Korean American Animator Will Kim Creates Moving Watercolor Tales

by KARIN CHAN

There is no space to walk around Will Kim’s home studio in South Pasadena, Calif. due to a mosaic of watercolor paintings lying on the floor for drying purposes. The 30-year-old Korean American animator digitally scans each painting individually and spends about 10 hours every week arranging hundreds of jpegs on a film editing software. After completing a project, he tosses out his precious paintings, much to his family’s dismay. Kim tells KoreAm that he can’t afford to hold onto past works as his garage holds more stacks of paper than his sons’ toys.

Born in Los Angeles, but raised in Seoul for the first half of his life, Kim belongs to a rare breed of animators who painstakingly draws every frame in a film and does not work as part of an animation studio. For a 2-minute animated film, he paints over a thousand watercolor stills.

“I’ve invested thousands and thousands of dollars in art supplies. It’s not even the brushes—it’s too many watercolor papers,” Kim tells KoreAm in a phone interview. “But in this highly digitized animation era, I still paint frame by frame on paper because there’s something that a computer cannot mimic on paper.”

Several film festivals—such as the Los Angeles Film Festival, Tribeca and the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity—took notice of Kim’s unique and colorful animated brushstrokes. Last month, Kim’s short film Waiting won best animation at the Asians on Film Festival before getting accepted into this year’s San Diego Film Festival, which runs from Nov. 5-14.

Described as a “visual poem” by the creator, Waiting is a tribute to Kim’s late friend Simon, who died after a long battle with a rare blood cancer. The short film is based on a series of dreams in which Kim is visited by his dear friend’s spirit and beautifully captures the absence and longing a person feels when a loved one departs from this world.

“In the film, there’s this moment where I’m in a surreal place trying to hug this spirit—it’s an empty hug at the end of the film. I had a hard time letting go, but at the same time we know his spirit was still here,” Kim says.

Read full article here. 

Help Us Convince Our Publisher to Make a “Haikus With Hotties” Calendar

Dear loyal reader, 

We’re going a little bit rogue here and launching a fun Kickstarter campaign for you all. Hear us out! 

If you’ve been following Audrey Magazine, you may have noticed that we have a series called “Haikus With Hotties“ where we convince hot Asian American men to exchange poetry with us. Part spoof of the male model photo shoot, part genuine celebration of a really attractive segment of the population that doesn’t get enough media attention, “Haikus With Hotties” started out with unarguably attractive model/actor Godfrey Gao and has eventually expanded to include Freddie Wong, Dante Basco, Yen Chen, Randall Park and Chris Dinh. Our latest one, which will come out in our Fall issue (out September 2015) will feature brothers Yoshi and Peter Sudarso. (See above.) 

Now that we have 7 haiku exchanges, we only need 5 more hotties to make a HAIKUS WITH HOTTIES CALENDAR for 2016. But in order to get permission and funding to do that, we have to convince our publisher James Ryu that this an excellent idea. And though he is incredibly supportive of us and respected for his work for the community (25 years of KoreAm Journal!), he doesn’t really get it. He’s not convinced there’s a market for it and doesn’t want to print them out and have boxes of calendars sitting in our storage room. 

We think he’s wrong! And that hot Asian American men (and the people who love them) shouldn’t be underestimated, especially if these men prove they also have a sense of humor and a knack for poetry. 

Please check out our Kickstarter and consider supporting us so we can make this really, really hot calendar a reality for you. 

Also, there’s a chance to VOTE on Twitter for 5 more hot guys who can be in our calendar. Another reason to check out the Kickstarter: we have hot photos of our top 10 dream picks, and we need you to help us figure out which ones to try to pursue. 

Thanks for helping us spread the gift of hotness! 

With love, Ada Tseng (and the members of the Audrey staff that she will keep anonymous in case James gets mad at us) 

Check out our Kickstarter page. 

Korean Designer Modernizes Hanbok Into Casual Outfits

With its vibrant colors and unique silhouette, hanbok, or traditional Korean attire, has often been regarded as one of the most iconic aspects of Korean culture. Up until a century ago, Koreans wore hanbok as everyday clothes to work, school and public outings. The tradition of wearing the elaborate, multi-layered dress eventually faded as Koreans opted for the convenience of Western-style clothing.

Korean designer Hwang Yi-seul, also known as Dew Hwang, is pushing for hanbok to make a comeback with her clothing line Leesle, which specializes in creating casual hanbok that can easily be worn on a daily basis.

Her designs incorporate the empire and A-line silhouettes of traditional hanbok, but are created from quality fabrics, such as cotton, denim and linen, to achieve a clean and modern look. These modernized hanbok dresses are sold in a variety of colors, from soft pastels to bolder tones, and trendy patterns. Buttons, zippers, pockets and elastic waistbands are sewn into the dresses to make it easy and comfortable to wear.

Hwang’s casual hanbok dresses retail anywhere from $100 to $150.

Read full article here.

‘America’s Next Top Model’ Casts First Korean Male Model

After 21 cycles, America’s Next Top Model has finally cast its first-ever male model of Korean descent, and he’s got a “smize” that will make Tyra proud.

Hailing from Springfield, Virg., Justin Kim, 23, stands over six feet tall and already has quite a following on social media for his dashing good looks. The Korean American model has over 10k followers on Instagram, and it’s only been a week since ANTM Cycle 22 premiered. According to Model Mayhem, a popular modeling network site, Kim has prior experience in editorial, erotic, fitness, swimwear and promotional modeling.

In an interview with DCW Television, Kim admitted that he only saw the previous two cycles of ANTM and never thought that he would actually make it onto the show. While modeling may not be a common career many Asian Americans pursue, Kim said he received early support from his family.

“Some Asian Americans, like myself, come from a conservative cultural background in terms of professions and careers you want to pursue,” he said. “Fortunately for me, my parents were supportive of whatever route I chose.”

Read full article here. 

Dogs Get Botox and Plastic Surgery in South Korea

by REERA YOO

It’s no secret that South Korea is the world’s capital for plastic surgery. Earlier this year, the Washington Post reported that about 20 percent of women in South Korea have gotten “some form of cosmetic work” done.

But it seems like doing touch-ups on their own faces and bodies are no longer enough for some Koreans. According to the Chosun Ilbo, there has been a rise in pet owners putting their pets, mostly dogs, under the knife for some nips and tucks, including botox.

“Plastic surgery for pets in the past were for medical reasons but the result also brought better looking dogs, so there is a growing customer base getting a plastic surgery for cosmetic reasons on their dogs,” one unnamed veterinarian told the Chosun Ilbo, according to Kotaku.

The price tags for these pet cosmetic procedures can be as cheap as $60 or go up to thousands of dollars. Some of the most popular ones include tail shortening, ear trimming, wrinkle straightening, fat and stretch marks removal and double eyelid surgery. That’s right, double eyelid surgery. When was the last time you looked at a pair of puppy dog eyes and thought they didn’t look adorable enough?

Before you condemn the entire country for this trend, many South Koreans are opposed to plastic surgery for pets. In a survey conducted by Korean veterinarian magazine Daily Vet, about 63 percent of respondents said cosmetic surgery for pets should be banned. 

Read full article here.

Two South Koreans Cycle Across USA for ‘Comfort Women’ Awareness

by KARIN CHAN

Two South Korean pals are cycling across America to raise awareness for the Korean “comfort women” who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II.

Baek Doek-yoel, 26, and Sim Yong-seok, 26, kicked off their 3,300-mile journey to New York on June 20 in Los Angeles. The two hope that their cycling adventure will encourage the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration to act on the three A’s represented in the Triple A Project: admit, apologize, and accompany.

This means that the Japanese government must admit to the fact that Korean women were forced to work in Japanese military brothels, apologize to the many women affected by this wartime atrocity and accompany them—that is, to be in solidarity with the surviving women who want their voices to be heard, according to the Columbia Missourian.

Baek met Sim while serving in the South Korean army, and the two bonded over their common interest in Japan-South Korea relations. Born and raised in Incheon, Sim first became interested in the comfort women issue after watching the 2011 animated film Herstory, which follows the story of Jeon Seo-wun, a woman who was forced to work at a Japanese military brothel in Indonesia at the age of 15. For Seoul-native Baek, he felt compelled to raise awareness for the issue after meeting a Korean comfort woman in person.

Read full article here.

Walter Chang Records His Incredible 3-Year Journey to Over 60 Countries

by JAMES S. KIM.

Many of us daydream about dropping everything we have one day and traveling across the world. Walter Chang actually did it.

As an overworked, exhausted young professional in 2010, Chang began having thoughts about quitting his job traveling through Southeast Asia for three months. For about a year, he saved up money by moving out of his apartment, selling most of his belongings and crashing at his friends’ homes.

In September 2011, Chang hopped on a plane and went to see the world. He traveled to Nepal and trekked to the Everest Base Camp, saw cheetahs in southern Africa and visited the spiritual sites of Varanasi, India.

What was initially meant to be a three-month trip became a year. A year soon became two. Then three. Chang’s final tally of traveling included over 60 countries, mugging in Chile, a near-fatal car accident in the Namib Deserta as well as lifelong memories and relationships.

Armed with camera equipment, Chang recorded his globetrotting adventures in photographs and on film, and he’s now working on a photo book to share his memories and hopefully inspire a bit of wanderlust in young people.

The film portion of his “We Call This Home” project is complete (you can watch it above), but the photo book needs a bit of financial support to complete

Read full article here.

Marine Corps’ First Korean American General Takes Command at Camp Pendleton

by JAMES S. KIM

The distinguished 1st Marine Division has a new commander in Brig. Gen. Daniel D. Yoo, reports Press Enterprise. Maj. Gen. Lawrence D. Nicholson transferred command to Yoo during a ceremony yesterday at Camp Pendleton near San Diego, Calif., where the division is headquartered.

Yoo, 55, will lead the 23,000-strong division after leaving his post as its assistant commander. He led Camp Pendleton’s last deployment to Afghanistan in Jan. 2013, as the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) oversaw the Afghan elections in April and devised a plan to exit the country.

Read full article here.

Margaret Cho Explains Why White People Criticize Asians About Race

by KARIN CHAN

Comedian Margaret Cho recently appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers to share her thoughts on the online criticism she faced for portraying a North Korean soldier at the Golden Globes.

“I think what it is, is that white people like to tell Asians how to feel about race because they’re too scared to tell black people,” the Korean American Cho observed.

Meyers then responded, “It’s a jackpot for us because we want to scold people about race too, but we’re too scared.”

Cho received some flak on Twitter last January after she played a gruff North Korean army general and journalist at the Golden Globes. Her character, Cho Yung Ja, was named the “newest Hollywood Foreign Press Association member” as part of a gag to poke fun of The Interview and the Sony hack.

Read full article here. 

Nan-hui Jo Released on Bond From Immigration Detention

by REERA YOO 

It’s been almost a year since Nan-hui Jo was arrested on child abduction charges after fleeing to South Korea with her then-infant daughter to escape from an allegedly abusive relationship. On Thursday, Jo’s supporters rejoiced at the announcement of the mother being released on bond from immigration detention.

“We are incredibly relieved that Nan-Hui has finally been released and is one step closer to resolving this year-long nightmare. It is unthinkable that ICE was days away from permanently separating a mother from her child because of a system that prioritizes deportation quotas over the well-being of a family,” Saira Hussain, staff attorney at Asian Law Caucus, said in a statement. “We must recognize this case within the context of the growing criminalization of survivors of domestic violence and the undocumented community.”

In 2009, Jo took her daughter to South Korea after her visa expired in hopes of escaping physical and emotional abuse inflicted by her former partner, child’s biological father and Iraq war veteran Jesse Charlton. During the five years Jo resided in Korea, Charlton had filed a complaint with law enforcement, claiming that his girlfriend abducted their daughter and failed to respond to his numerous emails.

On July 29, 2014, Jo was arrested upon landing in Hawaii and was forcibly separated from her daughter, who is currently in the care of Charlton. While she awaited trial on child abduction charges, Jo was incarcerated in Yolo County, Calif. for over nine months.

Read full article here.

Cyclist Alicia Gogue Makes Her Special Olympics World Games Debut

by KARIN CHAN

When 6,500 athletes representing 165 countries come to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday for the opening ceremony of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, 31-year-old Alicia Gogue will be among them.

An athlete of mixed Korean and Chamorro descent (her mother is Korean while her father’s side is from Guam), Alicia will be representing the United States in the 1000-meter, 2K and 5K cycling events at Alamitos Beach in Long Beach, Calif.

Having excelled in such sports as alpine skiing and cycling growing up on the East coast, Alicia first imagined competing on the world stage when she visited the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs last year. While she’s competed in Special Olympics Maryland for the past 15 years, it was her drive and endurance that propelled her to the World Games this year.

Gogue recalls the day she received an email notifying her that she would be part of Team USA.

“I was overjoyed and felt thrilled,” she says in a recent phone interview with KoreAm.

The Special Olympics World Games are held every four years, and alternate every two years between summer and winter games. The 2014 Special Olympics World Winter Games were held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, which incidentally is the site of the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Founded in 1968, the Special Olympics organizes competitions in 32 Olympic-style summer and winter sports for athletes ages 8 and up with intellectual disabilities.

This year’s World Games in L.A.—the biggest sporting event in the city since the 1984 Summer Olympics—will take place from July 25 to August 2.

Read full article here. 

First Half Grades for Korean Major Leaguers

by JAMES S. KIM

As the second half of the 2015 MLB season underway, here’s a look at how the players of Korean descent fared in the big leagues until now. It’s a mixed bag, filled with disappointments but also plenty to cheer for, especially with the newcomers.

Shin-soo Choo

Outfielder, Texas Rangers An Expensive Disappointment Grade: D-

With great power comes great responsibility. With a hefty contract comes heavy expectations, and Shin-soo Choo just looks like dead weight out there.

It hurts to write that, as Choo worked tirelessly to get back into game shape after injuries made his first year with the Rangers a forgettable one. But year two of a 7-year, $130 million contract isn’t faring much better, and in fact, it looks worse: His slash line of .221/.305/.384 for the first half is the worst of his career since his major league debut in 2005.

He’s a far cry from the player who made getting on base look easy just a few years ago with the Cleveland Indians and the Cincinnati Reds. At 33 years old, Choo isn’t the youngest player on the roster, but this drop-off hopefully isn’t due to aging.

The Rangers are reportedly even considering trading him in the upcoming offseason. The team is full of left-handed hitters and the outfield is crowded, so it’s quite possible Choo might be palying elsewhere in 2016. We’re rooting for a stronger second half, whether it boosts his trade value or actually helps the Rangers get back into the AL West race.

Jung-ho Kang

Third Baseman, Pittsburgh Pirates The New Kid on the Block Grade: A

Who would’ve thought the first-year player with so many question marks would end up being the most consistent on our list halfway through the 2014 season? Kang, 28, had important questions attached to his 4-year, $16 million contract: Could he hit MLB pitching? Would he get enough playing time behind starter Josh Harrison, and if he did, would his defense be a liability? And the most important one: Is his leg kick too much?

The numbers speak for themselves. In 72 game appearances (53 starts), Kang is hitting a respectable .268/.348/.384 with four home runs and 29 RBI. His offensive WAR is measured at 1.4, which is decent for someone who didn’t have consistent playing time early in the season. Kang has appeared primarily at third base on defense, but did start 16 games at shortstop, and he’s held his own—his 0.3 defensive WAR looks better than Harrison’s negative 0.3 dWAR. And by the way, #thatlegkick.

Kang has started at third base since early July, when Harrison was sidelined with a thumb injury. Coming into the All Star break, Kang hit safely in nine of his last 10 starts while slotted in at clean-up, batting .293 (12 for 41) in that span with one double, two triples and seven runs scored. His surge matches the Pirates roaring into the break and going 8-2 in the last 10 games; they are now just two games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the division lead.

Here’s hoping we see Kang and the Pirates in the playoffs come October.

Rob Refsnyder

Second Baseman, New York Yankees The Young’un with Big Shoes to Fill Grade: To Be Continued

It’s hard not to get excited for Rob Refsnyder once you see past the pinstripes. That’s especially true for Yankees fans, who have been waiting for the next player to fill the hole Robinson Cano left in 2014. After getting called up on July 11, Refsnyder collected both his first big-league hit and home run at Fenway Park in the last game before the All-Star break. The best part: His family was in the crowd, and the hits came against the Red Sox.

Manager Joe Girardi won’t reveal what the team’s plan is for Refsnyder, but it isn’t a two-week trial. Even though the Yankees have a crowded roster, expect Refsnyder to get plenty of outings at second—though, the team will have to decide whether to keep the young player or send him back down to the minors.

One knock on his game has been his defense, but despite his first error in the major leagues on July 12 (13 errors at Triple-A), Girardi was happy overall, which bodes well. Offensively, Refsnyder has been pretty solid at Triple-A, hitting .290 with an on-base percentage of .387 and slugging .413—consistent with the numbers he put up last year after being promoted from Double-A.

Meanwhile, Refsnyder made his first start in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium on Friday night. Best of luck to the guy, pinstripes and all.

Read full article here.

5 Non-Alcoholic Korean Drinks to Quench Your Thirst This Summer

by REERA YOO

Summer is in full swing, and as the days grow hotter, you’re going to need some cool drinks aside from soju cocktails. Here are five non-alcoholic Korean beverages you can enjoy this summer.

1. Sikhye (Sweet rice tea)

Often served as a dessert, sikhye is a traditional sweet tea brewed from malt water and cooked rice. The tea is usually served cold in a small bowl with bits of ginger and jujube for extra flavoring. Sikhye contains dietary fiber and amylases, enzymes that helps digest carbohydrates.

According to the Korea Tourism Organization, the rice tea was served regularly to royalty as an apéritif. You can normally find sikhye in restaurants or Korean saunas, also known as jjimjjilbang. The drink is also widely available in canned form in local Korean grocery stores and vending machines.

2. Banana Flavored Milk

If you’re a K-drama fan, then you’ve probably seen Boys Over Flowers star Lee Min-ho sipping out of this chubby, yellow bottle. Since its launch in 1974, Banana Flavored Milk has become one of South Korea’s most popular drinks.

Back in the early 1970s, the South Korean government was trying to encourage people to consume more milk to help combat malnutrition. However, the taste of white milk was too plain for many Koreans. So, dairy company Binggrae decided to add banana flavoring. Bananas were considered a luxury food at the time, so Binggrae’s affordable banana milk soon became a huge hit. Forty-one years later, you can still find Banana Flavored Milk being sold at local convenience stores.

Read full article here. 

Kids Eat Kimchi for the Very First Time

Walk into any Korean restaurant and you’ll be sure to find kimchi available as a side dish or incorporated into meals such as kimchi fried rice. Wonder how Korea’s national dish packs such a punch? That’s probably because kimchi is created with fermented cabbage and lots of spicy seasoning. Even if your taste buds can’t quite handle kimchi, we’re going to bet you’re familiar with the sight and smell of it.

In fact, these days you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone here in Southern California who is completely unaware of kimchi. With the rise in popularity of Korean food over recent years, we’ve all grown familiar with kimchi’s strong taste and even stronger scent. But before I picked up the habit of stuffing myself with KBBQ in college, I can honestly say I didn’t have a clue in the world what kimchi was. If you had placed a bowl of kimchi in front of me as a kid, I would have just stared at you in confusion.

And I don’t seem to be the only one who would react this way. Knowing that children who aren’t Korean hold a higher chance of being unfamiliar with kimchi, The Fine Bros’ React Channel decided it would be fun to show children eating kimchi for the very first time.

Watch video here.

Caring Across Generations

In a groundbreaking new book, Asian American studies professors Grace Yoo and Barbara Kim explore how the adult children of Korean immigrants are dealing with the challenges of caring for their aging parents.

by MARGARET RHEE

This book is the result of a sociological study, but it emerged from a deeply personal place for the two of you. Could you talk more about that?

Barbara Kim: We began this project while each of us was working on other studies that involved Asian American family issues, such as how Asian American and other women of color navigate cancer and find support, or Korean immigrant entrepreneurs and health insurance and retirement savings practices.

We also observed with our own families and friends how we were all transitioning to another life stage: parents were retiring and some were getting sick; the 1.5 and second generations were finding, or getting a lot of pressure to find, partners and/or having children. …. We realized that Korean Americans were changing based on age and life stage. While we discussed these issues with friends and colleagues, no one to our knowledge had written about it from our perspectives. It may be a reflection of how Korean Americans, due to their particular immigration history, did not have this critical mass of aging immigrants and their adult children until recently.

Then, in the course of writing this book, various issues emerged to make the project particularly relevant and poignant.

Grace Yoo: I had to deal with the passings of my in-laws and then had to deal with my father, then 74 years old, being diagnosed with kidney failure. My dad was given six months to live, but, thanks to the care and advocacy of my mother, sisters and myself, he has since adjusted to dialysis and is living in Southern California. He’s 81 years old.

BK: Meanwhile, I got married and had one parent and one in-law diagnosed with dementia. As we finished the project, I was learning to manage my own parent’s care and future along with my other family members, while observing how my husband and his sisters found help and negotiated my in-law’s care.

How did you choose the subjects you included in this book?

BK: We looked for [adult] Korean American women and men with immigrant parents. These children were either born in the U.S.—second-generation—or came before the age of 13 and considered themselves 1.5-generation, with one parent aged 55 or older. Most of our participants had parents in their 60s and 70s. We limited our geographic scope to those living in the greater Los Angeles or San Francisco Bay areas, since that’s where we are based. We recruited through snowball sampling and through announcements in Korean American organizations and social networks.

Many of the challenges faced by the subjects in the book—1.5- and second-generation Korean Americans feeling overwhelmed in caring for their aging parents, while also working and raising their own children—may sound quite universal for anyone in the so-called sandwich generation. What would you say is different, or perhaps unique, about the Korean American experience of these issues?

GY: For Korean Americans, caring [for their immigrant parents] has been a lifelong endeavor. This form of caring starts as a child and evolves in young and middle adulthood. Caring as a child has meant everything from getting good grades in order to make their parents happy, to doing cultural and language interpreting for immigrant parents, such as filling out business forms or accompanying their parents to doctors’ offices. [As they grow older, it] includes thinking about parental dreams and expectations regarding one’s career and even marital choices. When parents get ill, the children of immigrants play an even larger role in navigating health care and making sure parents are treated with respect and are heard in the health care setting.

The uniqueness of this experience, though, is not limited to Korean Americans. Children of immigrants of many varied backgrounds may experience this kind of “care work” [responsibility] over a lifetime as they straddle language, culture and worlds for their parents, but also navigate the structural constraints immigrants face, including everyday racism.

Read full article here. 

NOTE: Authors Kim and Yoo will be answering questions from KoreAm readers later this week. To submit questions or comments, please email us at comments@iamkoream.com or tweet us @KoreAm with the hashtag #FamilyTies.

Q&A with Blue Bottle Coffee Roaster Juliet Han

story and photography by JANE KIM

KoreAm recently traveled to the Blue Bottle Coffee headquarters in Oakland, Calif., to meet with Juliet Han, a roaster for one of the fastest-growing and most religiously sought-after third-wave coffee labels. Based in the Bay Area but with locations in New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo, Blue Bottle focuses on signature blends and single-origin beans and is known for its attention to coffee purity, brewing each cup manually.

Having worked in the coffee industry for over a decade, Han, 33, has a few notches in her belt. She is a certified “Q Grader,” loosely considered the coffee equivalent of a wine sommelier. She has judged regional barista competitions and placed third in the 2012 U.S. Cup Tasters Championship, representing Intelligentsia Coffee.

After graduating from the University of California, San Diego, Han took up musicians’ rights and headed to Washington, D.C., for a music policy internship—which explains the darling treble clef inked on her wrist. Music eventually led to coffee, and coffee took her to Chicago, Vermont and back to California. All business in her pepperoni pizza print work cap when we visited, Han explained how these experiences refined her palate and put her on the path to becoming a coffee roaster. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

What does a coffee roaster do exactly?

Juliet Han:  As a roaster, it is super important that we taste the coffees we are making—it’s the only way to understand how to roast the coffee. When we roast, we’re using all our senses; I especially use my nose. The way a coffee smells while it’s roasting will help explain what it might taste like. At Blue Bottle, we “cup” (Editor’s note: lingo for the procedure used to detect taste and aroma) most of our roasts, six days a week. We cup the coffees with each roast—separately, and then together as a blend. This helps me to direct the other roasters on any changes we have to make. The coffees are always changing as well, from the size of a batch we roast, to the way it changes with time. It all depends on the season as well. We forget coffee is a raw product. We want characteristics of that country to really shine in the coffee. I get to help make all of this happen.

What’s it like working at Blue Bottle?

Blue Bottle is a really fun, challenging place to roast coffee, in all of my experiences. We have one of the widest menus and coffees from all over the world, with different varietals. We aim for deliciousness; we don’t say no to a certain country, or a certain way a coffee is processed. We have two machines—one vintage, one state-of-the-art technology. Every day is different and new.

Were you always into coffee?

I was in college when I took a night job. I grew up drinking soda, and coffee was the next sophisticated thing to do in college. It was disgusting. I would drink white mochas and add sugar. That’s how I started.

Read full article here. 

Koreans Speaking at San Diego Comic-Con 2015 Panels

San Diego Comic-Con, the biggest and most wonderful gathering of comic book nerds and pop-culture enthusiasts from around the world, is in full swing this week. Here are some of the Korean Americans who will be participating in panels during the 4-day convention!

Jim Lee

DC Comics artist, writer; DC Entertainment co-publisher

Follow @JimLee

Jim Lee is one of the most revered figures in the comic book industry. His travels range far and wide. Lee began his career at Marvel Comics back in the 1980s as an artist. In 1991, X-Men No.1, which he illustrated, became (and remains) the best-selling single comic book of all time.

Lee also helped form Image Comics in 1992, where he was able to publish his own creative content. Years later, after deciding to focus more on art, Lee left Image Comics and joined DC Comics, where he worked on iconic characters such as Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman. In February 2010, Lee and Dan DiDio were named co-publishers of DC Comics. The following year, Lee became one of the architects behind the New 52, a relaunch of 52 new series.

To learn more about Lee, read KoreAm‘s Dec. 2011 feature story on him here. Make sure to catch Lee at the convention’s DC Entertainment panel and his solo panel on Sunday.

Tony B. Kim

Blogger and Comic-Con enthusiast 

Follow @Crazy4ComicCon Website: Crazy 4 Comic-Con

It all began with issue No. 1 of The Man of Steel. As a young child of immigrant parents, Kim connected with Superman’s identity crisis.

“This man of steel always felt like he was created to make a difference but wrestled with compromising the two worlds of his heritage,” Kim writes in a blog entry. “I started to feel understood. I realized that pain and struggle is part of this journey into young adulthood and I was not alone on this path.”

As a passionate comic books fan, Kim considers himself a proud nerd. In 2005, the Superman fan moved to Southern California from Texas, finally making his way to the “Nerd Mecca” known as San Diego Comic-Con. Since then, Kim’s been a self-titled Comic-Con evangelist spreading the nerd gospel.

Kim will be one of the speakers at SDCC’s “Geek Wars: The Nerds Awaken” panel on Friday at 10 a.m.

Soyon An

Costume Designer

Follow @SoysFashion

A graduate from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) and Otis College of Art and Design, Soyon An has worked on So You Think You Can Dance as a costume designer for six seasons, as well as a fashion consultant for American Idol. Her latest project as costume designer is a live-action adaptation of Jem and the Holograms, which is now in post-production and slated for an October 2015 release.

At SDCC, An will be speaking at a costume panel on Friday at 1 p.m. and a design panel on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Greg Pak

Comic book writer and filmmaker

Follow @gregpak Website: GregPak.com

Greg Pak is best known for his work on Action Comics, Batman/Superman, Planet Hulk, World War Hulk and Storm. His graphic novel Code Monkey Save World, which is based on the songs of Jonathan Coulton, holds the record for highest-grossing, original comics Kickstarter of all time.

On the film side, Pak directed the 2003 sci-fi indie film Robot Stories, starring Tamlyn Tomita and Sab Shimono, and wrote the screenplay for MVP, which premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival.

Pak will be present at SDCC’s “Super Asian America” panel on Sunday at 3 p.m. in Room 29AB, alongside Dante Basco (Avatar: The Last Airbender), Chloe Bennet (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D), Amy Chu (Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman) and other talented Asian American guests.

See full list here. 

Closer to Barcelona Debut, Lee Seung-Woo Calls Out His Critics

by STEVE HAN

South Korean soccer’s whiz kid Lee Seung-woo has taken a significant step towards realizing his dream of playing alongside Lionel Messi at Camp Nou, home of the world-renowned FC Barcelona.

It’s been four years since the 17-year-old Lee joined the glamorous club’s academy, and now the Korean player will be joiningBarcelona “Barça” B, a reserve team that serves as the final stage of developmentfor players who have been groomed in Barcelona’s youth system before they ascend to the big league. Barça B alums include Messi as well as World Cup winners Andreas Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez.

Lee, along with his countryman and teammate Paik Seung-ho, was recently summoned by Barça B to join the team’s preseason camp beginning next week, according to Spanish dailySport. Barça B will compete in the third-tier Segunda Division B in the upcoming 2015-16 season. Up until last season, Lee and Paik had trained with Barça Juvenil A, a youth team for players under the age of 18 or younger.

“I feel honored to play for Barça B,” Lee told the Korean media on Tuesday. “I didn’t think I’d get an opportunity this quickly. This is the result of my years worth of hard work. My goal is to make my debut in Barcelona’s top team within two to three years.”

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Kristen Kish Embarks on New Role with Travel Channel

story by OLIVER SARIA photography by AUSTIN HUCK, Hive Studio

Making Her Connection

Top Chef alum Kristen Kish is about to embark on a new adventure co-hosting an upcoming Travel Channel show inspired by New York Times’ “36 Hours” column. What will this mean for her culinary career and will fans be able to connect with her in the same candid way?

In late 2012, as Kristen Kish left defeated challengers in her wake on Last Chance Kitchen—the online companion show to Bravo’s Top Chef, where eliminated contestants go head-to-head for a chance to return to the competition—key characteristics of Kish’s cooking style solidified, like a perfectly tempered ganache.

Kish—the eventual winner of Top Chef, Season 10, and only the second female to have won the title—created dishes along the way that were deceptively simple, belying their true complexity. She successfully translated her inventiveness through impeccable technique, whether it was her perfectly pan-fried chicken livers with pickled fruit and caramel garlic sauce; her orecchiette with brown butter herbs and (surprisingly) pomegranate; or the judges’ favorite in the finale: her celery root purée with bone marrow and mushrooms. Regardless of the frantic environment, her food remained focused, composed and balanced.

In many ways, Kish’s personality seemed to mirror her food; even when her nerves kicked in, she remained focused. Hardly a ruffle disturbed her neatly styled, short-cropped hair; she balanced authentic emotion with composure, confidence with humility; and her actions and words always felt genuine—unvarnished but never unhinged, balanced at all times. And though she said she never wanted to be on television, the camera loved her anyway.Boston Magazine described her allure this way: “Kish’s friendly yet badass demeanor (not to mention model good looks) earned her a legion of fans the nation over.”

Now, the producers of 36 Hours, a forthcoming show on the Travel Channel to debut later this year, are banking on Kish’s appeal, tapping her (along with former professional soccer player and current studio analyst Kyle Marino) to host a series based on the popular weekly New York Times column of the same name. Six episodes have been ordered, though at the time of printing, the destination cities had yet to be announced. In each hourlong episode, according to the press release, the hosts have a day and a half to “explore the most delicious foods and hot spots, meet fascinating local insiders and experience the best attractions unique to each destination.” At the time of our interview, Kish had already shot one location and was leaving for the next in a few days.

Kish’s new hosting gig marks her first major career move after winning Top Chef three years ago. She passed on opportunities to publish cookbooks, open her own restaurant or host her own cooking show—opting, instead, to return to Boston and continue to work for close friend and mentor, famed chef/restaurateur Barbara Lynch, as chef de cuisine at Lynch’s crown jewel, the fine-dining establishment, Menton, located in Fort Point.

For Kish, the opportunity to be paid to travel was just too tantalizing. “I think you’d be pretty stupid to pass this up,” she says, laughing, during a phone interview from her home in Boston. “It’s pretty much an amazing dream job.”

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LINE Webtoon Taps Stan Lee, Michelle Phan for U.S. Expansion

Comic book legend Stan Lee and YouTube beauty maven Michelle Phanhave formed an unlikely alliance to help publicize LINE Webtoon, the English-language version of the popular Korean digital comics portal Naver Webtoon.

Their new partnership will be officially announced at the Comic-Con International event in San Diego this week, according to the New York Times.

“In Asia, comics and manga and anime are definitely ingrained in the broader pop culture,” Tom Akel, head of content at Line Webtoon, told the NY Times. “It’s almost difficult to put into words the scale and success of Webtoon over there.”

Alongside its rival Daum Webtoon, Naver Webtoon has grown to become South Korea’s top webcomics portal, attracting more than 6.2 million unique visitors daily since its launch in 2004. Many of its webcomics, including Cheese in the Trap and Tower of God, have already been adapted for film, television and video games.

Phan, a self-professed comic book fan, will be publishing her first-ever sci-fi/fantasy webcomic, The Enchantress, on LINE Webtoon.

“Most people think of me as a makeup guru, but might be surprised to know I’m also a trained artist and a huge comic book fan,” she said in a statement on Monday. “The Enchantress is my passion project that has been brewing since I was 11, and I’m so excited to finally pursue this dream of mine.”

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