They Call Us Bruce 101: They Call Us Adoptees

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 welcome Asian American adoptees Dan Matthews and Grace Newton to share their stories, discuss recent adoption-related controversies in the news, and complicate the narrative around issues of international and transracial adoption.

'aka SEOUL' explores Korean adoptee stories

New digital documentary follows the journeys of five Korean adoptees.



aka SEOUL is a new documentary that explores the journeys of five Korean adoptees. Directed by Jon Maxwell and produced by ISAtv in partnership with NBC Asian America, the documentary will be released online in seven parts throughout November, with each episode focusing on new characters and intertwining storylines offering a unique perspective on the adoptee experience.

aka SEOUL is a follow up to the documentary series aka DAN, which chronicled the 2013 journey of rapper and Korean adoptee Dan Matthews as he reconnected with his birth family, including a twin brother he never knew about. Three years later, aka SEOUL follows Dan and four other Korean adoptees as they visit Korea during the summer of 2016 and shed light on different aspects of their adoptee identities.

Here's the trailer:

When My Moms Met

Guest Post by Dan Matthews



Everything's come full circle.

Three years ago I was surprised and delighted to find out that I was going to meet my biological family for the very first time, including an identical twin brother that I never knew about. As a Korean adoptee we're often put in the mindset from the very start that making any type of reunion is near impossible (for many complicated reasons that I won't go into now). So, I knew going into this situation, and coming out of it, that it was a moment in my life that I shouldn't take lightly.

I really needed to be there mentally to take in what this meant (although as most know, a very difficult mindset for me to have). I was overjoyed to have been able to experience this, and I'm grateful to say that three years later I'm still continuing my journey to get to know them. Every day is a struggle, and communication and language barriers continue to be an issue -- but it IS happening.

Help DAN aka DAN finish his next album

Dan Matthews is working on the follow-up to 'Stuntman.'



Our friend Dan Matthews, who makes music as DANakaDAN, has been busy working on his second album, tentatively scheduled for release later this year, and is raising funds via Kickstarter to make it happen.

The new album is described as a mix of hip hop, alternative rock and electronic and will focus on themes that push notions of identity, race, adoption and self. Dan, a Korean American adoptee, says it's a progression from his last album Stuntman, a personal record inspired by his journey of re-connecting with this birth family.

If you're not familiar with Dan's music, here are a bunch of my favorite tracks from Stuntman:

Home for the HOLLA'DAYS LA, December 19

Featuring Magnetic North & Taiyo Na, DAN aka DAN, The Blazing Rays of the Sun and More



Hey, Southern California! I want to see you at the Los Angeles edition of Home for the Holla'Days, a holiday benefit show featuring Magnetic North & Taiyo Na, with Vudoo Soul, DAN aka DAN with CREWLOVE, The Blazing Rays of the Sun, Ruth + the Library. All proceeds will go towards 27 Million, a nonprofit organization that networks and resources grassroots organizations fighting human trafficking.

It's happening Friday, December 19 at Art Share-LA. Here are some more details about the show:

Music Video: DANakaDAN wonders "Is There Anybody Out There?"

From the album 'Stuntman,' inspired by his Korean American adoption story



Just wanted to make sure I shared this latest music video from my friend Dan Matthews, aka DANakaDAN: "Is There Anybody Out There" featuring Clara C. The track, from his album Stuntman, is inspired by Dan's personal journey as a Korean American adoptee, searching to find a connection with his birth family.

Check it out:

Music Video: "Stuntman" by DANakaDAN feat. Priska

Title track from Dan Matthews' latest album



Really digging this. Here's the official music video for "Stuntman" by my good friend Dan Matthews, aka DANakaDAN featuring Priska. The track, produced by Paul Dateh, is the from the album of the same name, inspired by Dan's personal journey as a Korean American adoptee to find his birth family.

It's a great song, and Priska's vocals on the hook are fantastic. Check it out:

An adoptee reunites with his birth family in 'aka DAN'

Documentary webseries and music album chronicles Dan Matthews' return to Korea



Last summer, musician Dan Matthews embarked on a journey that changed his life. Dan, a Korean American adoptee who grew up in California, went on a search for his birth parents... and found them. He not only tracked down his biological family in South Korea, where he traveled to meet them for the first time, Dan also discovered that he also has a twin brother. Needless to say, it was an identity-altering trip.

And the cameras were rolling. aka Dan is a documentary webseries following Dan's journey to Korea to attend the International Korean Adoptee Association, performing his first live concert in Korea, and of course, his reunion with his birth family. The first episode has dropped on ISAtv. First, here's the trailer:

'aka DAN' Documentary Screening & 'Stuntman' Album Premiere

Saturday, February 1 at the Japanese American National Museum



My friend Dan has one hell of a story to tell. If you're in Los Angeles, it is my honor and pleasure to invite you to the world premiere party for the documentary series aka DAN and the companion hip hop album Stuntman, chronicling adoptee musician Dan Matthews' amazing journey to find and reunite with his Korean birth family.

Perhaps you followed along with the unfolding saga last summer when Dan launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund this documentary/album project, which would follow his trip to Korea, where he would meet his biological family -- including the twin brother he never knew he had -- for the first time. Crazy! And all of it became a documentary series, aka DAN, as well as a full-length music album inspired by his experiences.

The party will feature a screening of the documentary -- I'll be hosting the Q&A afterwards -- and performances by DANakaDAN, Priska, Chucky Kim, Abraham Kim, Sam Kang, Paul Dateh, Travis Graham, and much more. It's going down on Saturday, February 1 at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo. Here are some more details about the event:

Fund This: An adoptee reunites with his birth family in aka Dan

Dan Matthews, a Korean American adoptee, meets his birth family -- and his twin brother -- for the first time.



If you read his awesome guest post from a couple of weeks ago, you know that my good friend Dan Matthews, a musician and generally cool guy, has been in Korea this summer on the journey of his life.

Dan, a Korean American adoptee who grew up in California, recently went on a search for this birth parents... and found them. He not only has a biological family in South Korea, where he traveled to meet them for the first time, Dan also has a twin brother. Whaaaaat. Needless to say, this has been an identity-altering trip.

And the cameras have been rolling. aka Dan is a documentary project following Dan's journey to Korea for the International Korean Adoptee Association, performing his first live concert in Korea, and of course, his reunion with his birth family. The project will also include a full-length music album inspired by his experiences.

Here's Dan in a nationally-televised interview for Korea's Arirang Today:

10 Things I'll Do With My Soon-To-Be Twin Brother

Guest Post by Dan Matthews



Hey, folks! I'm on vacation, taking a much-needed blog break. Some batteries need recharging. But don't worry -- I've enlisted the generous help of some great guest bloggers to keep things fresh around here while I'm gone. Here's Dan Matthews sharing about his journey to meet his biological family -- and his twin brother(!) -- for the first time.

This week I'll find out if I have a biological family. And I'll find out if I have a twin brother.

I mean, I know I have a biological family somewhere, hence... me being alive (maybe not necessarily a twin brother... unless everyone has a twin sibling they don't know about). But this week I'll find out if I'm actually related to the biological family that had recently revealed themselves to me. My honest to God, this is your blood, FAMILY. I'm maybe 5 days from finding out. And it's FREAKING me out.

So, I could think of no better way to fill up the void of this blog space left by Angry Asian Man than to write about how it feels to be in emotional limbo while waiting to hear back from DNA results determining whether or not someone is related to you.

angry reader of the week: daniel matthews

Hey! Once again, time 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 reader is the one and only Dan Matthews... aka Dan aka Dan.