"2021 Lunar New Year Virtual Celebration," February 23 at Pitt.

via fourbrickstall (Creative Commons)

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center, Global Studies Center, and Institute for International Studies in Education will host the "2021 Lunar New Year Virtual Celebration" on February 23.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The event will occur in the evenning at Eastern Time because that is the best time for our global participants.

Join us for a virtual Lunar New Year celebration as we learn about the meanings and traditions of this important and festive holiday from global perspectives! All are invited!

It runs from 9:00 to 10:00 pm and is open to the Pitt community. Registration is required.

2016 Korean film Train to Busan (부산행) (online) at Pitt, February 10.

The Office of International Services at the University of Pittsburgh will present the 2016 Korean film Train to Busan (부산행) on February 10 as part of its Watch Party Wednesday series. From the Korean Movie Database:

A mysterious viral outbreak pushes Korea into a state of emergency! As an unidentified virus sweeps the country, Korean government declares martial law. Those on an express train to Busan, a city that has successfully fended off the viral outbreak, must fight for their own survival… 453 km from Seoul to Busan. The struggle to survive by those who have others to protect! Get on board to stay alive!

< The movie starts at 7:00 pm and free and open to the Pitt community, though registration is required.

"Global Issues Through Literature: To Swim Across the World by Frances Park & Ginger Park," February 18 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host a discussion of the novel To Swim Across the World by Frances Park & Ginger Park on February 18. An overview of the reading group:

This reading group for educators explores literary texts from a global perspective. Content specialists present the work and its context, and together we brainstorm innovative pedagogical practices for incorporating the text and its themes into the curriculum. Sessions this year will take place virtually on Thursday evenings from 5-7:30 PM. Books and Act 48 credit are provided.

And a synopsis of the book, from the authors' website:

Adult/YA: To Swim Across the World is inspired by the lives of the authors’ parents. Frances Park and Ginger Park’s deeply affecting novel is based on the true story of a boy and a girl from opposite ends of the Korean peninsula who endure the Japanese Occupation, the division of their country, and, ultimately, the Korean War.

It is 1941, and Japan occupies Korea. For Sei-Young Shin, a young man from a poor family in the rural south, it is a time of oppression. Life is gentler for Heisook Pang, the daughter of a prominent minister in a northern city. In the aftermath of World War II, the power of Communism grows in the north and Heisook’s future is in peril. She makes a daring escape, slipping into the south where she meets Sei-Young, an encounter that will bond them for life.

History and its changes influence Sei-Young and Heisook in different ways, but their stories share sacrifice, tragedy, and love. Precisely and beautifully written, To Swim Across the World is a moving vision of a country’s terrible and recent past, and an intimate account of the interlocking of two lives, and two destinies.

The discussion will take place on Zoom from 5:00 to 7:30 pm and advance registration is required.

"Asian Video Cultures" with Joshua Neves, January 27 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will present Dr. Joshua Neves and his talk "Asian Video Cultures" on January 27, the first installment of this term's (virtual) Asia Pop Series. A synopsis of the book whence the title of the talk comes:

The contributors to this volume theorize Asian video cultures in the context of social movements, market economies, and local popular cultures to complicate notions of the Asian experience of global media. Whether discussing video platforms in Japan and Indonesia, K-pop reception videos, amateur music videos circulated via microSD cards in India, or the censorship of Bollywood films in Nigeria, the essays trace the myriad ways Asian video reshapes media politics and aesthetic practices. While many influential commentators overlook, denounce, and trivialize Asian video, the contributors here show how it belongs to the shifting core of contemporary global media, thereby moving conversations about Asian media beyond static East-West imaginaries, residual Cold War mentalities, triumphalist declarations about resurgent Asias, and budding jingoisms. In so doing, they write Asia's vibrant media practices into the mainstream of global media and cultural theories while challenging and complicating hegemonic ideas about the global as well as digital media.

The online talk starts at 6:30 pm and is free and open to the public, though registration is required.

"'Authors and Anecdotes' Book Club: Featuring Caroline Kim," February 11 at Pitt.

via @carolinewriting

The University of Pittsburgh will present "'Authors and Anecdotes' Book Club: Featuring Caroline Kim" on February 11.

Join this week's featured author, Caroline Kim, the 2020 Drue Heinz Literary Prize winner for our featured book, The Prince of Mournful Thoughts and Other Stories.

Exploring what it means to be human through the Korean diaspora, Caroline Kim’s stories feature many voices. With humor, insight, and curiosity, Kim’s wide-ranging stories explore themes of culture, communication, travel, and family. Ultimately, what unites these characters in the book across time and distance is their longing for human connection and a search for the place—or people—that will feel like home.

Click HERE to be directed to the University of Pittsburgh Press website to learn more about The Prince of Moral Thoughts and Other Stories. Purchasing options for the book is available on this site, and it can also be purchased at any independent bookstore of your choice. (While we encourage you to read the books ahead of time it is not a requirement to participate in the series.)

Join our special guest host, Chloe Wertz, Publicist at the University of Pittsburgh Press, as we not only discuss her book, but also dive into Kim's personal literature collection, her favorite readings, and participate in a live Q&A!

5 random attendees to this book club session will receive a free copy of The Prince of Moral Thoughts and Other Stories, courtesy of the University of Pittsburgh Press!

The event starts at 12:00 pm and is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

Sichuan University-Pittsburgh Institute assistant professor ordered to remove mention of BTS from lecture on K-pop's soft power.

by Cindy Ord / WireImage

The South China Morning Post writes about Areum Jeong, an assistant professor at the Sichuan University-Pittsburgh Institute who was recently ordered to remove mention of BTS from a lecture on K-pop's soft power.

She had been expected to give a lecture about K-pop’s soft power at the university’s business school until a course coordinator told her to omit any mention of the BTS band, she said in an interview.

“I was offended that an academic institution was trying to censor a talk, especially because it’s based on nonsense spewed by nationalists,” said Jeong, who refused to give the lecture in the end. “I don’t self-censor.”

SCUPI was announced in 2013 as a joint partnership between Sichuan University and the University of Pittsburgh

Oishii Donburi, from the team at Oakland's Oishii Bento, coming very soon to Lawrenceville.

via @oishiibento412

Signage is up in Lawrenceville for Oishii Donburi, a new restaurant from the owners of Oishii Bento and Chick'n Bubbly in Oakland. Work began on the the former Design Island and Artisan Harvest spot at 5227 Butler St. (map) last summer. The company purchased the spot back in May 2018.



Design photo via Margittai Architects.

Pitt's Korean Student Association hosts Jason Y. Lee (online), November 10.

The Korean Student Association at the University of Pittsburgh will host Jason Y. Lee for an online talk on November 10.

KSA is very excited to announce our speaker event! We are bringing in Jason Y. Lee, who is the CEO of Jubilee Media on YouTube. If you are familiar with video series such as Spectrum, Odd Man Out, or Middle Ground, that is all Jubilee Media! Jason will be talking about his experience of working in Wall Street to starting a media company. There will also be time at the end for Q&A! It will be a very rewarding and relevant event for all of us, so we hope to see you there!

Zoom Meeting Link: https://pitt.zoom.us/j/94772616288

Meeting ID: 947 7261 6288

The online event starts at 8:00 pm.

Selections from China, Japan, Korea part of 2020 Film Pittsburgh Fall Festival, November 11 through 22.

Selections from China, Japan, and Korea will help compriise the 2020 Film Pittsburgh Fall Festival, which runs online from November 11 through 22.

"Aida," a 10-minute film from the US and Japan.

A young mother is stuck between development and decay.

"Angel's Mirror," a 14-minute Chinese short film.

A group of young boys are fascinated by a girl who spends her days looking out the window.

Beethoven in Beijing, a 2020 documentary.

The often-tense relationship between the U.S. and China is seen through a different lens in Beethoven in Beijing. Targeted for elimination during the Communist Revolution, Western classical music had all but disappeared from China. But in 1973, Chinese interest in classical music was rekindled when President Nixon dispatched the Philadelphia Orchestra to help open the bamboo curtain. Co-directed by Duquesne University alumna and former Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter, Jennifer Lin, the film gives a compelling, up-close look at how music can change hearts and minds–and history.

"Beyond Noh," a four-minute short from the US and Japan.

Masks from all over the world take us on a cultural journey through ritual, utility, deviance, and politics.

"Pangu," a six-minute short from the US and China.

A modern tale about parenthood and the differences between generations.

"Son of Memory," a 19-minute film from Japan.

What if you could bring back your loved one for 49 days?

"Tiger and Ox," a nine-minute short from South Korea.

What does divorce mean to women in a patriarchal Korean society?

Tickets are available for purchase for full-length films on their own, or for short films as part of blocks.

K-Pop/FRESA Virtual Showcase, November 5 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center and Fresh Entertainment by Student Artists (FRESA) will present K-Pop/FRESA Virtual Showcase on November 5, part of the university's International Week. Registration is required.

"Heroes and Toilers: Work and Life in Postwar North Korea, 1953-1961," November 5 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will present Cheehyung Harrison Kim and his talk "Heroes and Toilers: Work and Life in Postwar North Korea, 1953-1961" on November 5.

DR. CHEEHYUNG HARRISON KIM offers an analysis of postwar North Korea that avoids the pitfalls of exoticism and exceptionalism to offer a new answer to the fundamental question of North Korea’s historical development.
In search of national unity and bureaucratic order in the decade following the Korean War, the North Korean state turned to labor. Even more than coercion or violence, work was crucial to state control. Industrial labor was both mode of production and mode of governance, characterized by repetitive work, mass mobilization, labor heroes, and the insistence on convergence between living and working. At the same time, workers challenged and reconfigured state power to accommodate their circumstances—coming late to work, switching jobs, and fighting with bosses, as well as following approved paths to secure their livelihood, resolve conflict, and find happiness.

The online event starts at 5:00 pm on Zoom and is free and open to the public. Registration is required.

Selections from China, Japan, Korea part of 2020 Film Pittsburgh Fall Festival, November 11 through 22.

Selections from China, Japan, and Korea will help compriise the 2020 Film Pittsburgh Fall Festival, which runs online from November 11 through 22.

"Aida," a 10-minute film from the US and Japan.

A young mother is stuck between development and decay.

"Angel's Mirror," a 14-minute Chinese short film.

A group of young boys are fascinated by a girl who spends her days looking out the window.

Beethoven in Beijing, a 2020 documentary.

The often-tense relationship between the U.S. and China is seen through a different lens in Beethoven in Beijing. Targeted for elimination during the Communist Revolution, Western classical music had all but disappeared from China. But in 1973, Chinese interest in classical music was rekindled when President Nixon dispatched the Philadelphia Orchestra to help open the bamboo curtain. Co-directed by Duquesne University alumna and former Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter, Jennifer Lin, the film gives a compelling, up-close look at how music can change hearts and minds–and history.

"Beyond Noh," a four-minute short from the US and Japan.

Masks from all over the world take us on a cultural journey through ritual, utility, deviance, and politics.

"Pangu," a six-minute short from the US and China.

A modern tale about parenthood and the differences between generations.

"Son of Memory," a 19-minute film from Japan.

What if you could bring back your loved one for 49 days?

"Tiger and Ox," a nine-minute short from South Korea.

What does divorce mean to women in a patriarchal Korean society?

Tickets are available for purchase for full-length films on their own, or for short films as part of blocks.

KSA x Daehwa: Chuseok, October 17 (online) at Pitt.

The Korean Student Association and Daehwa Conversation Club at the University of Pittsburgh will host an online Chuseok on October 17.

Hello everyone!

Pitt KSA and Daehwa are proud to present our upcoming event, Chuseok! Join us on Zoom as we celebrate the Korean autumn harvest festival - learn about the history and cultural importance of the holiday, experience the virtual workshops we've planned, and compete in our Yut Nori tournament!

We will also be giving away FIVE Deluxe Korean Snack Boxes from SnackFever, each with a $50 value, shipped to the winners' addresses! Two will be given to the winners of the Yut Nori tournament, and the remaining three winners will be selected randomly.

We will later release a finalized schedule for the event as it approaches, so be sure to keep an eye out! We hope to see you there!

Zoom Link: https://pitt.zoom.us/j/93950662114 Meeting ID: 939 5066 2114

It runs from 1:00 to 3:30 and is open to the Pitt community.

2003 Bong Joon-ho film Memories of Murder (살인의 추억) in Pittsburgh-area theaters, October 19 and 20.

The 2003 Bong Joon-ho film Memories of Murder (살인의 추억) will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters on October 19 and 20. From the distributor:

MEMORIES OF MURDER tells the harrowing true story of the hunt for a sadistic serial rapist and murderer terrorizing a small province in 1980s South Korea. Marking the first of many successful collaborations between four-time Oscar winner Bong Joon Ho and leading man Song Kang Ho, the film follows the paths of three increasingly desperate detectives as they attempt to decipher the violent mind of a killer in a futile effort to solve the case.

Now, seventeen years after its initial release, and a year after the real culprit was identified, this cult classic takes its place as a modern masterpiece.

So far it is scheduled to play at AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark in Robinson and tickets are available online.

K-Pop/FRESA Virtual Showcase, November 5 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center and Fresh Entertainment by Student Artists (FRESA) will present K-Pop/FRESA Virtual Showcase on November 5, part of the university's International Week. The online showcase will run from 8:00 to 9:30 pm, and login details should be available shortly.

BTS concert film Break the Silence (브레이크 더 사일런스: 더 무비) continues in Pittsburgh through (at least) October 14.

The BTS concert film Break the Silence (브레이크 더 사일런스: 더 무비), which opened in Pittsburgh on September 24, will stay here through at least October 14.

BTS WORLD TOUR 'LOVE YOURSELF: SPEAK YOURSELF' is now over. The worldwide stadium tour topped the Billboard Boxscore, and marked BTS as the first Korean group to perform at Wembley Stadium. The tour took place across Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, São Paulo, London, Paris, Osaka, Shizuoka, Riyadh, and Seoul.

With unprecedented access, BREAK THE SILENCE: THE MOVIE travels with BTS throughout the tour, exploring each band member behind the curtain. Off stage, we see another side of BTS. The seven members begin to candidly tell personal stories they have never voiced before.

Facing my other self ‘PERSONA’

It will continue to play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, and Tickets are available online. The theater is located at 300 West Waterfront Dr. in the Waterfront shopping complex in Homestead (map), across the Monongahela River from Greenfield, Squirrel Hill, and the rest of Pittsburgh.

Throwback Thursday: Chan-ho Park sets record for most wins in Major League Baseball by an Asian pitcher while member of the Pirates.

via Yonhap News.

In August 4, 2010 the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates claimed 37-year-old pitcher Chan-ho Park (박찬호) off waivers, making him the first Korean player in Pittsburgh Pirates history. The Pirates have had Korean players in their system dating back to the late-1990s, and had relief pitcher Byung-hyun Kim in spring training in 2008, but did not have a Korean player on the Major League roster until Park (and would not have another one until, or after, Jung-ho Kang). Park would appear in 26 games for Pittsburgh that year and, on October 1, set the record for most Major League Baseball wins by an Asian pitcher. He would pitch one year in Japan and another year in Korea after leaving Pittsburgh.

Authors Caroline Kim & Alexander Chee (online) with Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures, October 7.

Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures will host authors Caroline Kim & Alexander Chee for a virtual discussion on October 7.

2020 Drue Heinz Literature Prize winner Caroline Kim in conversation with author and guest judge Alexander Chee

Exploring what it means to be human through the Korean diaspora, Caroline Kim’s The Prince of Mournful Thoughts and Other Stories feature many voices. From a teenage girl in 1980’s America, to a boy growing up in the middle of the Korean War, to an immigrant father struggling to be closer to his adult daughter, or to a suburban housewife whose equilibrium depends upon a therapy robot, each character must face their less-than-ideal circumstances and find a way to overcome them without losing themselves. Language often acts as a barrier as characters try, fail, and momentarily succeed in connecting with each other. With humor, insight, and curiosity, Kim’s wide-ranging stories explore themes of culture, communication, travel, and family. Ultimately, what unites these characters across time and distance is their longing for human connection and a search for the place—or people—that will feel like home.

Of the collection, Wendy Hinman for Foreword Reviews writes, “Worth savoring, the stories of The Prince of Mournful Thoughts are intimate, often wistful portraits set amid the stifling and conflicting expectations of families and cultures.”

The free event starts at 6:00 pm and tickets are now available.

BTS concert film Break the Silence (브레이크 더 사일런스: 더 무비) continues in Pittsburgh through (at least) October 7.

The BTS concert film Break the Silence (브레이크 더 사일런스: 더 무비), which opened in Pittsburgh on September 24, will stay here through at least October 7.

BTS WORLD TOUR 'LOVE YOURSELF: SPEAK YOURSELF' is now over. The worldwide stadium tour topped the Billboard Boxscore, and marked BTS as the first Korean group to perform at Wembley Stadium. The tour took place across Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, São Paulo, London, Paris, Osaka, Shizuoka, Riyadh, and Seoul.

With unprecedented access, BREAK THE SILENCE: THE MOVIE travels with BTS throughout the tour, exploring each band member behind the curtain. Off stage, we see another side of BTS. The seven members begin to candidly tell personal stories they have never voiced before.

Facing my other self ‘PERSONA’

It willcontinue to play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville and Robinson. Tickets are available online.

The Korean Peninsula and the U.S. Commitment to the Region, September 30 with World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh.

The World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh will host "The Korean Peninsula and the U.S. Commitment to the Region" online on September 30.

Is North Korea the nation posing the greatest threat to the U.S.? Why do we need to pay attention to what’s happening in the Korean Peninsula? Amidst COVID-19 and its fallout, policymakers are confronted with newly emergent issues alongside pre-existing ones. As the pandemic spreads, US-North Korea talks remain stalled, inter-Korean relations persist as mostly one-sided, and North Korea has continued to test and refine its military capabilities as well as ratchet up its rhetoric, and COVID-19 has intensified a growing US-China strategic competition. From a decades-old military alliance to deep economic ties and a large and vibrant Korean-American community, the linkages between the United States and the Korean Peninsula remain as important as ever.

The Stimson Center and Stimson’s 38 North program, working with the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, presents a dialogue to discuss the importance of the US commitment to the Korean Peninsula. Speakers include: (Ret.) Walter Sharp, former Commander, US Forces Korea (2008-2011) and former President of the Korea Defense Veterans Association (KDVA), Jenny Town, Stimson Fellow & Deputy Director of Stimson’s 38 North, and moderated by Clint Work, Stimson Fellow & Security for a New Century & 38 North.

The talk runs from 2:00 to 3:00 pm online and is free and open to the public. Registration can be completed online.