Kimchi Mamas

Oooh, pretty, pretty blog!

Notice something different? Is it the hair, you ask? Or is that a new dress? Or did you finally decide to spring for song-ah-puhl surgery?

Don't worry, we're the same fabulous and fiesty Kimchi Mamas, but we've been given a makeover by our very own Halfmama. We hope you like it because we're in love with our shiny new look. In addition to our new finger-wagging, hanbok-rocking mascot up there, you'll find a link to bios for all of our contributors on the left.

We'll also be working on sprucing up our linkage in the coming weeks, so if you've got a link that you think Kimchi Mamas would love, e-mail kimchimamas (at) gmail (dot) com. We also hope to roll out some exciting new Kimchi Mama bling for your blogs and websites.

Burn your tongue.

- The Kimchi Mamas

OO-RAH!

Anyone care to sign up with me? (Yes, I realize this is a relatively old article. I've been meaning to blog about it for... *ahem*... awhile.)

In Korea, a Boot Camp Cure for Web Obsession

Photo courtesy of Seokyong Lee for The New York Times 

Despite my self-imposed hiatus from commenting and blogging lately: Hello, my name is Janet (aka Halfmama) and I am an Internet junkie.

Kickin' It In Geumchon

Thanks to Bea at Bea Knits for the link!

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.

Race — That Four-Letter Word

Here it is: my post about race and how that affects me as an Asian parent. Please bear with me as I bang it out, very unpoetically.

Julie Pippert from The Ravin' Picture Maven wrote the following quote; one that was written in regards to a topic regarding race and blogs post-BlogHer '07, but one that is germane to all matters of race, in my opinion:

"...while I don't think another person's race ought to matter to me, in my assessment of them, it can matter to them in how they feel a part of the world and therefore I ought to respect that, especially if they ask me to consider it as part of my understanding of them as an individual. I ask the same. My racial experiences are a part of me, too, and have affected how I view race, racial issues, and culture."

I have many experienced many racial incidents that have shaped my views. There are two, however, to which I always return.

Nomenclature

Do you use Korean (or other Asian) names within your family? Do your kids call you Umma? Your husband Ahpa/Ahbojee? Each other Unnee/Noona/Oppa/etc.? (Or your language equivalent?)

You Say It's Your Birthday

I just got a somewhat urgent voicemail from my (Korean) dad, asking if I could please email him the birthdates (including birth years) of—*ahem*—myself, huz G, our twins, my brother, brother's wife (aka FingKASIL), and my two nephews.

We have never been a birthday-oriented kind of family (in case you didn't notice). About a year and a half ago, my dad began dating a woman. I believe said woman is whipping his delinquent-birthday-wishing butt into shape to make sure they do something other than make a quick phone call on our birthdays. Not that I care—I'm used to it.

Is it just my family or are all Korean families like this?

Update to Judge's Expensive Pants

Linda posted about this in May, and my friend sent me an update yesterday. The case of the $67.3 million pants is now underway. (Actually, it looks like Judge Pearson lowered his request from $67.3 million to $54 million, so I guess it is the case of the $54 million pants.)

From the NYT article:

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.

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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.)

Welcome New Kimchi Mama: Halfmama!

Kimchi Mamas warmly welcomes its newest contributor, Halfmama, with whom you're probably already familiar from having read her thoughtful comments on this blog, and, more recently, from the recent post about her new gig at Parenting Magazine. In Halfmama’s own words, here’s a brief introduction to our newest Kimchi Mama: