Singer-songwriter Lee Emi in Pittsburgh, November 7.

Singer-songwriter Lee Emi will perform in Pittsburgh on November 7.

Born in South Korea and raised in Michigan, singer-songwriter Lee Emi has performed her music for audiences across the country and overseas, using those experiences to add grit to her dark, thematic songwriting. Her indie-pop-rock music bears sharp teeth, leaning into the rawness of anger, grief, and self-doubt, weaving powerful melodies around potent lyrics that ask all of us: am I good enough?

Originally named Lee Sang-Eun and raised under the name Emilee Petersmark, Lee Emi began her career in 2010 as a primary songwriter and co-lead singer/guitarist in beloved West Michigan indie band, The Crane Wives. For the next 15 years, she would play bars, listening rooms, theatres, and concert venues across the continental US and release 5 studio records with the Crane Wives, all while quietly building a personal cache of songs that would eventually become her first solo record, DESTROY EVERYTHING, to be released in October 2026.

Doors open at 7:00 pm at the Thunderbird Cafe, show starts at 8:00 pm. Tickets are available online. The Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall is located at 4023 Butler St. in Lawrenceville (map).

4K presentation of Ghost in the Shell (攻殻機動隊) for film's 30th anniversary, in Pittsburgh area from September 17.

A 4K presentation of Ghost in the Shell (攻殻機動隊) for the film's 30th anniversary will play in Pittsburgh from September 17. A synopsis, from the Anime News Network:

In the year 2029, the barriers of our world have been broken down by the net and by cybernetics, but this brings new vulnerability to humans in the form of brain-hacking. When a highly-wanted hacker known as "The Puppetmaster" begins involving them in politics, Section 9, a group of cybernetically enhanced cops, are called in to investigate and stop the Puppetmaster. The pursuit will call into question what makes a human and what is the Puppetmaster in a world where the distinction between human and machine is increasingly blurry.

It is scheduled to play locally, so far, at the AMC Loews Waterfront, the AMC Westmoreland in Greensburg, and---on the 20th and 23rd only, for now---at the Cinemark theaters in McCandless, Monroeville, and Robinson. Tickets are available online.

Concert film BTS World Tour 'ARIRANG' in Buenos Aires: Live Viewing in Pittsburgh, October 24 and 25.

The upcoming concert film BTS World Tour 'ARIRANG' in Buenos Aires: Live Viewing will play in Pittsburgh on October 24 and 25.

The first-ever BTS Live Viewing broadcast from South America. Experience the BTS WORLD TOUR 'ARIRANG' in cinemas worldwide, broadcasting from Buenos Aires, Argentina! Marking the first time the band has ever performed in Argentina, this monumental concert will bring the explosive energy of the packed stadium straight to the big screen.

It plays locally, so far, at the Cinemark theaters in McCandless, Monaca, Monroeville, and Robinson, and tickets are available online.

Pittsburgh Taiko Beginners Workshop, September 20.

Pittsburgh Taiko is holding its second introductory workshop of the fall on Sunday, September 20.

Try taiko drumming with Pittsburgh Taiko!

Pittsburgh Taiko's beginner workshops give you a taste of taiko in a one-day, 2-hour format. These workshops are  designed for people who just want to give taiko a try, or folks who might be interested in joining our performing group. 

No experience is necessary! 

Taiko combines energetic hits with calm focus, balances group unity with individual expression, and requires both power and subtlety.  

Each workshop is a 2-hour introduction to taiko, including some taiko history and culture and focusing on hands-on basics. You’ll learn how to stand, how to hit, and some simple patterns that come together to make a percussion melody.  

Workshops are from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at our studio in Bellevue. The workshops are designed for adults and older kids (high school or older). 

Note that our studio is a masked space, and unfortunately it is not accessible to folks who can't climb stairs.

Please read the information at pittsburghtaiko.com/classes before registering.

Classes are held at 2 N Balph Ave, Bellevue, PA 15202, Second Floor (map). The cost is $30 for Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania members and students, and $40 for the general public. Space is limited and as of this post there are six spots remaining. 

Hangul Day at University of Pittsburgh, October 2.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures will host Hangul Day: Play Korea on October 2 Hangul (한글) is the Korean phonetic alphabet and it is celebrated in South Korea on October 9. Hangul Day: Play Korea will be held from 12:00 to 3:00 pm in the William Pitt Union Plaza (map).

2001 Japanese film Ichi the Killer (殺し屋1) at Parkway Theater, September 18.

The 2001 Japanese film Ichi the Killer (殺し屋1) will play at the Parkway Theater on September 18, the third installment in a run of three Asian Movie Madness films.

Takashi Miike’s Ichi the Killer (2001) is typically considered one of the most disturbing films ever made because it pushes violence and psychology to grotesque extremes. It’s even banned in Norway, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, outright.

As sadomasochistic yakuza enforcer Kakihara searches for his missing boss he comes across Ichi, a repressed and psychotic killer who may be able to inflict levels of pain that Kakihara has only dreamed of.

Tickets are $10 at the door. The theater is located at 644 Broadway Ave. in McKees Rocks (map). 

New 4K restoration of 1964 Japanese horror film anthology Kwaidan (怪談) in Pittsburgh, from October 8.

The 1964 Japanese horror film anthology Kwaidan (怪談) will play in Pittsburgh from October 8 through 13, part of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's International Art House series.

New 4K Restoration! Original Japanese Cut! 

Spirits in the drinking water, stolen ears, crabs with human faces: such are the endless wonders of Kwaidan. A haunting masterpiece of world cinema, Kwaidan remains one of the most visually astonishing horror films ever made. Directed by the legendary Japanese filmmaker Masaki Kobayashi (Harakiri) and based on the collected folklore Lafcadio Hearn, this anthology film presents four supernatural tales: a doomed samurai haunted by his past, a snow spirit's deadly bargain, a blind musician performing for the dead, and a mysterious encounter with a man who cannot stop smiling. 

Produced during the golden age of Japanese cinema, Kwaidan was an ambitious and extraordinarily expensive undertaking, with Kobayashi constructing elaborate expressionistic sets that transform traditional ghost stories into breathtaking cinematic nightmares. Eschewing realism in favor of stylized color palettes, theatrical staging, and an eerie, avant-garde soundscape by composer Toru Takemitsu (Akira Kurosawa’s Ran), the film created a visual language that continues to influence filmmakers more than sixty years later. This new restoration of Kwaidan reflects the full, original three-hour cut of the film as originally released in Japan. 

It plays at the Harris Theater in downtown's Cultural District (map) and tickets are available online. 

11th Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival (相约第11届匹兹堡中华文化节), September 19 in Mellon Park.

The Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Center will present the 11th annual Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival (相约第11届匹兹堡中华文化节) on September 19.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 19 at Mellon Park! Bring your family and friends for a lively day filled with captivating performances, interactive art demonstrations, fun games, and delicious food. Early birds can enjoy warm-up performances starting at 10:30 AM, with the official festival kickoff at 11:00 AM (running through 5:00 PM). See you there!

9月19日（周六）Mellon Park 带上家人与朋友，一起享受精彩绝伦的舞台表演、丰富有趣的艺术互动展示、热闹的互动游戏以及地道的各色美食。上午10:30起将带来精彩的预热表演，文化节将于11:00正式拉开帷幕（持续至下午5点）。期待您的到来！我们不见不散！

The event runs from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm in the southern half of Mellon Park (map, not the half with the spray park and baseball fields).

Concert film SB19 Wakas at Simula: The Trilogy Concert Finale In Cinemas, with Filipino boy band SB19, in Pittsburgh October 8 and 11.

The upcoming concert film SB19 Wakas at Simula: The Trilogy Concert Finale In Cinemas, following Filipino boy band SB19, will play in Pittsburgh on October 8 and 11.

From the Philippines to the world, SB19’s historic Wakas at Simula: The Trilogy Concert Finale comes to cinemas worldwide. Captured before a record breaking crowd of nearly 100,000 fans, the film showcases the group’s biggest hits, spectacular production, and world class performances that have made SB19 one of Asia’s most influential acts. Presented in SCREENX and 4DX, audiences can experience the scale, sound, and energy of the concert like never before. Experience the power of GENTO, What?, and DAM as the Philippines’ biggest pop phenomenon takes over the big screen in an unforgettable celebration of music, fandom, and legacy. More than a concert film, it is the story of a movement– one built by five artists, millions of fans, and a dream that helped redefine Filipino music for a new generation.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.

2026 American film Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!, starring Rinko Kikuchi, in Pittsburgh from September 25.

The 2026 American film Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!, starring Rinko Kikuchi among other Japanese and international actors, will play in Pittsburgh from September 25.

Haru and Luis love competing in Tokyo’s ballroom dance scene, but after tragedy strikes, Haru withdraws into isolation. When friends coax her back to the studio, she develops an infatuation with the new instructor. She must face what comes next as sparks fly.

It plays locally, so far, at the Manor Theatre in Squirrel Hill, and tickets are available online.