Kimchi Mamas

Yup ghi

There are a few words in Korean that are very hard to translate. For me, yup-ghi is one of them. Other words I would include in this category are:

shi won ha da

can mean: it tastes good (like the feeling you get when you eat hangover soup), can also mean it feels cool like when you take a cold shower during a hot summer. you would also say this when you feel a breeze while sitting under the cool shade of a tree in the summer.

mut it da

can mean: cool, hip, awesome, fantastic.  i usually use this term to describe a very admirable (in both looks and character) person that is also very cool (think James Dean)... like that doctor Daniel Henny (sp?) played in My Lovely Samsoon (a popular Korean drama).. he was mut it suh.

goh soh had da

can mean: nutty in flavor, rich in flavor.  Like sesame oil is go so hae... or my mom said once that California rolls had a goh so han flavor that she couldn't pinpoint. One could describe the flavor of soy bean noodles as goh soh ha da. (you know, the white noodles with white sauce like in this picture:

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.

The Old Man and the Cow

The LA Times has a touching story about a beleaguered South Korean couple, rural farmers made suddenly famous by a documentary made about them and their old cow. "Old Partner" is playing with English subtitles right now at a theatre in LA's Koreatown and if I can manage to escape baby-watching duties for a few hours, I think I might go this weekend. Maybe I'll see you there?

- Nina

*Hands Over My Eyes*

Late last night as I was channel surfing, I came across the "Sundance Channel" (I just upgraded my tv programming and am discovering the truth about how even though there are 500 channels  there's still nothing good on . . .).  But last night was one of those rare instances where what was on was something I actually wanted to watch.

It was a 2006 Korean "gangster" film titled "A Dirty Carnival".  And lemme tell you it was good. The story was a good blend of drama, action and (what I like to call) 'Korean tragedy'.  I was a little disappointed in the ending, but I watch enough Korean films to know not to expect too happy an ending.  Without giving away too much, the film really lived up to it's spirit.

Why am I bringing this up?

Planet B-Boy

I just have to rave about a documentary I saw last weekend with my family. Planet B-Boy takes you into the world of modern day breakdancing battles. From the film's official web site:

With compelling characters and vibrant dance sequences, PLANET B-BOY is set in the international world of b-boying - the urban dance more commonly known as "breakdancing." Weaving between the vivid backdrops of Osaka, Paris, Seoul and Las Vegas, unforgettable images frame the intimate stories of dancer who struggle for their dreams despite being misunderstood by larger society and even their own families. An American dancer in Vegas looks for his big break; a Korean son seeks his father's approval; a twelve-year old boy in France confronts his family's racism - all the b-boy's lives collide in Germany when their skills are put to the ultimate test: the "Battle of the Year" finals, with crews from 18 countries vying for the title of world champion.

There's one scene where one of the Korean crews runs back to their room after eating at the school cafeteria and they're making rice in their rice cookers and talking about how they hope the kimchee doesn't run out and I just laughed and laughed. I know the feeling!!

Like the documentary RIZE!, I just really appreciated getting to know the people behind the phenomenon of the dance and it was interesting to see how dancers around the world interpret b-boying as both an athletic and artistic expression.

When I was in Korea last summer for the IKAA Gathering, we were treated to a performance by the amazing group Last For One which was one of the featured teams in this documentary.

-- Jae Ran

Premiere of “The Air I Breathe”

My friend, Jieho Lee, director- and screenwriter-extraordinaire, sent an email out this weekend with details of his film’s premiere. So without further ado, an introduction in his words:

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Dear Friends,

I hope this email finds you all well and starting off 2008 on a great note. As most of you know, my first feature film “The Air I Breathe” will be hitting theaters soon and I just wanted to give you all a warm shout and ask you to please come out and support the cause — and of course, to help spread the word!!

The film is a low budget indie — but we were able to wrangle a pretty talented cast that includes Forest Whitaker, Brendan Fraser, Andy Garcia, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Emile Hirsch, Kevin Bacon, Julie Delpy, Kelly Hu, John Cho and Clark Gregg.

Brought To You By Your Friendly Neighborhood Korean

I get very nervous and uncomfortable by attention directed at me. (Yes this is weird considering I blog but I never said I wasn’t nuts.) So my first post here is an attempt at deflection.

::::::::

I have two congratulations/advertisements in regards to two (Korean) high school friends:

Jieho Lee, an up-and-coming director and more importantly, one of the nicest guys I know, recently debuted his film—for which he directed and co-wrote the script—The Air I Breathe, at Tribeca Film Festival. I’ve been bugging him about its nationwide release date which is still TBD. I’m sure you’ll hear about it as it’s been well-received thus far and stars several heavyweights such as Forest Whitaker, Brendan Fraser, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kevin Bacon and fellow Asians Kelly Hu and John Cho. (I’m dropping names here because I’m especially lame and he’s especially cool with access to, you know, celebrities.)

Movie Review: The Host

We recently went to see The Host (Gwoemul) by Korean director Bong Joon-ho.  If you haven't heard about it, it's a monster movie from South Korea that has gotten fairly wide distribution in the US.  I was delighted and a bit surprised to see a movie in Korean at our local multiplex.  Although the actors in the trailer are speaking English, the movie is mostly in Korean with subtitles.

When I first heard about it, I thought it would be like those awful Godzilla movies that my husband and son love to torture me with on Saturday nights. Is it just me, or do other people have children who like to sing "mo-su-ra, mo-su-ra" in an attempt to summon a giant moth to save Tokyo? 

Anyway, the premise of The Host is based on a real-life incident in which a US Army official forced an underling to dump toxic chemicals into a drain leading to the Han River.  In the movie version, the chemicals lead to a mutant creature that grows to epic proportions, and surfaces one sunny day to terrorize people hanging out in the park beside the river.  This leads to a campaign of government "misinformation" to try to downplay the monster's existence and threat.

Red Doors/The Motel Contest: Write about your Dad, win a prize!

In celebration of the DVD release of two recent Asian American films (Red Doors and The Motel) we are partnering up with our "brothers" the Rice Daddies to have a contest. 

Since we're all moms writing about our experiences, we thought it'd be fun to mix things up a bit: 

Share your funniest story about your dad in the comments below.  Leave us your email address, and we'll enter you in a drawing for one of FIVE exciting prize packs.  One entry per person, please—but you can also go over to Rice Daddies and share your funniest story about your mom for a chance at one of their 5 identical prize packs.

The prize pack features a copy of Red Doors on DVD, a movie poster, a copy of The Motel on DVD, and a movie poster signed by the cast.  Phew!

If that wasn't enough, we're trying out a little Rice Daddies and Kimchi Mamas competition.  We want to see which blog gets the most stories.  The team with the most entries wins.  The losing blogteam has to supply three of its contributors to write their most embarassing parenting moment for publication on the winners' site.

The contests will be open until Saturday, February 3, 2007 at 12:01am PST.    Check back on Monday to find out who won.  Let the fun begin!!

~ eliaday

* Big thanks to Michael at Blanc de Chine films and Deborah at Palm Pictures for making this contest possible!

Red Doors: Movie about Chinese-American family opens Friday in SF, LA

Earlier this week, I posted my interview with Red Doors director, Georgia Lee. Her award-winning film—already playing in New York—finally makes its way to the west coast this weekend.  It opens on Friday, September 22 in San Francisco (at the Clay Theater on Fillmore) and in Los Angeles (check local listings). Cast members and film makers will be present at all shows.

When I spoke with Lee last week, she told me that the only way they were marketing the film was via email. She has no marketing budget and yet her film was the top-grossing film on a per-screen basis during the second weekend in September. She encourages everyone to go out and see this movie to show Hollywood that, indeed, there is a demand for Asian-American films.

So what is the film about?

At first glance, it's about the Wongs, a typically dysfunctional American family that just happens to be Chinese. The film is told from the father's (Ed's) point-of-view. He is deeply depressed and is nostaglic for happier times.

Ed is retired and sees to have no real reason to live. His two eldest daughters, Samantha and Julie, no longer live at home, and when they are at home for tense family dinners, have no time for him. They have their own issues. His teenage, hip-hop-dancing daughter Katie is too busy pulling off outrageous stunts (involving bombs and flaming bags of dog shit) as "love letters" to her teen crush Simon.

Lee weaves home movies of her own childhood into this slick-yet-understated production. It is a very effective device which immediately brings to mind the sense of nostalgia and longing that Ed feels, and the happier times that are missing from the family.

The Wongs happen to sit around a table with a Lazy Susan in the middle of it, and use chopsticks instead of forks, but this family is every family. Their issues are universal and that is just what Lee intended.

The film is laugh-out-loud funny and, at the same time, tender and revealing. See this film and you'll probably never look at your family the same way again.
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If you live in San Francisco or Los Angeles, are you planning on seeing this movie this weekend? If you are let us know!  And if you attend the screening on Friday night in San Francisco, perhaps I'll see you there!

—Stefania Pomponi Butler