They Call Us Water Mirror Echo

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

Photo: Daren Mooko Photography

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.

In this episode, we celebrate the 300th episode of They Call Us Bruce and welcome writer/scholar Jeff Chang, author of Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America, recorded live at Skylight Books in Los Angeles. He talks about writing a biography of Bruce Lee that authentically centers the man behind the legend, while doubling as a stealth culturally history of Asian America, in a way that it's never been told before. We discuss Bruce's rough-and-tumble (and highly cinematic) teen years; how young Bruce was actually kind of awkward (and annoying); and the hard-fought Asian American journey to becoming a global icon. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of writing Water Mirror Echo.

They Call Us Korea & Hollywood's Future

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.

In this episode, we welcome pop culture pals and cultural critics Dino-Ray Ramos and Rebecca Sun to discuss two new similarly-flavored TV series, Butterfly and Tempest. They explore the cultural significance of these Korean and Korean-adjacent shows, their unique storytelling approaches, and the evolving landscape of Asian American representation in global content. They discuss the future of authentic Asian storytelling in Hollywood -- beyond stunt casting and "flower vases"; the role of diaspora creatives; and the balance between small, intimate stories and larger global narratives. They also caution against Hollywood's inevitable exploitation and commodification of K-culture.

They Call Us Butterfly

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.

In this episode, we welcome actors Daniel Dae Kim and Reina Hardesty, stars of the Prime Video thriller series Butterfly. Daniel talks about adapting the original graphic novel to create an action/espionage series around Korean American characters; Reina talks about auditioning for "Untitled Daniel Dae Kim Project" and finding her way in the role of estranged daughter (and highly-skilled assassin) Rebecca; they talk about the need for nuance in ethnic-specific casting for Asian American actors; and we get The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of making Butterfly.

They Call Us Crusing J-Town

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.

In this episode, we welcome our old friend Oliver Wang, professor of sociology, curator for the Japanese American National Museum exhibition Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel of the Nikkei Community, and author/editor of the exhibition's companion book. We talk about the rich history of Japanese American car culture in Los Angeles, its significance in shaping community identity, the impact of urban development, the surprising gamesmanship involved in street racing, and the complex tapestry of stories still waiting to be uncovered in Asian American history. Oliver also shares some of his research on an important question: why is "Bizarre Love Triangle" the unofficial anthem for Asian Americans (of a certain age)?

They Call Us Breaking Into New Hollywood

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.

In this episode, we welcome back Ada Tseng, co-author of Breaking Into New Hollywood: A Career Guide to a Changing Industry, and actor/comedian Amy Anderson and her daughter Aubrey Anderson-Emmons (Modern Family). Ada talks about writing a practical guide to getting started in today's entertainment industry; Amy and Aubrey trade stories with Jeff -- who's had some experience as a stage parent -- about how getting cast on network television show changed their families' lives; and how everybody's navigating this current moment of upheaval and uncertainty. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of "The New Hollywood."

They Call Us Kaila Yu

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.

In this episode, we welcome writer and former pinup model Kaila Yu, author of the memoir Fetished: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty, a memoir-in-essays exploring the roles pop culture and colonialism played in shaping pervasive and destructive stereotypes about Asian women and their bodies. She talks about her iconic status as a model on import tuner scene; her own reckoning with being an object of Asian fetish; and her personal journey of self-love and healing. They also discuss Phil and Kaila's shared history as members of the extended Fast & Furious cinematic universe, as well as the remote possibility that Jeff and Kaila (née Elaine Yang) could be related.

They Call Us Maybe Happy Ending's Casting Controversy

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.

In this episode, we welcome Howard Ho, playwright/composer/YouTuber, and Diep Tran, Editor in Chief of Playbill, to discuss Asian Americans in theatre, Broadway, and controversy over the recent announcement that Andrew Barth Feldman, a white actor, would be taking over the lead role in Maybe Happy Ending, the hit Tony Award-winning musical about robots finding connection in future Korea. They talk about the historical lack of opportunities for Asian Americans in theatre, enjoying a moment of hope in the wake of recent successes, and why Maybe Happy Ending's re-casting is such a disappointment on multiple levels. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of this moment in Asian American theatre.

They Call Us Superheroes

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.

In this episode, we welcome back pop cultural pals Rebecca Sun and Dino-Ray Ramos to discuss recent superhero movies like Superman and Fantastic Four: First Steps. (But really, a good excuse for friends to hang out and gab, because it's been a minute.) We talk about the so-called "woke" Superman, where the heck Shang-Chi has been, watching these movies in a world of real-life supervillains, and the significance of superhero narratives in the context of Asian American identity, history and culture.

They Call Us Kpop Demon Hunters

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.

In this episode, we welcome Maggie Kang, creator and co-director of the hit Netflix animated feature Kpop Demon Hunters. She talks about the seven-year journey of bringing the film to life; behind-the-scenes insights on crafting an epic animated action musical that incorporates both supernatural demon lore and kpop idol culture; assembling the voice and music team to tell this uniquely Korean story; and the incredible, unexpected global response to the movie. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of making Kpop Demon Hunters.

Squid Game: The Official Podcast - S3E7: Season 3 Finale Explained by Creator and Stars!

Play one last time.

Squid Game is back! The third and final season of the worldwide phenomenon has dropped, and I'm pleased to share that I'm back as host of Squid Game: The Official Podcast, from Netflix and Mash-Up Americans. Join me and co-host Kiera Please as we suit up and break down every shocking twist and betrayal, and the choices that will determine who, if anyone, makes it out alive. Alongside creators, cultural critics, and viral internet voices, we'll provide our own theories for how the season ends, and what Squid Game ultimately reveals about power, sacrifice, and the systems that shape us.

Spoiler alert! Make sure you watch Squid Game Season 3 before listening on.

For our final bonus episode Kiera and I head to New York City for an exclusive sit-down with the minds and hearts behind Squid Game, series creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk, the unforgettable Player 456 himself, Lee Jung-jae, and the enigmatic Front Man, Lee Byung-hun. The masks are off! We do a deep dive with some burning questions about the show's most iconic moments and characters, and get real with the legends behind the global phenomenon.

Squid Game: The Official Podcast - S3E6: Humans Are...

Play one last time.

Squid Game is back! The third and final season of the worldwide phenomenon has dropped, and I'm pleased to share that I'm back as host of Squid Game: The Official Podcast, from Netflix and Mash-Up Americans. Join me and co-host Kiera Please as we suit up and break down every shocking twist and betrayal, and the choices that will determine who, if anyone, makes it out alive. Alongside creators, cultural critics, and viral internet voices, we'll provide our own theories for how the season ends, and what Squid Game ultimately reveals about power, sacrifice, and the systems that shape us.

Spoiler alert! Make sure you watch Squid Game Season 3 Episode 6 before listening on.

The Game ends here. In the gripping series finale, "Humans Are..." Kiera and I sit with the full emotional weight of the series' conclusion -- unpacking Player 456's remarkable final act of defiance, the Front Man's quiet reckoning, and the question at the heart of the show: what does it mean to be human in an inhumane world? We revisit lingering fan theories, reflect on the characters we’ll never forget, and explore a final twist that raises even more questions than it answers.

Squid Game: The Official Podcast - S3E5: Circle, Triangle, Square

Play one last time.

Squid Game is back! The third and final season of the worldwide phenomenon has dropped, and I'm pleased to share that I'm back as host of Squid Game: The Official Podcast, from Netflix and Mash-Up Americans. Join me and co-host Kiera Please as we suit up and break down every shocking twist and betrayal, and the choices that will determine who, if anyone, makes it out alive. Alongside creators, cultural critics, and viral internet voices, we'll provide our own theories for how the season ends, and what Squid Game ultimately reveals about power, sacrifice, and the systems that shape us.

Spoiler alert! Make sure you watch Squid Game Season 3 Episode 5 before listening on.

In Season 3, Episode 5, "Circle, Triangle, Square," Kiera Please and I unpack the twisted politics of fairness, the final betrayal of the Os, and Player 456's decision to protect the baby -- even if it means risking everything. And Comedian Steven He ("EMOTIONAL DAMAGE!") joins the pod to break down Guard 011's revenge, Min-su's haunting farewell, and the flashback that finally reveals how the Front Man won his season. Plus, we put Steven in the hot seat for a ruthless game of "Who Wants to Be a Squid-ionaire?"

They Call Us Dylan Park-Pettiford

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.

In this episode, we welcome Dylan Park-Pettiford -- TV writer, combat veteran and author of the memoir Roadside: My Journey to Iraq and the Long Road Home. He talks about growing up as a Black/Korean American kid in Campbell, California; getting swept up in the post-9/11 patriotism that sent him to Iraq, where his days alternated between boredom and terror; losing his brother to gun violence; uncovering a part of his identity through family history; and the kinds of topics you might want to avoid writing about if your mom might eventually read your book.

Squid Game: The Official Podcast - 222: S3E4

Play one last time.

Squid Game is back! The third and final season of the worldwide phenomenon has dropped, and I'm pleased to share that I'm back as host of Squid Game: The Official Podcast, from Netflix and Mash-Up Americans. Join me and co-host Kiera Please as we suit up and break down every shocking twist and betrayal, and the choices that will determine who, if anyone, makes it out alive. Alongside creators, cultural critics, and viral internet voices, we'll provide our own theories for how the season ends, and what Squid Game ultimately reveals about power, sacrifice, and the systems that shape us.

Spoiler alert! Make sure you watch Squid Game Season 3 Episode 4 before listening on.

In Season 3, Episode 4, "222" we unpack how innocence gets weaponized when the baby is named the Game's newest player -- and explore what South Korea's plummeting birth rate says about why this baby holds so much weight. Then, activist and content creator Amber Whittington (aka "AmbersCloset") joins to break down the heartbreaking end to the Jump Rope game, the Front Man's shocking reveal, and faces off with Kiera in a game of "Poisoned Bottle" that’s equal parts delicious and disgusting. Also: we call my mom to get her latest Squid Game takes!

Squid Game: The Official Podcast - It's Not Your Fault: S3E3

Play one last time.

Squid Game is back! The third and final season of the worldwide phenomenon has dropped, and I'm pleased to share that I'm back as host of Squid Game: The Official Podcast, from Netflix and Mash-Up Americans. Join me and co-host Kiera Please as we suit up and break down every shocking twist and betrayal, and the choices that will determine who, if anyone, makes it out alive. Alongside creators, cultural critics, and viral internet voices, we'll provide our own theories for how the season ends, and what Squid Game ultimately reveals about power, sacrifice, and the systems that shape us.

Spoiler alert! Make sure you watch Squid Game Season 3 Episode 3 before listening on.

In Season 3, Episode 3, "It's Not Your Fault," we react to one of the season's most devastating twists, the newborn baby's forced induction into the Game and Player 456's newfound purpose. Plus, we break down the backstory of our favorite creepy dolls: Young-hee and Chul-su and their role in Korean education. Then, special guest Philip Wang of Wong Fu Productions joins to talk about the show's evolving definition of family -- and what it means when even the heroes have blood on their hands. Plus, we face off in a morally impossible round of "The Lesser Evil" -- because sometimes, there are no right answers.

Squid Game: The Official Podcast - The Starry Night: S3E2

Play one last time.

Squid Game is back! The third and final season of the worldwide phenomenon has dropped, and I'm pleased to share that I'm back as host of Squid Game: The Official Podcast, from Netflix and Mash-Up Americans. Join me and co-host Kiera Please as we suit up and break down every shocking twist and betrayal, and the choices that will determine who, if anyone, makes it out alive. Alongside creators, cultural critics, and viral internet voices, we'll provide our own theories for how the season ends, and what Squid Game ultimately reveals about power, sacrifice, and the systems that shape us.

Spoiler alert! Make sure you watch Squid Game Season 3 Episode 2 before listening on.

In Season 3, Episode 2, "The Starry Night," the body count rises -- and a Squid baby is born -- during a brutal game of hide-and-seek. Player 120 steps up as an unlikely protector, MG Coin forms a deadly new alliance, and Player 456 crosses a line he may never come back from. We unpack the players' breaking points, the emotional fallout of a beloved character's exit, and what a baby could mean for the future of the Game. Then, YouTuber and Squid Game: The Challenge alum Kevin Ninh (aka 'Flawless Kevin') joins in-studio to talk about bullying, survival, and the pressure to prove yourself. Plus, things get messy (literally) in a wild round of "Open the Locks."

They Call Us The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of the World Right Now

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.

In this episode, we connect across travels and time zones to catch up and reflect on some of The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of recent weeks, including K-Pop Demon Hunters, New York City mayoral candidates, "rooftop Koreans," ICE raids, Squid Game, and space sushi.

Squid Game: The Official Podcast - Keys and Knives: S3 E1

Play one last time.

Squid Game is back! The third and final season of the worldwide phenomenon has dropped, and I'm pleased to share that I'm back as host of Squid Game: The Official Podcast, from Netflix and Mash-Up Americans. Join me and co-host Kiera Please as we suit up and break down every shocking twist and betrayal, and the choices that will determine who, if anyone, makes it out alive. Alongside creators, cultural critics, and viral internet voices, we'll provide our own theories for how the season ends, and what Squid Game ultimately reveals about power, sacrifice, and the systems that shape us.

Spoiler alert! Make sure you watch Squid Game Season 3 Episode 1 before listening on.

In the season 3 premiere, Player 456 is spiraling and a brutal round of hide-and-seek forces players to kill or be killed. We break down Gi-hun’s descent into vengeance, Guard 011's daring betrayal of the Game, and the shocking moment when players are forced to choose between murdering their friends... or dying. Then, Carlos Juico and Gavin Ruta from the Jumpers Jump podcast join us to unpack their wild theories for the season. Plus, Kiera and I face off in a high-stakes round of "Hot Sweet Potato."

They Call Us The Menswear Guy

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.

In this episode, we welcome fashion industry commentator and writer Derek Guy, also known as "the menswear guy." He talks about how his interest in clothing and fashion led to his popular blog and social media persona; how his writing weaves together humor, history, cultural criticism, and political commentary to make fashion feel relevant to anyone; why terrible politicians are such easy targets for sartorial critique; and why he was compelled to speak out about anti-immigrant rhetoric and stereotyping -- making himself the target of the likes of J.D. Vance. Also: The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of being the menswear guy.

They Call Us Murder at the Patel Motel

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.

In this episode, we welcome back actor, activist and author Maulik Pancholy, co-writer and star of the scripted comedy podcast Murder at the Patel Motel. He talks about the real-life "Patel motel cartel" that inspired the audio drama's small town murder mystery milieu; blending the tried-and-true tropes of an Agatha Christie-style whodunnit with a gay, Indian American family comedic twist; the creative challenges of writing for an audio-only format; whether or not Maulik will ever get to attend the Met Gala; and of course, The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of making Murder at the Patel Motel.