Kimchi Mamas

May 1 is much more than lei day this year

Growing up in Hawaii, the first day of May was always filled with flowers and school Hula performances because (sing with me) "May Day is Lei Day in Hawaaaaaaiiiiiiiii."  But this year, I am looking forward to May 1st not for it's fragrant flowers, but because DANIEL. HENNEY.  swoon.

is he hot, or is he hot?  his mom is Korean, and his dad is British.  He grew up mostly in America, but found a career on the small and big screen in Korea.  I first saw him in the Korean drama "My Lovely Samsoon."  But he was in Spring Waltz and a couple of Korean films too.

Wait, so what does he have to do with May 1st?

That's the release date for X-Men Origins: Wolverine in which Daniel Henney plays Agent Zero.   Somehow, someway, I am going to be parked in that dark theater to see it as soon as it's out.  I haven't quite figured out who will be watching my kids as I snarf down popcorn and drool over him, but it's gonna happen. 

Honestly, his acting in Korea was so so for the most part so I fretted about him not being that great in such a major American film.  BUT, now I can watch knowing everything will be ok and I won't be embarrassed for him because my husband (deployed in Iraq) already got to see it (I guess they figured the troops all the way over there were special or something) and he says that Agent Zero was spot on.

So who is with me?  And why do I get the feeling that there will be quite a few ajummahs in the crowd at this movie.  I'm thinkin the usual high school/ college boy crowd will be mighty confused at all the Korean ladies elbowing their way to the best seats.

-Jooliyah, is tickled by the fact that Daniel Henney eats the stinky Korean food that she craves too.

Happy Holidays from the Kimchi Mamas

Kimchi Mamas WTF of the Week (an occassional series): Adultery is against the law in Korea?

Was reading with fascination today about Ok So-ri and her eight-month suspended sentence for cheating on her husband (who sued her) with some pop star. She blamed a loveless marriage and tried to get the law overturned saying it was a violation of human rights.  Apparently South Korea is the one of the few remaining non-Muslim countries with laws on the books stating that adultery is a criminal offense. I had no idea!

--Stefania Pomponi Butler

The Most Beautiful Man Alive

Won Bin

Stephen Colbert-Rain Dance Off

Hat tip Bad Kitty!

Forget American Idol - Diapered Korean baby sings the Beatles

Okay, technically the kid is a toddler, but still! A friend of mine sent me the link to this video a few days ago, but I didn't watch it. Last night after watching American Idol, my kids and I spent almost an hour on YouTube watching this kid singing the Beatles play list. 

-- Jae Ran

New Feature: Aunty Jo's Email of the Week

Raise your hand if you have a krajee Korean mother who emails you random shiznit every week! My mom, heretofore referred to as Aunty Jo, blows up my mailbox weekly with crazy-ass crap like animated Blue Mountain Cards, online petitions from 1998, recipes for doen jang chigae, photos of Korean soap opera stars with the words "So handsome!!" typed next to them, Barack Obama for President calls-to-action, and informational items that fall under the category best described as "Urban Legends Easily Debunked by Snopes."

Here's this week's inaugural installment of Aunty Jo's Email of the Week. Enjoy!

Aunty Jo says:

"This Korean guy is awesome! You guys must see it! Music Instrument- a gayageum;a twelve-stringed Korean harp." (Note that she has to qualify that the guy is Korean, and check out the culture tip about the harp she is trying to slip in there. Thanks, Mom!)

It's raining RAIN!

Rain. Bi. Jung Ji Hoon. Hottie Boombalottie. However you refer to him, Rain is sweeping Asia and is poised to take on the world. He just might be the most famous person that the average American doesn't know about.

Shoot, I didn't know who he was until a few months ago. My mom and all her girlfriends are apparently in love with him and get giddy like school girls whenever his name is mentioned. (My mother doesn't understand how I can possibly survive without AZN.)

I saw Rain in People magazine recently where he was named one of the "100 Most Beautiful." Which, yeah, okay he is.

So let's hear it. What do you think of the impending storm that is...Rain?

—Stefania Pomponi Butler