No, That Fight Attendant Did Not Eat in Koreatown

Things to Know From Angry Asian America



Coronavirus Scare Rips Through LA's Koreatown Amid False Rumors
Last week, a Korean Airlines flight attendant reportedly serviced a flight between Seoul and Los Angeles after showing symptoms of novel coronavirus and was diagnosed by the Korean Center for Disease Control upon returning to South Korea. Meanwhile, an unsubstantiated rumor started spreading like crazy on social media, alleging that the flight attendant visited five restaurants in LA's Koreatown during her one-night stay. The Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles has since issued a statement confirming that the flight attendant did not visit Koreatown, or any restaurants in Koreatown, during that period.

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San Francisco Police Investigating Robbery In Chinatown's Stockton Tunnel
In San Francisco, police are searching for suspects who violently robbed a 55-year-old woman in Chinatown. Lihua Yang was walking down the Stockton Street tunnel Sunday morning when a man tried to snatch her purse, which she didn't give up easily. Surveillance video shows the thief dragging her along the ground while another man gets out of a car to help with the robbery. After much struggling the second man is able to get Yang to let go of the purse, and the men get back into the car and drive away.

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Cindy Moon Returns in 'Silk' #1
Just announced at C2E2: Silk is back! The web-slinging superhero Cindy Moon will make her grand return in Silk #1, from Maurene Goo and artist Takeshi Miyazawa. According to Marvel, "Cindy Moon is back to working under J. Jonah Jameson, this time at Threats & Menaces. While investigating gang murders, Cindy draws some heat JJ's way—and feels pretty bad about it. So Cindy is investigating as a reporter by day, and Silk is watching over JJ and keeping an eye on things at night. Turns out the murders are being committed by the cat demon Kasha at the behest of Saya, an international businesswoman who has ties to a major Marvel villain. Saya is closer to Silk than Cindy knows, and things are about to get extremely dangerous in both Cindy and Silk's worlds as these ruthless villains get ever closer!" Silk #1 hits shelves in July.

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Read a Preview of Gene Luen Yang's 'Dragon Hoops'
Read an exclusive preview of Gene Luen Yang's new autobiographical graphic novel Dragon Hoops, which tells the true story of the Bishop O'Dowd Dragons, the basketball team at the high school where he works.

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Cambodian Rock Band
If you're in New York, do not miss the opportunity to watch Cambodian Rock Band, which has just been extended for a second time at New York's Signature Theatre Company through March 22. This darkly funny, electric new play with music tells the story of a Khmer Rouge survivor returning to Cambodia for the first time in thirty years, as his daughter prepares to prosecute one of Cambodia's most infamous war criminals. Backed by a live band playing contemporary Dengue Fever hits and classic Cambodian oldies, this thrilling story toggles back and forth in time as father and daughter face the music of the past.

Angry Reader of the Week: Min Jin Lee

"If you keep your word, do your work, do good and are good, I think that's a great fucking life."


Photo: Elena Seibert.
Hey, folks! It's been a minute, but we're back and read to meet another Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Min Jin Lee.

If You Didn't See This Coming, You're a Sucker

Things to Know From Angry Asian America



Justice Dept. Establishes Office to Denaturalize Immigrants
The Justice Department said Wednesday that it had created an official section in its immigration office to strip citizenship rights from naturalized immigrants, a move that gives more heft to the Trump administration’s broad efforts to remove from the country immigrants who have committed crimes.

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Arrest made in assault, robbery of elderly Chinese man
In San Francisco, police announced an arrest in connection to the attack and robbery of an elderly Chinese man collecting recyclables in the Bayview that was captured on viral video. The suspect, 20-year-old Dewayne Grayson, was charged with suspicion of robbery, hate crime, and elder abuse.

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Mike Bloomberg Reportedly Asked Andrew Yang to Be His Running Mate
Michael Bloomberg's presidential campaign has apparently reached out to Andrew Yang, courting the former candidate's endorsement and floating the possibility of Yang becoming his running mate, according to two people familiar with the discussions.

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Jean Yoon's Receives ACTRA Toronto's Award of Excellence
Actress and playwright Jean Yoon, who plays Umma on the hit Canadian sitcom Kim's Convenience, was recently honored with ACTRA Toronto's Award of Excellence at the 2020 ACTRA Awards. Here's her speech.

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Straight Up
The charming indie rom-com Straight Up opens in limited release on Friday, February 28. Writer/director/star James Sweeney plays Todd, a hyper-articulate, obsessive compulsive gay twentysomething whose fear of dying alone leads him to a baffling conclusion: he might not be gay after all. When he meets Rory, a whip-smart struggling actress with her own set of insecurities, the two forge a relationship that's all talk and no sex. Also starring Katie Findlay and Randall Park.

The Creator of the Famous 'Konami Code' Has Died

Things to Know From Angry Asian America



Kazuhisa Hashimoto, creator of the famous ‘Konami Code,’ has died
Up. Up. Down. Down. Left. Right. Left. Right. B. A. Start. It’s the most famous sequence of button pushes in video game history, and its creator, Kazuhisa Hashimoto, has died. He was reportedly 61.

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Elderly Man Robbed Of Recycling In SF's Bayview-Hunters Point Identified
Police in San Francisco announced that investigators have identified the man who was threatened and attacked over the weekend as he was robbed of recycling he had collected in Bayview-Hunters Point.

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Bellevue College apologizes after administrator alters mural depicting Japanese American internment
Bellevue College has apologized after one of its vice presidents altered a mural of two Japanese American children in a World War II incarceration camp by whiting out a reference to anti-Japanese agitation by local businessmen in the accompanying artist description. Created by Seattle artist Erin Shigaki, the art installation "Never Again Is Now" includes an 11-foot-tall mural of two children photographed at a California incarceration camp. Last week, professors were notified that someone had removed one sentence in a paragraph about Japanese immigrants and their connection to Bellevue.

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Olivia Liang Cast as Lead of CW's 'Kung Fu' Reboot
Olivia Liang will star as the lead in the pilot of CW's reimagining of the 1970s TV show Kung Fu. In the new series, written by Christina M. Kim, a quarter-life crisis causes a young Chinese-American woman, Nicky Chen, to drop out of college and go on a life-changing journey to an isolated monastery in China. But when she returns to find her hometown overrun with crime and corruption, she uses her martial arts skills and Shaolin values to protect her community and bring criminals to justice -- all while searching for the assassin who killed her Shaolin mentor and is now targeting her.

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I Will Make You Mine
Ahead of its world premiere next month at SXSW, here is the trailer for I Will Make You Mine, the directorial debut from our friend Lynn Chen. The film follows three characters: Rachel (Chen), who lives in luxury with her cheating husband; Professor Erika (Ayako Fujitani), who is trying her best to juggle her career and raising her daughter Sachiko (Ayami Riley Tomine); and struggling musician Yea-Ming Chen (who plays a version of herself). They all may have different lives, but they share one common bond: a flawed romantic history with singer-songwriter Goh Nakamura(who also plays a version of himself). As seen in the trailer above, when Goh comes back into their lives, the past comes back and makes things a tad bit complicated. The film will be released on May 26 from Gravitas Ventures.

They Call Us Bruce - Episode 88: They Call Us That Movie From South Korea

Jeff Yang and Phil Yu present an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America.



What's up, podcast listeners? We've got another episode of our podcast They Call Us Bruce. (Almost) each week, my good friend, writer/columnist Jeff Yang and I host an unfiltered conversation about what's happening in Asian America, with a strong focus on media, entertainment and popular culture.

On this episode, we check in to catch up and discuss The Good, The Bad and The WTF of recent weeks, including Parasite's historic night at the Oscars, the bittersweet end of Fresh Off The Boat, and Trump's truly terrible take on movies.

"All and None of Those Places"

A Conversation Between Fantasy Authors Fonda Lee and K.S. Villoso


Photo: Elena Rose Photography / Mikhail Villoso
In The Wolf of Oren-Yaro, the new debut epic fantasy novel from K.S. Villoso, a queen of a divided land must unite her people. Jade City and Jade War -- now out in paperback -- are the first two volumes of Fonda Lee's "Green Bone Saga," an epic trilogy about family, honor, and those who live and die by the ancient laws of blood and jade. The two authors recently chatted with one another about their respective narrative approaches, creating Asian-inspired fantasy worlds, and Asian representation in publishing.

You’re Likely to Get the Coronavirus

Things to Know From Angry Asian America



A Vaccine Won't Stop the New Coronavirus
Some science and perspective regarding the coronavirus. Harvard epidemiology professor Marc Lipsitch predicts that within the coming year, some 40 to 70 percent of people around the world will be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. But, he clarifies emphatically, this does not mean that all will have severe illnesses.

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All California Locations Of Curry House Abruptly Shut Down
They're calling it "The Day Curry Died." Fans of Curry House are shocked after the Japanese American restaurant chain abruptly shut down all of its California locations on Monday, leaving dozens of workers without jobs. And leaving us sad and craving that sweet, delicious golden brown curry.

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"Bad" English Is Part Of My Korean American Heritage
Read an excerpt from the new book Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong.

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Sandra Oh To Star In 'The Chair' Dramedy Series
Netflix has ordered The Chair, a new six-episode half-hour dramedy starring and executive produced by Sandra Oh and co-starring Jay Duplass, centering on the chair of an English department at a major university.

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The Donut King
Premiering next month at SXSW: Donut King, directed by Alice Gu. The feature documentary tells a story of fate, love, survival, hard knocks, and redemption. "It's the rags to riches story of a refugee escaping Cambodia, arriving in America in 1975 and building an unlikely multi-million dollar empire baking America's favorite pastry, the donut. Ted sponsored hundreds of visas for incoming refugees and helped them get on their feet teaching them the ways of the donut business. By 1979 he was living the American Dream. But, in life, great rise can come with great falls."

Video Shows Disturbing Attack on Asian Man

Things to Know From Angry Asian America



Asian man attacked, mocked in San Francisco's while collecting cans
San Francisco police are investigating a disturbing attack on an Asian man in the city's Bayview district that was captured on video and posted on social media over the weekend, showing a group of men shouting racial slurs and mocking the victim. The video shows a man swinging a metal bar at the victim while apparently robbing him of his large collection of cans as onlookers record the attack on their phones.

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Randall Park to Co-Host Hybrid Alternative-Scripted Series 'True Story'
Randall Park and Ed Helms are attached to co-host a hybrid scripted-alternative series titled True Story at NBC. In the series, everyday Americans sit down with Helms and Park to share their most extraordinary and unbelievably true stories for the first time. As the stories unfold, a star-studded cast of comedians and actors will appear in dramatized re-enactments.

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Kristen and Bobby Lopez Reveal New Movie Musical
Kristen and Bobby Lopez, the Oscar-winning husband-and-wife duo behind Frozen, have announced their next movie musical project will be an adaptation of Jen Wang's graphic novel The Prince and the Dressmaker.

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'Loveboat, Taipei' is Getting a Movie Adaptation
ACE Entertainment, the makers of the To All the Boys I've Loved Before franchise, has optioned the rights to Abigail Hing Wen's bestselling young adult novel Loveboat, Taipei. Inspired by Wen's experiences, the story follows 18-year-old Ever Wong, who is sent from Ohio to Taiwan to study Mandarin for the summer. But what she thinks is a cultural program turns out to be a teen free-for-all that is notoriously dubbed "Loveboat."

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Lulu Wang Serves Cocktails and Answer Questions at Pop-Up Q&A
How cool is Lulu Wang? On Sunday night, the award-winning director of The Farewell served as bartender at Auburn in Los Angeles, where she served cocktails and answered questions from behind the bar for 300 guests during an impromptu pop-up Q&A.

Read These Blogs

Lana Condor and Ali Wong Will Not Be Taking Questions At This Time
Ali Wong interviews Lana Condor about what it's like for Lara Jean to find her voice as a young woman, to fall in and out of love, and how the women in her life uplift her through it all.

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On Virality, Corona or Otherwise.
"More than ever, scholars have a responsibility to historicize and unpack how metaphors of contagion, uncleanliness, and infection become attached to marginalized bodies. This attachment is both violent and sticky -- part of what Paula Treichler has described as the 'epidemic of signification.'"

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Asian Americans make up a big part of the Nevada electorate — enough to sway the caucuses
Comprising 11 percent of the electorate in the state, Asian American and Pacific Islander voters are poised to play a significant role in the Nevada caucuses.

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"Too bad you were born a girl"
The first thing Helena Ku Rhee did when she returned home from her Fulbright fellowship year in South Korea, she thanked her family for immigrating to the United States.

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Artist Christine Sun Kim on 'deaf rage,' the Super Bowl and the power of sound
From signing the anthem at the Super Bowl to shifting attitudes about sound in the art world, this artist hopes you'll think again about deafness.

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Decades after footage was shot, son helps father finish film on history of Chinese American activism
"Once he started seeing it again and reliving some of the things, I could tell it had become important to him, that he wanted to finish it." Decades in the making, Chinatown Rising is a documentary about Chinese American activism in the 1960s, '70s, and '80s.

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A Korean American stand-up comic walks into a bar in Korea. Hilarity ensues — or so he hopes
Veteran Koreatown comic Danny Cho is trying his hand at the nascent stand-up scene in South Korea, telling jokes in Korean and mentoring new Korean comics in the American art of stand-up comedy.

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Filipina burlesque show embraces sexuality, defies cultural taboos
A bawdy dance show might not be typical cultural programming for a group like FilAm Arts, but organizers are working to ramp up recognition and excitement for nontraditional art forms in the community.

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ACTRA honouree Jean Yoon reflects on her fight for onscreen diversity
Jean Yoon, star of Kim's Convenience, is flush with honors these days. The Toronto-raised performer and playwright has also spent years fighting for onscreen diversity.

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Korean culture wave rises high on 'Parasite' and BTS. Ride it with novelist Steph Cha
Novelist Steph Cha looks at the rise of Korean pop culture in the U.S.

Coronavirus Racism is Spreading Faster Than Coronavirus

Things to Know From Angry Asian America



What's spreading faster than coronavirus in the US? Racist assaults and ignorant attacks against Asians
Rampant ignorance and misinformation about the novel coronavirus, experts say, has led to racist and xenophobic attacks against fellow Americans or anyone in the U.S. who looks East Asian.

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A 'Fresh Off the Boat' Producer Recounts the ABC Comedy's Path to History
In a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter, ahead of Fresh Off The Boat's series finale, producer Melvin Mar reflects on six seasons of the show that helped usher in a new era of inclusion on the small screen.

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Jon Prasida, Shannon Dang & Eddie Liu To Co-Star in 'Kung Fu' Reboot
Jon Prasida, Shannon Dang and Eddie Liu have been cast as series regulars in the CW pilot Kung Fu, a reimagining with a female lead of the 1970s David Carradine-starring TV series. Prasida will play Ryan Chen, a quick-witted medical student who has to deal with the sudden return of his estranged older sister, Nicky. Dang will portray Althea Chen, Nicky’s larger-than-life older sister who’s newly engaged and on her way to planning her dream Chinese wedding. Liu will play Henry Chu, a martial arts instructor and Chinese art history buff who has instant chemistry with Nicky.

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H.E.R. Talks Black Music Icons & Cooks Authentic Filipino Dishes
Rising R&B star H.E.R. sits down for an in-depth interview to talk about her music, her career, and her Bay Area upbringing in a Black and Filipino household -- all while enjoying Filipino food at Kabayan Authentic in Queens.

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Los Angeles Roar Story Slam 2020
KoreanAmericanStory.org's ROAR Story Slam is a live storytelling competition where 6 finalists perform on stage presenting their unique, creative, and authentic Korean American story. Each finalist has six minutes to tell their stories, without the use of scripts nor props. It's happening Friday, February 28 at Dynasty Typewriter. I have the privilege of being one of the evening's judges. Hope to see you there!

Surprise, Surprise: Trump Has Shitty Taste in Movies

Things to Know From Angry Asian America



Trump Trashes Korean Oscar-Winner Parasite at Rally
President Donald Trump is apparently not a fan of Parasite winning the Oscar for Best Picture, his biggest complaint being that the movie was made in South Korea. "What the hell was that all about?” Trump said at a campaign rally in Colorado Springs. "We've got enough problems with South Korea with trade. On top of that, they give them best movie of the year. Was it good? I don't know." Neon, the U.S. distributor of Parasite, shot back: "Understandable. He can't read." And there it is.

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University at Albany Students Hosted a Coronavirus Party
Over the weekend, students at the State University of New York at Albany apparently hosted a coronavirus-themed party. Video from the party reportedly showed a bucket of Corona beers and a person wearing a surgical mask with the caption, "Corona virus isn't gonna stop anyone from partying." Asian American Alliance, a university student organization, condemned the party, calling it insensitive and racist, while the university is investigating whether the party violated the college's student code of conduct.

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Asian American Content Banner Launches With Valence Media Investment
A-Major Media, a new production company focused on Asian American content, has launched with a majority investment from Valence Media. Led by Mary Lee, projects include I Believe in a Thing Called Love, Yulin Kuang's adaptation of Maurene Goo's 2015 YA novel; an untitled autobiographical project based on the high school experiences of Fresh Off the Boat co-executive producer Kourtney Kang; We Stan, about female friends and fellow K-pop stans, penned by Atypical scribe Lauren Moon; an untitled feature film produced by John Cho; and an untitled television series produced by Gemma Chan, among others.

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'The Black Tapes' Co-creator Inks Multi-Series Deal With Spotify
Podcast veteran Paul Bae, co-creator of fiction series The Black Tapes, has inked a multi-series deal with Spotify, with two new fiction projects in development. In Amanda Chi and the Ghost Sessions, he will tell the story of a Korean-Indian girl who moves to a new school and is initiated into a secret society that finds the town's ghosts and expels them. Boyland, meanwhile, will focus on a disgraced K-pop star who finds new life in Los Angeles when he is recruited into a new supergroup poised to take over the American pop scene.

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The Claudia Kishi Club
If you're headed to SXSW next month, don't miss the world premiere of the documentary short The Claudia Kishi Club, directed by Sue Ding. "For many Asian American women—and other women of color—Claudia Kishi was the first time they saw themselves in popular media. A main character in the best-selling Baby-Sitters Club books, Claudia defied stereotypical portrayals of Asian characters: she was creative, popular, and bad at school. As a blossoming artist, she was a role model for aspiring young creators—many of whom are now making groundbreaking work of their own. Asian American artists and writers share their memories of Claudia and read from their favorite books, alongside stop-motion collages that bring the character to life. Nostalgic yet timely, this film highlights the personal and universal importance of representation."

'Fresh Off The Boat' Series Finale Airs This Friday

Things to Know From Angry Asian America



'Fresh Off the Boat' leaving indelible mark on TV landscape
Time to say goodbye to the Huangs. After six seasons, Fresh Off The Boat ends its trailblazing television run on Friday. "Without question, the sitcom, centered on a Taiwanese-Chinese American family in the 1990s living in predominantly white Orlando, Florida -- will be immortalized in the canon of Asian-American representation."

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Senator Mazie Hirono's Remarks on 2020 Day of Remembrance
Thursday marked the annual Day of Remembrance, commemorating the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. Remarks by U.S. Senator Maizie Hirono were supposed to be shown during the 2020 Los Angeles Day of Remembrance program, held at the Japanese American National Museum. However, the museum's Board of Trustees apparently deemed her remarks inappropriate, and the video was not shown during the event. So here's the video.

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Andrew Yang joins CNN as a political commentator
If you couldn't get enough of Andrew Yang during his run for president, and wondering where you can get your Yang fix now that's dropped out of the race, look no further than CNN. The former Democratic presidential candidate is joining CNN as a political commentator, the network announced Wednesday.

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A taxi driver saved an elderly woman from being scammed out of $25,000
Authorities in Roseville, California are praising a cab driver who saved a 92-year-old woman from giving a scammer $25,000. Rajbir Singh knew something sounded fishy when his elderly passenger said she needed a ride to the bank to withdraw $25,000, allegedly to settle a debt with the IRS. Singh pleaded with the woman to reconsider, saying he thought this could be a scam. He even detoured to a police station, where an officer convinced her not to withdraw her money. Shout out to a good citizen.

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Parasite: A Graphic Novel in Storyboards
If you can't get enough of Parasite, check out the historic, Oscar-winning film as a graphic novel drawn by director Bong Joon Ho himself. In hundreds of mesmerizing illustrations, Parasite: A Graphic Novel in Storyboards is a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the making of the film. As part of his unique process, Bong storyboarded each shot of Parasite prior to the filming of every scene. Accompanied by the film's dialog, the storyboards he drew capture the story in its entirety. The book includes a foreword by the director and early concept drawings and photos from the set.

Letter To My Father

Guest Post by Rachel Pak



The Tahirih Justice Center is a national, nonprofit organization that serves immigrant women and girls seeking safety and justice. We amplify the voices of survivors in communities, courts, and Congress to create a world where women and girls enjoy equality and live in safety and with dignity.

Dear Dad,

I know this country was not always kind to you when you immigrated. Your parents brought you to America in the 1970s, seeking a better life from a developing South Korea. You entered a country that in the past has chosen to exclude Asian immigrants during moments of national panic, and then include at economically opportune times—from the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act to the incarceration of close to 120,000 Japanese descendants during World War II.

With legislation passed in 1965 and a need for skilled laborers, migration from Asia reopened, allowing you and my grandparents to move to the U.S. In a country that did not fully welcome you, with policies that historically excluded you, you worked hard to provide my sister and me a better future in America. I am immensely grateful for your sacrifices -- however, I want us to pay attention to the current state of immigration policy in the U.S.

The racism in our laws hasn't gone away. It continues -- it is vicious and is targeting migrants arriving at our southern border. Even more tragic, our government’s policies are stripping away the right to simply seek safety from people who are fleeing for their lives. I saw this first-hand when I was at the border between El Paso and Ciudad Juárez last December.

Interpreter Sharon Choi's Wild 'Parasite' Journey

Things to Know From Angry Asian America



Interpreter Sharon Choi Relives Historic 'Parasite' Awards Season
From her first appearance at Bong Joon Ho's side in Cannes, where he accepted the Palme d'Or for his sensational Parasite, interpreter Sharon Choi has been an unwitting award season MVP. Clad in minimal black and permanently clutching a notebook, the retreating student filmmaker has imparted Bong's messages of gratitude on the most coveted stages of Hollywood. After declining hundreds of interview requests, Choi shares exclusively with Variety the 10-month ride that began with a phone call last April, and ended two weeks ago at the Dolby Theater with a Best Picture trophy.

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'Are You Sick?' For Asian-Americans, a Sneeze Brings Suspicion
The coronavirus outbreak has so far largely spared the United States, with only 15 confirmed cases across this country, even as the virus has rapidly spread around the globe and killed more than 1,100 people, most of them in China. But many Asian Americans have felt an unnerving public scrutiny, noticing that a simple cough or sneeze can send people around them scattering.

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Tzi Ma & Kheng Hua Tan To Co-Star In the CW's 'Kung Fu' Reboot Pilot
Tzi Ma (The Farewell) and Kheng Hua Tan (Crazy Rich Asians) have been cast as series regulars in the CW pilot Kung Fu, a reimagining with a female lead of the 1970s David Carradine TV series. Ma and Kheng will play the parents of the protagonist in the project.

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Comedian Jo Koy to Star in 'Easter Sunday'
Comedian Jo Koy will star in the feature film Easter Sunday, inspired by his life experiences. The film, written by Ken Cheng, will be a Filipino narrative set around a family gathering to on the high holy holiday of Easter.

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The Paper Kingdom
The Paper Kingdom, written by Helena Ku Rhee with art by Pascal Campion, is a dazzling new picture book for young readers about a loving family who turn a routine and ordinary experience into something much grander. "When the babysitter is unable to come, Daniel is woken out of bed and joins his parents as they head downtown for their jobs as nighttime office cleaners. But the story is about more than brooms, mops, and vacuums. Mama and Papa turn the deserted office building into a magnificent kingdom filled with paper. Then they weave a fantasy of dragons and kings to further engage their reluctant companion–and even encourage him to one day be the king of a paper kingdom."