Eric Nam performing in Pittsburgh, October 6.

Korean-American singer Eric Nam will perform in Pittsburgh on October 6, as part of his "House on the Hill" tour.

Named GQ Korea’s Man of the Year and Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, the multifaceted musician, actor and television personality Eric Nam is one of the most successful Korean-American figures of recent times, having built what GQ calls “one of the most varied and entrepreneurial legacies in the K-Pop scene.” With 2.5M+ monthly listeners and 5M+ followers on Instagram, Eric has amassed over 1B streams on Spotify and most recently headlined a sold-out world tour playing 59 headline shows across 54 cities including Los Angeles, New York, Paris, London and Melbourne. In addition to music, Eric is a co-founder and creative director at DIVE Studios, the world’s leading AAPI and K-pop focused media company with multiple award-winning podcasts, and Mindset, a mental health and wellness platform for Gen Z audiences. Eric will soon make his acting debut as the lead in the psychological thriller Transplant.

He last performed in Pittsburgh in February 2022. This time he's at the Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks (map) at 7:00 pm, and tickets are available onilne.

Japanese-English Language Social Hour at Pitt, September 27.

Promotional material for Pitt's English Language Institute, 1980s. 

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center and the English Language Institute will present an Japanese-English Language Social Hour on September 27.

A language and cultural exchange between Pitt language learners and international speakers..

The event rns from 12:00 to 1:00 pm in the Global Hub on the first floor of Posvar Hall, and is open to members of the Pitt community. Registration is required.

2017 Japanese zombie film One Cut of the Dead (カメラを止めるな!) at Row House Hollywood, October 28.

The 2017 Japanese zombie film One Cut of the Dead (カメラを止めるな!) will play at the Row House Hollywood in Dormont on October 28, part of the theater's Zombiefest.

Things go badly for a hack director and film crew shooting a low-budget zombie movie in an abandoned Japanese World War II facility, when they are attacked by real zombies. Or, that’s what it says on the tin, but this is the story of how it really happened.

Tickets for the 4:30 show are available online. The Row House Hollywood is located at 1449 Potomac Ave. (map).

2004 film Howl's Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城) in Pittsburgh, September 23 - 27.

The 2004 film Howl's Moving Castle (ハウルの動く城) will play in Pittsburgh from September 23 through 27, this month's installment of Studio Ghibli Fest 2023. A synopsis from the distributor:

From the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away, and acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki, comes the Academy Award®-nominated fantasy adventure for the whole family.

Sophie, a quiet girl working in a hat shop, finds her life thrown into turmoil when she is literally swept off her feet by a handsome but mysterious wizard named Howl. The vain and vengeful Witch of the Waste, jealous of their friendship, puts a curse on Sophie and turns her into a 90-year-old woman. On a quest to break the spell, Sophie climbs aboard Howl’s magnificent moving castle and into a new life of wonder and adventure. But as the true power of Howl’s wizardry is revealed, Sophie finds herself fighting to protect them both from a dangerous war of sorcery that threatens their world. F

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, the Waterworks theater, the Phoenix Theaters Luxury in Bridgeville, and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, North Hills, and Robinson, and tickets are available online. Please note, some shows are dubbed in English while others are in Japanese with English subtitles.

Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration at Pitt, September 28.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Cener and Global Hub will host a Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration on September 28 from 12:00 to 2:00 pm.

Join the Asian Studies Center for our Mid-Autumn Festival. We'll enjoy Mooncakes, tea and a lantern craft.

It will be held at the Global Hub, located on the 1st floor of Posvar Hall (map), from 12:00 to 2:00 pm.

New Chinese movie Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms (封神第一部) in Pittsburgh, from September 20.

The 2023 Chinese movie Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms (封神第一部) will play in Pittsburgh from September 20.

After conspiring with a conniving fox demon to kill the emperor and seize power, King Zhou reigns as a tyrant so brutal that he incurs the wrath of Heaven. In a final attempt to save the mortal world from desperate peril, the gods decide to intervene and invest in an unlikely champion brave enough to challenge the evil king—even if it may cost him everything.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront. Tickets are available now available online for the remainder of the week.

2000 movie Godzilla: 2000 (ゴジラ2000 ミレニアム) in Pittsburgh, November 1, for 70th anniversary of Godzilla Day.

The 2000 movie Godzilla: 2000 (ゴジラ2000 ミレニアム) will play in Pittsburgh on November 1 for the 70th anniversary of Godzilla Day. It will play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, AMC Classic Westmoreland, and the Cinemark theaters in Monaca, Monroeville, North Hills, and Robinson. Tickets are available online.

More information about all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ restaurant possibly coming to Oakland.

Earlier this month signage went up for an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ restaurant in Oakland, and recently a menu and photos were posted to the windows. The menu advertises $27.99 for adults with over 30 types of meats; Korean dishes like bibimbap, jjajangmyeon, ramyeon, and bulgogi; Korean appetizers like mandu, japchae, and gaeranjim; and a selection of other Asian items like sichuan noodles, Chinese-style jajangmen, orange chicken, and fried rice. It will be located at 414 Semple St. (map), in the former location of Korea Garden which closed a while back in preparation for a move to the Asian food court under development in the Strip District.

I am not as definitive in this post as I am with other restaurants coming soon because Pittsburgh has been duped before by handmade print-outs promising Korean BBQ. However, building permit paperwork does show that a new restaurant by building owner Jiyan An is coming soon to the spot.

English Korean Language Social Hour, November 1 at Pitt.

via @VisitSeoul 

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center and the English Language Institute will present an Korean-English Language Social Hour on November 1.

A language and cultural exchange between Pitt language learners and international speakers..

The event runs from 12:00 to 1:00 pm in the Global Hub on the first floor of Posvar Hall, and is open to members of the Pitt community. Registration is required.

Hong Kong Dim Sum planned for North Oakland.

via Hanna Langholz Wilson Ellis

A restaurant called Hong Kong Dim Sum is planned for 4520 Centre Ave. in North Oakland (map), the newish apartment complex One On Centre. If approved by the Zoning Board of Adjustment, the restaurant would occupy over 4,200 square feet of the first floor. Details are scarce, but should the restaurant arrive it would help fill one of the largest remaining gaps in the Pittsburgh dining scene.