Why isn't this attack being investigated as a hate crime?

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



NYPD: Classify brutal attack against 89-year old Asian woman a Hate Crime.
Last month in Brooklyn, an 89-year old Asian woman was assaulted and set on fire by two people in masks. The police are not investigating the incident as a hate crime, despite the fact that there was no provocation, the assailants didn't know the victim, and they didn't try to take anything from her. It was just a heinous, violent act. This petition is calling on the NYPD and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez to classify the incident as a hate crime.

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James Hong Deserves a Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
With hundreds upon hundreds of credits to his name, James Hong is Hollywood's most prolific actor, hands down. If anyone deserves a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, it's Mr. Hong, who has appeared in films from Chinatown to Big Trouble in Little China to Kung Fu Panda over a seven-decade career. So fellow actor Daniel Dae Kim has launched a fundraiser to get Mr. Hong his star. [UPDATE: The GoFundMe has reached its goal of more than $55,000 in just three days. The next step is the nomination process.]

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Benson Lee Set to Direct 20th Century Studios' Untitled K-Pop Film
Seoul Searching director Benson Lee is set to direct a K-pop-themed feature film from 20th Century Fox Studios. The untitled film follows a young Asian American college student from the United States who becomes a top competitor on South Korea's toughest k-pop competition show and chases her dreams of becoming a K-Pop star, despite the disapproval of her family.

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First Look at Character Designs From 'Invicible'
Here's a first look at the character designs from the upcoming Amazon animated series Invincible, based on the comic book by Robert Kirkman and starring the voice of Steven Yeun in the title role. It's a Walking Dead reunion, of sorts. Invincible follows a teenager named Mark Grayson whose father is the most powerful superhero on the planet. The series is set to premiere later this year.

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HAYAO MIYAZAKI PIN
"Children understand intuitively that the world they have been born into is not a blessed world." This 1-inch soft enamel pin from Super Yaki pays tribute to the smiling face of master animator, filmmaker, screenwriter, author, and manga artist Hayao Miyazaki. Get it here.

Throwback comedy 'Seoul Searching' hits theaters in June

Benson Lee's coming-of-age comedy opens in New York City on June 17 and Los Angeles on June 24.



At long last, after crowd-pleasing hit festival run -- including a world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival -- the indie coming-of-age comedy Seoul Searching hits theaters in limited release next month.

Based on writer/director Benson Lee's own experiences as a teenager, Seoul Searching tells the story of a group of teens from all over the world who converge in Seoul during the summer of 1986 to participate in a government-sponsored program to help them connect with their heritage.

Starring an international all-Asian cast of fresh faces and seasoned performers, the film pays homage to the classic John Hughes dramedies of the eighties, while putting a fresh Asian American spin on the genre with nostalgia, hilarity and heart. This is the movie my generation wished we could have seen while growing up.

Here's the recently released theatrical trailer on iTunes:

Angry Reader of the Week: Benson Lee

"The two most important things I am are a filmmaker and a father."



Hello, my friends. You know what's up. It's time to meet the 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 Benson Lee.

Win tickets to see 'Seoul Searching' at LA Film Fest

Benson Lee's coming-of-age teen dramedy premieres June 17 in Los Angeles.



Hey, film fans! Seoul Searching, from writer/director Benson Lee, is a coming-of-age teen tale set during one crazy summer at a Korean culture camp. The film premiered earlier this year at Sundance, and will celebrate its Los Angeles premiere next week, June 17, as part of the Los Angeles Film Festival. Want to go to the red carpet gala at L.A. LIVE? I'm giving away free tickets. Scroll down for details...

Based on Benson Lee's real-life experiences, with a cast that includes Justin Chon, Jessika Van and In-Pyo Cha, Seoul Searching is an homage to John Hughes' teen dramedies of the 80s. Set in the summer of 1986, the story centers on a group of Korean high school misfits from around the world who are shipped off to attend a government-sponsored culture camp in Seoul to learn what it means to be Korean. Between the booze, fist fights, raging hormones and identity crises, it turns out to be the most memorable summer of their lives.

Here's the teaser trailer again:

First look at the coming-of-age teen comedy 'Seoul Searching'

Benson Lee's latest indie feature is set in a 1980s Korean summer camp.



The upcoming indie feature film Seoul Searching is a coming-of-age teen comedy written and directed by Benson Lee. Set in the 1980s, the film is based on Benson's personal experiences in 1986 at a government-sponsored summer camp for Koreans from around the world to learn about their heritage. It turned out to be one of the craziest summers of his life. And now it's the inspiration for this film.

Seoul Searching, starring Justin Chon and Jessika Van, was shot in Korea over the summer and is currently in post-production. Here's a little preview that gives you some of the flavor of the film.

Casting Call: Korean American indie film Seoul Searching

Spreading the word about the upcoming feature film project Seoul Searching, from writer/director Benson Lee, the filmmaker behind the documentary Planet B-Boy and the soon-to-be-released Battle of the Year. His latest film is an 1980s-era Korean American teenage coming-of-age story based on his own experiences, and he's on a mission to cast actors through Facebook. Here's Benson with an introduction to the project:

q & a with planet b-boy director benson lee

The fantastic documentary Planet B-Boy is now playing in select theaters. It's a great film, a real crowd-pleaser, telling the story of international B-boy crews competing for the coveted title of champion at the Battle of Year. I can't recommend it enough. Read my review here. To learn more about the film, go here.

I recently got to chat with director Benson Lee about making the film, examining the culture and politics of b-boys, and hanging onto passion for your art. He had some pretty cool things to say. Check it: