Kimchi Mamas

Kimchi Mama Honor Roll: Stella Choe

If you are Asian American, you probably have seen the following video, maybe even on this very site!  But just in case you have been hiding under some rocks lately, here it is in all its glory:

The hilarious star of this video is Stella Choe: dancer, choreographer, and actress.  As luck would have it, Stella and Kimchi Mama Julie have a mutual friend, and so we were able to ask her a few questions!

Kimchi Mamas: Please tell us about your acting/career background and current projects.

Stella Choe: I started dancing when I was 6 and knew by 10 that I wanted to be a dancer.  I started doing dance jobs when I was 16, and then after high school, went on to a dance scholarship program at the EDGE Performing Arts Center which trains you for a dance career.   I finished college and persued dancing, and have done some fun jobs.  

I toured with Paul McCartney in 2002 to 2003, I have been in episodes for Scrubs, Two and a Half Men, I am one of the cheerleaders in the film "The Replacements" (funny side note: my credit was as the "Asian" cheerleader.  HAHA!) I have been an assistant and associate choreographer for films that include "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "A Cinderella Story" and "Gangster Squad."  Being a dancer in LA exposes you to the film and TV world and I started acting, but mainly for commercials.

KM: Wow, you danced for a Beatle and choreographed for Brad Pitt!  Amazing!  So how did you join this project?  Were you familiar with Ken Tanaka and his work?

SC: I am friends with David Ury, the co-writer of the sketch.  We were at a party together and the "What kind of Asian are you?" question came up in a conversation with some guy.  It was pretty innocent, but anyway, David and I started talking about it and he came up with the idea of turning the tables.  David and Ken then co-wrote the sketch.  Oddly enough, just before that party David and I had talked about doing a video for my reel to help me get new theatrical representation for tv and film, so the timing was perfect.

I am also familiar with Ken and am a fan of his videos and his picture book Everybody Dies.  

This was something new for him to put up on his channel.  None of us thought the reaction would be what it has been!  

KM: During your Britishisms part, how much was scripted and how much was ad-libbed?  Either way, is there more footage out there?  Can we see it?  :)

SC: There was definitely a script we worked with, but as we shot I had some room to play.  It was a collaborative effort, with the creative crew shouting out things at one point and me attempting to list as many british things I knew, and having fun with the physicality of it.  There's an outtake reel that was published a few days ago, and you can get a sense of the silliness of it all! 

The other actor, Scott Beehner, and I just shot a new video today with us reading some of the Youtube comments from the original video that are hysterical and ridiculous in and of themselves. It's a quick montage of "zingers" which should be posted soon.

KM: Can't wait for that!  And it actually brings me to my last questions: were you raised by a Kimchi Mama?  If so, how did she react to your interest in the arts?  And has she seen the video?

SC: I was indeed raised by a Kimchi Mama!!!!!  The best! My parents immigrated here in 1969 and my 2 other sisters and I were born and raised here in LA.  My mom encouraged us to assimilate and be American.  I think it was a tricky balance for her to try to keep Korean traditions alive in our upbringing while trying to raise us in Manhattan Beach (a very white beach community).  

I have to say I was pretty lucky in the support department.  I think my mom was worried about me pursuing a career she didn't really understand, but I did well in school and after college I was like, "I'm freeeee!!!" and I got a waitressing job.  Even now, I don't think she gets how I support myself, but she's always excited to hear if I get a job and have food to eat.  She saw the video and thinks I look crazy and am acting crazy.  Ah, you gotta love a Kimchi Mama.  

Thanks so much to Stella for taking the time to talk to us!  Also, please check out Stella and David Ury in their interview with the Huffington Post, where they provide even more background as to the inspiration for the video:

Mad props to Chae for the hook-up!

Spicy! Seeking Asian Female

Have you read this review of the documentary Seeking Asian Female?  What are your thoughts?  I have a non-Asian male acquaintance who has a definitive "type" of woman - tiny, feisty, hardworking, future-baby/homemaking Filpina; but he's also the uber-geeky American guy who long-distance "dates" women in other countries, making the occasional trip east when funds allow.

 

Seeking Asian Female, by Debbie Lum

 

I found the story kind of fascinating - I, too, cringed, but still, I couldn't stop reading.  Would you, like Sandy, stay so you wouldn't lose face upon finding that your knight in shining armor was not so shiny?  Does it matter how they start if they fall in love with each other in the end?

Netflix doesn't have the Debbie Lum's documentary quite yet, but I've saved it to my queue... now, will I actually watch this when it arrives in mailbox?

--Rikki

Leafie, A Hen Into the Wild

A while back, I promised the Kimchi Mama community that I would inform everyone of any developments in Korean Children entertainment that might be of interest.

Recently, I've noticed posters and commercials for "Leafie, A Hen Into the Wild."  It opens July 28th, here in our little Korean city.  It's a Korean animated film.  The synopsis on the HanCinema website describes it as "an adventure of a hen who leaves her chicken farm to realize her dream of hatching her own egg."

Here's a trailer I found of it on youtube with English subtitles.

 

Apparently, it's already been shown at the Cannes and other countries have already picked it up to show in their theaters according to this 10Asia article I found while doing some research about the movie online.  Unfortunately, it doesn't look like it's coming to America yet.  Let's keep our eyes peeled.  Maybe we'll get lucky.  At the very least, I'm sure that sooner or later, those of us that live in majorly Korean popluated neighborhood and cities will maybe be able to find this movie at the local Korean DVD store.  Ask your Korean moms, aunts and ajummahs to keep THEIR eyes peeled. 

As for us, I am just bummed that we will be leaving Korea in a couple of days for the whole summer, too early to see this in the theaters here and maybe too late to see it when we get back.  It might have left the theaters.  But hopefully not.  Hopefully because it's a rare thing for Korea to have their very own animated movie in their very own language, it'll be a long run.  If it's still running in the theaters when we get back, I definitely plan on taking my kids and I'll write a review and let you guys know how it is.

- jooliyah who is truly bummed with the timing of the release of this movie because the kids saw the trailer and thought it was really cool and wanted to see it.  It would have been interesting to see if they needed the subtitles or not.

Kimchi Mama Honor Roll: Jennifer Yuh Nelson

This Memorial Day weekend, I, along with many other parents, took my kids to see "Kung Fu Panda 2."  It feels strange to say this, but I really enjoyed seeing what all the characters were up to, as if I were revisiting old friends.  The movie delved deeper into Po the panda's personal history, and although the expected visual and verbal gags kept the audience giggling, the film also touches on some real-life themes in surprisingly thoughtful ways: adoption, "man" vs. machine, reconciling the past with the present and future, and redemption.

As the movie ended, I was very curious to see who intertwined the childish comedy with the deeper, more sober issues with such a light, masterful touch.  And when the director's name appeared on the screen, my mouth dropped.  First of all, she was a woman.  Second of all, she could very well be Korean!

Both turned out to be true: Jennifer Yuh Nelson is the first woman to singlehandedly direct a big-budget major animated feature.  BOOYAH!!!

From this LA times article, I learned that Jennifer Yuh Nelson actually grew up in Lakewood, CA, minutes away from where I grew up, and not surprisingly, received encouragement and guidance from her own Kimchi Mama from a very young age:

As a young girl, she would sit at the kitchen table for hours and watch her mother draw, copying her every stroke. Nelson traces the lineage of her career to those formative family experiences.

I also really enjoyed reading how she learned to come into her own as a naturally soft-spoken person in a position that usually is defined by auteur angst:

"I'm a very soft-spoken person. I don't throw furniture. I don't throw tantrums," Nelson said. "As a director, your job is to protect this movie with your life. Protect it against anything that would take it off its course and turn it beige. You have to be very, very ferocious and that was the hardest part for me because I'm not used to yelling."

And perhaps the most glowing testimonial comes from the CEO of Dreamworks himself, Jeffrey Katzenberg:

"What I always find so amazing about Jennifer is that inside this beautiful, soulful, soft-spoken, elegant lady is this macho, kung fu-loving action dynamo," Katzenberg said. "It's the opposite of what we're all used to dealing with in the world, the macho exterior and marshmallow center. There is very much a cult following that she has among our artists. They all want to work with her."

Well, I'm not an artist, but definitely count me in as a cult member. I'm so inspired!  Ms. Yuh Nelson, you rock!!!

LAAPFF Itsy Bitsy Shorts

If you and your kids find yourself in LA this weekend, the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival is once again having its children's program, Itsy Bitsy Shorts!  It's the third time they've done this, and this year they will show 5 kid-friendly animated shorts, two of them by Korean artists, as well as a live performance with the legendary Kristina Wong.

The event is free, you just need to reserve tickets here.  I went last year with both my kids and we had a blast!

Here is the official info:

LOS ANGELES ASIAN PACIFIC FILM FESTIVAL --
For our youngest festival guests comes the 3rd edition of ITSY BITSY SHORTS, the Saturday morning family program (appropriate for ages 2 and up). Enjoy an animation showcase (5 films, approx. 24 mins. total) in comfy stadium style seating, then join us for an interactive performance of "Grey Gardens for Children," featuring legendary performance artist Kristina Wong with a surprise ensemble.

Date: Saturday, May 7 · 11:00am - 1:00pm
Location: CGV Cinemas - Koreatown
621 S Western Ave. (Between 6th Street and Wilshire Blvd)
Los Angeles, CA

Films: OUT ON A LIMB (by Daisy Lin). ORANGE CITY (by Qingyuan Wang). ELECTRIC CAR (by Max Porter, Ru Kuwahata aka Tiny Inventions). WHERE, THERE, HERE (by Soyeon Kim). CHERRY ON THE CAKE (by Hyebin Lee).

Ever wish you could nosh on Asian snacks at the movies? Use your savings from the FREE PROGRAM & FREE PARKING and head to CGV's cinema cafe and concession stand for taro ice cream and dried squid!

Ticket reservations and film details at http://laapff.festpro.com/films/detail/itsy_bitsy_shorts_2011_2011

--Julie

 

Poetry - A South Korean Film

 

There is a new Korean Film that's playing in the Bay Area. Here is synopsis.

 

Poetry

Mija (veteran actress Yun Jung-hee) is a beautiful woman in her sixties who moves gracefully through life, contemplating a trivial daily routine that is ill-suited to her refined persona. With warmth, elegance and a dash of eccentricity, Mija takes care of her ungrateful grandson Wook (Lee David) and makes a living by cleaning house for an elderly man who, though paralyzed by a stroke, still responds to her charm with bouts of drug-induced arousal. On a whim, Mija enrolls in a poetry class at the local cultural center and begins a personal quest to find the perfect words to describe her feelings. However, she’s plagued by the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, and struggles with new vocabulary and the challenges of the creative process. When her world is turned upside down by the discovery of a monstrous crime, it is Mija’s unique and touching poetry that allows her to continue to embrace life. A mysterious, redemptive, cathartic film. Written and directed by Lee Chang-dong (Secret Sunshine, Oasis). (Fully subtitled)

See other locations.

I think I might go see it in Berkeley. Anyone interested in joining?

- Mary

The Warrior's Way

Jang Dong Gun is starring in a Hollywood film called The Warrior's Way with Kate Bosworth! I'm a little bit excited. Are you going to see it?

He was a lead actor in two huge Korean films, TaeGukki (Brotherhood of War) and Chin-goo (Friend). He tied the knot with Go So Young, a beautiful Korean actress, earlier this year and they had a baby couple of months ago. I hope it's better than Ninja Assassin... I didn't watch that one but I heard it wasn't that good. Sorry Rain!

- Mary

Won Bin - still hot

So, three of us saw Man from Nowhere (ahjuhssi) last night and I was glad to see that Won Bin is hotter than ever.  The movie was quite violent... I overheard a random ajumma commenting to (who I guessed was) her daughter that it was violent.  But given my Korean movie experience (Old Boy anyone?), I kind of expected it so I was not too terribly shocked.

If I was not such an avid Won Bin fan and if I wasn't Korean, I think I probably would have thought that the movie was very corny... but since I am a huge Won Bin fan and all, I soaked up all the corny goodness and was totally balling my eyes out during every "sad" scene.  

Open Thread Thursday

It's Open Thread Thursday!

What's on your mind today?

I'm still recovering from the baby's dol we had last week. It was a great party complete with tons of Korean food, ttuk cake, great friends, and tired family members. 

A friend of ours drew this for us as a present and I just HAVE to share it.

The Incredi-Chois. We love it. Thanks Ben!

Now if only I can get my waist to be that skinny.

- Mary

Another Korean Actor Making His Hollywood Debut

Rain has joined the ranks of Daniel Henney and Lee Byung-hyun to be featured in a major Hollywood motion picture... well, I guess Daniel Henny and Lee Byung-hyun weren't really "featured," more like supporting roles. =)

Rain's seems like he'll be the main actor in Nina Assassin... yes, still the stereotypical kung-fu fighting role but hey, looking this good, I say bring it on!

Yum.  heh.

I just saw a commercial for the DVD release of G.I.Joe and Lee Byung-hyun's English is actually really good!  (At least in that one line it was... )

- Mary can't wait to see this movie.