jeans; her lids are smoky and her long, sometimes-corn-rowed tresses, are now straight as a board. As she nestles onto a plush couch, an entourage of managers surrounds her.

“I’m Korean,” BoA says in her signature sweet, melodic voice. “I never tried to be American because I don’t have to be. But the biggest challenge [in the United States] is the English language. If you don’t know the language, you can’t share your mind, your soul, even your music.”

To be BoA is to have homes in far-flung places: Tokyo, Seoul, and now, Los Angeles. She’s been in La-La Land since September – and upon arrival, zeroed in on its shops: The Beverly Center, Rodeo Drive, and Barneys. She still returns to Asia often. “It’s tiring,” she says, with an exaggerated, world-weary sigh. “Going back and forth. It’s crazy!” She throws her hands up, then laughs.

It all started more than a decade ago, when the pop sensation – who as a girl, belted out Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men – was discovered somewhat accidentally. When she was 11, she accompanied her breakdancer brother to his audition for SM Entertainment, which is where talent scouts asked her to try out as well. She sang (some Korean tune) and danced (some hip-hop moves) and that night, the agency called her up and offered a contract. “But not for my brother,” she says. “So, that was pretty awkward.”

She had the support of her two older brothers; her parents, on the other hand, needed some convincing. At the time, no one in Korea – especially females – was pursuing a music career at such a ripe, young age. But the cajoling of her siblings paid off: She started to train in vocals, dance and Japanese language. “I was just a normal kid,” she claims. Yet after school, she’d flock to the studio to rehearse and ultimately, debuted in South Korea with the album “ID: PeaceB.”

The next year, she was in Japan.

“It was lonely,” she says. “I missed my family a lot.” But she was hardly alone – her staff orbited around and one manager lived with her. “I had a good time. I was fine.” Since then, she’s dropped more than a dozen albums and has been straddling explosive careers in both countries. After selling 20 millions records and winning a bundle of awards — including the 2004 “Most Influential Artist in Asia” honor by MTV Asia — she’s added the States to the mix with her first eponymous American album, recorded entirely in English.

“I was excited,” she says. “I always wanted to be a singer in Korea, but I never imagined being able to cross over to Japan or America. But it was the right time. And so, it happened.”

Once she nailed down the English – mostly through round-the-clock tutor sessions and the memorization of lyrics – BoA gave her first stateside performance at MTV Iggy’s Times Square studio in New York in 2008. This year, she launched a full-blown national promotion tour that included record-release performances and the headliner slot for Kollaboration, a popular Asian American talent show, at the Shrine Auditorium.

But even with two debuts under her belt, she knows she’s facing the toughest – and largest – market of all. Does she have what it takes?

“I just want to share my music with as many people as possible,” she replies, smiling bashfully. “I love to sing and dance and I want to have a career here. It’s not really about winning all these awards and being a huge success.” She adds with a giggle, “Well, maybe it is for my company.”

As for who she’d want to collaborate with, she says, “Justin Timberlake! He’s so sexy.” And when told she’s often pegged as the “Asian Britney Spears,” BoA’s face lights up. “Thank you, thank you!” she says. “I love her performances.”

But despite the high visibility afforded to sex symbols like Britney (especially during her no-underwear upskirts while clubbing), BoA has no interest in partying – or flashing – her way to the top. BoA’s voice may be heard in the clubs, but she won’t be there, physically. She’s a homebody. “I can dance on stage or in the studio,” she says. “I don’t have to at the clubs. I can’t club the whole night, anyway. It might hurt my back!

“My gosh,” she adds, giving her eyes another roll. “I sound like a mother.”

Whether she becomes an American household name or not, BoA’s fan base is so devoted, that they’ll even forgive the occasional mishap. “Sometimes on tour, I’ll forget the lyrics and they have to stop the music,” says BoA. “On stage, I stop and say, ‘Oh my god, I forgot the lyrics, hold on a second!’ Then I come out again and finish the song. My fans? They just laugh. They’re fine with it. I love accidents.

“All the audiences in the world are the same,” she adds. “I love my fans, I do. They’re really sweet.”