We interviewed Korean American rapper, IZ, a few months ago. Check it out here!

IZ recently came out with a new song called Paper Chaser and all we can say is that it’s smooth and a nice change of pace from his other material.  We can see this song being a nice song to dance to at the club and think the music video is creative.  Check out the music video below and for more info go to: http://454life-ent.com

Our funny man, friend and leader of the Korean world in Los Angeles is now on YouTube. PK’s got his own brand channel at youtube.com/channelpktown. He’s also the man who created the very successful Kollaboration which is now rolling into towns like Tulsa. Support our buddy PK!

All we can say is there anybody like or crazy as Danny Cho? Danny talks about how proud he is to be Korean and his project, Ktown Cowboys. Our own Christina Lee dares to interview Danny Cho and she survives.

There was a lot of buzz last week about the New York Times article about the new wave of Korean taco shops popping up as a result of Kogi Truck’s success.  Well Roy Choi of Kogi Truck fame should realize that imitation is the greatest form of flattery.  Korean Taco Trucks and Korean tacos are popping up on menus across America, but the real question is if it’s really a way for Korean food to become mainstream by going fusion.  Korean food is still considered exotic so how can Korean food become more accepted like sushi and Thai food?  Perhaps these fusion tacos (Mexican/Korean) introduces the flavors of Korean food which will ultimately pave the way for adopting the other delicacies that are popular like the tried and true kimchi.  You can ask different Koreans and you’ll get different opinions on the possible mass acceptance of Korean food equal to other Asian cuisines but only time will tell.  At least Korean tacos are a good start.

Read the full article at the NY Times.

Does North Korea mean anything to you? What about the little North Korean refugees who are displaced from North Korea? Do you want to help with the stroke of a pen? No money required. You just need the ability to hit submit or send a letter.

North Korean Refugee Adoption Act 2010 (S.3156/H.R.4986)

Greetings,

We are asking for your support for the Korean Refugee Adoption Act of 2010. This act, if passed, would push the Secretary of State to create a plan to more effectively allow Americans to adopt North Korean refugee orphans in China and other neighboring countries.

Sang Man (Sam) Han-Schneider (Han-Schneider Foundation) was separated from his family in 1950 at six years old during the outbreak of the Korean War. In 1961, Dr. Arthur Schneider adopted Han-Schneider by means of the private bill S.1100, which allowed, for the first time, a bachelor to adopt and bring a foreign child to the United States. This opportunity inspired Han-Schneider to work with his children’s foundation and Suzanne Scholte to write an act that would eventually bring North Korean orphans to the United States.

Most North Korean children are not given the chance to be healthy and grow up in a stable home. They are often sent to prison camps and lack the nutrition needed to grow and develop at their age. Statistics show that on average, North Korean girls and boys are three inches and five inches shorter than South Korean children, respectively.

Many flee to China and neighboring countries, where they are still not safe, as most are sold into sex slavery and forced onto the streets as beggars. Right now, it is extremely difficult to bring these children to the United States. For example, earlier this year, three orphaned North Korean children (siblings) wanted to come to the United States, and a Caucasian family on the East coast decided to bring them to their home. However, they are still in the process of legally transporting the children to the United States, which can take up to several years. The Adoption Act would create a plan to effectively allow Americans to adopt North Korean orphans and raise them in a nurturing environment.

This is not just an adoption issue or a Korean and Korean American issue. This is an issue about human rights. These children do not receive the love, care, safety, and protection they need, and adoption by American families would provide that to them.

Please support this act and the freedom and new life it would bring to North Korean refugee children.

Korean food seems to be an upwardly trending topic in the food world lately.  The brilliant David Chang of the Momofuku empire is at the forefront of introducing Korean flavors to his unique menu, and there are other chefs like Corey Lee of French Laundry (former chef de cuisine) and Roy Choi of Kogi truck bringing attention to Korean food.  However, can Korean food become mainstream in America like how sushi, Thai and Indian has become?  Could Korean food succeed in middle America? Time will tell but there’s a big movement getting under way that started with the Korean government investing in globalizing Korean food.  A Korean-American TV producer is trying to help this cause by illuminating Korean food through sight sound and motion with a 13 episode television series on PBS.  Eric Rhee had recently produced the highly successful food and travel show, “Spain on the Road Again” with Gwyneth Paltrow and Mario Batali.  This up and coming TV producer hasn’t even hit his thirties and he’s already worked with the biggest chefs and Hollywood A-listers.  He’s currently in the midst of filming the Korean food show with one of the world’s greatest chefs, Jean Georges Vongerichten and his wife Marja, who is of Korean descent.  They’ve been traveling back and forth between South Korea and New York as production is in full gear.  Hopefully people will get to see and understand the essence of Korean food and the variety available for all different tastes through Eric’s show.

Our friends at KAFFNY conducted the first US interview with Eric so take a read to find out more on this upcoming TV show and check it out on PBS in 2011.

D.K. What is the project you are currently working on and what inspired you to do it?

E.R. I’m currently working on a TV series for PBS called “Stop and Bap” (working title).  It’s a food and travel series about Korean food and culture with Chef Jean Georges Vongerichten and his wife Marja, a Korean American adoptee with an amazing story.

My biggest inspiration is my mom.  Her love for food and cooking for our family is something I am so grateful for and something I feel many Korean Americans have in common.  Also, having produced on a similar series about Spain with Mario Batali, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Bittman, and Claudia Bassols, I felt the need to also do a series that shares the beauty of Korea, it’s people, history and culture.

D.K. What is the scale/scope of this project?  What is the size of the production?

E.R. The final product will be 13 half-hour episodes expected to air on PBS starting Spring 2011.  We are also producing a companion book to the series that will have photos and recipes of the trip by Marja and Jean Georges.  Another important goal we would like to do is setup a website that gives people the ability to watch the series, learn the recipes, and even purchase some of the ingredients from our site.

In terms of the actual production, we like to travel as light and lean as possible.  We usually travel 3-4 cameramen, a sound engineer, some lighting personnel, the director, myself, a couple production support staff and the talent.  It ends up being anywhere from 10-15 people traveling like the Brady Bunch.

For the full interview, go to KAFFNY.

We all know about 4th of July and the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  We think of a day off from work, BBQ’s, fireworks and summer sizzling fun.  Sure we’re a bit detached from the fact that America was liberated from the Kingdom of Great Britain and that’s why it’s a historical and celebrated moment in time.  I’m sure our friends across the ponds say “who cares” that we celebrate the 4th.  So we didn’t have much to say or add to the weekend’s festivities but I do think that we can thank our forefathers for bringing liberty so that we can all have opportunities.  When we look at the world around us, we should be thankful for the many opportunities around us because there are millions of others (like in North Korea) that don’t have such freedoms.  Our friends at Angry Asian Man posted this video and though it’s not Korean related, I think it describes the experiences of many of our parents as they’ve sacrificed much to give us better lives in America.

Enjoy the Fourth of July!!!

Since the hangover from South Korea’s exit from the World Cup is finally fading, we can now redirect our lives to non-sporting topics.  And today’s topic is why do non-Koreans like Korean dramas?  That might be overreaching but it seems like non-Koreans know more about Korean dramas than I do.  This past weekend I visited Los Angeles and ran into a handful of friends, both Korean and non.  On Sunday morning for brunch, I met up with two Chinese friends and they told me how much they love Korean dramas and how their mothers love watching Korean dramas.  This is a conversation I’ve had previously with various other friends, and I still find it surprising.  Is it the writing?  Hard for me to believe because the themes are similar.  Remember when you first started watching Korean dramas?  Didn’t it seem like every Korean girl would succumb to cancer and the boyfriend was left alone at the end of the movie in tears?  Of course they expanded beyond this cliche of a story.

I asked my brunch mates why they like Korean dramas and they said their mother’s have best explained it in this way: Korean dramas have better styles and real good looking people.  That’s it?!  Oh how superficial but it attracts a ton of interest from many other Asian countries.  Then again, maybe their mother’s have a point.  Who doesn’t think Daniel Henney is handsome?  Rain?  And of course who doesn’t love (lust) Korean women?  Well, if we’ve peaked your interest, then check out dramafever where you can find an archive of those Korea drama hits.  It’s hard to argue against watching Lee Byung Hun in Iris.  You be the judge?

It’s the start of the biggest sporting event in the world and are you ready for the World Cup? Billions of people will have their eyes glued to their television sets for the next month, ready to root for their country. The question is, who are you rooting for as a Korean-American? We have a Korean heritage and ancestry, but we’ve grown up in the United States. Are you conflicted? In my personal opinion, we have the freedom to cheer for either South Korea or the U.S, hence the beauty of being a Korean-American. And why not cheer for both, because we have grown up with the values of both cultures, inside and outside of the house. The beauty of the World Cup is the passion and pride of one’s identity, and the freedom to celebrate it. I hope you can enjoy this great sporting event and appreciate that you are a Korean-American!

This week we bring our attention to organizations that are making a difference. Many of our interviews and articles have been about individuals but it’s become very apparent that there are hundreds if not thousands of Korean organizations across the U.S. who have cultivated communities.   Try googling “Korean communities, foundations and organizations,” and you’ll discover tons of them.   One of the most prominent organizations that I’ve personally come across is the Korean American Community Foundation (KACF) in New York and they’ve impacted countless number of people.  Though we’re a minority, we are so much stronger when we come together for a common cause and for service.

Founded in 2002, the Korean American Community Foundation (KACF) has grown to become a trusted source of philanthropy within the Korean and Asian American communities. As of 2009, KACF has made more than 60 grants totaling $1 million to 20 community-based non-profit organizations working to improve lives and transform communities.

Equally important, KACF is cultivating a culture of giving and community-building among Korean Americans of all generations. Our vision is a vibrant Korean American community engaged in strengthening our society through philanthropy, volunteerism, and compassionate leadership.

We sat down with Kyung Yoon, the executive director of KACF, and she shared with us the hope and passion of many Korean-Americans who are serving the needy.  What I’ve discovered is that we need more KACF’s because their work truly impacts the lives of so many.  I hope you may join an organization that services the needs of our community.

For more on KACF, visit their website.