"The Future of U.S. Policy on North Korea" with Frank Aum, March 23.

The World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh will host Frank Aum and a discussion on "The Future of U.S. Policy on North Korea" on March 23.

Join us for a luncheon discussion on Monday, March 23rd for “The Future of U.S. Policy on North Korea” featuring Frank Aum, Senior Expert on North Korea, U.S. Institute of Peace.

After the collapse of U.S.-DPRK negotiations, it appears likely that relations between the two countries will take a downward turn and tensions will heighten on the Korean Peninsula. With North Korea unlikely to give up its nuclear weapons in the near-term and the U.S. insistence on maintaining a rigid sanctions regime against North Korea, what are the prospects for peace and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula?

It runs from 12:00 to 1:30 pm at the Rivers Club downtown (map). Tickets range from $25 to $45 and are available online.

English-Korean Language Social Hour, February 11 at Pitt.

via travel oriented (Creative Commons)

The University of Pittsburgh's English Language Institute and Asian Studies Center will present its next English-Korean Language Social Hour on February 11.

The English Language Institute (ELI) is pleased to host 10 teachers from the Korea National University of Education and six Korean ELI students this semester. To welcome this new cohort, the Asian Studies Center will host a second Korean Language Social Hour. This will serve as a perfect opportunity to both learn Korean from native Korean speakers and teach English to international students. There will be snacks and drinks at this event, too.

It runs from 4:00 to 5:00 pm in the Global Hub on the first floor of Posvar Hall (map).

Linda Sue Park in Pittsburgh, March 1.

Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures will host children's author Linda Sue Park on March 1, 2020.

Linda Sue Park is the author of more than two dozen books for young readers, including picture books, middle-grade and young-adult novels, short stories, and poetry. Among her titles are the 2002 Newbery Medal winner A Single Shard, and the New York Times-bestseller A Long Walk to Water. Along with Meg Medina and Grace Lin, Linda serves on the Advisory Board for We Need Diverse Books, a non-profit that advocates essential changes in the publishing industry.

Linda comes to Pittsburgh with Prairie Lotus, a compelling, emotionally engaging novel set in 1880, a half-Chinese girl and her white father try to make a home in Dakota Territory, in the face of racism and resistance to change.

The event starts at 2:30 pm at the Carnegie Library Lecture Hall in Oakland (map) and will be followed by a book signing. Tickets are now available online; people with a valid Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh card may receive a free ticket.

Fung Bros. at Pitt, February 15.

The University of Pittsburgh's Chinese American Student Association will bring the Fung Bros. to Pitt on February 15.

Pitt CASA is proud to present the Fung Bros at the University of Pittsburgh! The Fung Bros, Andrew and David, are a Chinese-American duo best known for their YouTube channel with over 2 million subscribers!

Check out their channel below!
https://www.youtube.com/user/FungBrosComedy

Join us on Saturday, February 15th 7-9 PM in WPU Nordy's Place for your chance to meet them!

It runs from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at Nordy's place on the ground floor of the William Pitt Union (map).

"Building an Art Career as an Asian-American" with Jordan Wong, February 8.

The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh's Museum Lab will host Jordan Wong for its next Artist Talk on February 8 on the topic of "Building an Art Career as an Asian-American."

Join us in the Assembly Hall of MuseumLab for an Artist talk with illustrator, graphic designer, and current exhibiting artist, Jordan Wong (WONGFACE). Learn more about the artist behind the new augmented reality mural in Tech Lab, then experience the artwork for yourself.

Wong will be sharing his journey of struggling to find a job after graduating college to building his own career as a creative professional. He will also talk of how his recent personal work enabled him to connect deeper with this Chinese heritage and culture as well as his identity as an Asian American.

This is an all ages event!

MuseumLab is part of the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh and is located at 6 Allegheny Square E on the North Side (map). Admission for adults is $18 and includes admission to the museum.

Coronavirus Teach-In, February 12 at Pitt.

Wuhan, via CHINATOPIX, Associated Press, and New York Times

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will hold a Coronavirus Teach-In on February 12.

Pitt students and community members are invited to join the Asian Studies Center, in conjunction with UCIS partners, faculty, and experts across campus, in our efforts to offer a comprehensive biological, political and cultural understanding of the global coronavirus pandemic.

It runs from 5:30 to 7:00 pm in room 120 Lawrence Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.

Parasite (기생충) voted Best Picture by members of Row House Film Club.

The 2019 Bong Joon-ho film Parasite (기생충) was voted Best Picture by over 400 members of the Row House Film Club, the theater announced. From a February 2 press release:

“Pittsburghers are excited to have their voices heard in choosing the best films of the year. Parasite felt so universal, its exciting to see a film from South Korea translate so well to the US. Bong Joon-ho is a brilliant filmmaker, and Pittsburghers overwhelmingly agreed that Parasite was the best film of the year," says Film Club manager Delena Obermaier.

Parasite is up for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards on February 9, and is playing at the Row House Cinema in Lawrenceville through February 6.

Setsubun celebration with Pitt's Japanese Student Association, February 9.

The University of Pittsburgh's Japanese Student Association will hold a Setsubun (節分) celebration on February 9.

Join JSA on 2/9 in Setsubun 🇯🇵, a day that marks the "division of seasons" and a shift from winter to spring! Come experience "mamemaki", or bean-throwing, and ward off those unwanted spirits and bad vibes! 👹
Spring is an important time of year for Japanese culture, and we want you to enjoy it with us! ㊗️

It runs from 12:00 to 2:00 pm in room 216 of the Cathedral of Learning (map).

Stephanie DeBoer and "Sight And Site" at Pitt, February 10.

via niio.com

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Dr. Stephanie DeBoer and her talk "Sight And Site" on February 10.

This talk reflects on public media art festivals and screen media projects produced in collaboration among Hong Kong media/video art collectives and commercial to real estate institutions and their material facades, addressing debates concerning how such scaled screening situations potentiate (or refuse to potentiate) new collective modes of not only communicating in but also inhabiting the city.

It runs from 4:00 to 5:30 in room 602 of the Cathedral of Learning (map) and is free and open to the public.

Korean performers from Brush Theatre to present Doodle POP! in Pittsburgh, May 16.

via @brushtheatre.

Korean performers from Seoul-based Brush Theatre will perform Doodle POP! in Pittsburgh on May 16 as part of the 2020 Pittsburgh Children's Theater festival.

The mischievous Doodle POP! duo invites you into the delightful doodling world! Join as they experience an exciting adventure in an ocean world they imagine and create while on stage. What will happen to them in this beautiful but scary watery world, as will they try to return a turtle doodle to the sea safely?

With live sound effects, stunning animation, and an abundance of theatrical imagination, this is a touching and exciting screen show for anyone ages 3+

The performance is scheduled for May 16, 2020, at 2:00 pm. Group tickets are available now but individual tickets will not be available until next spring. It will be held at the Byham Theater in the Cultural District (map).

Tickets still available for Amber Liu in Pittsburgh, February 9.

Amber Liu will perform in Pittsburgh on February 9 as part of her North American "X" Tour, and tickets for the 7:00 pm, all-ages show are still available. The concert will also feature Meg & Dea and Justin Park and will be at Rex Theater in the Southside (map). It's one of the few times Korean stars have performed in Pittsburgh---save for San E and Mad Clown in 2018 and a brief set by the Wonder Girls in 2009---though hopefully that will change.

GNC hiring Chinese-speaking Intern - International Process Optimization for Pittsburgh and China teams.

GNC is hiring a Chinese-speaking Intern - International Process Optimization. From the job ad:

The Process Optimization Intern will be working cross-functionally with both the GNC Pittsburgh team and the GNC China team (China JV) to support the standardization and optimization of the operational processes between the two teams, as well as providing ad hoc support as needed to assist in maintaining an open and active line of communication with China JV.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist in standardizing processes for key functions, such as supply chain and product development.
• Communicate with involved functional teams to fully understand the processes and lead time for each step.
• Lay out the current-state processes using process mapping tools.
• Support optimization of the processes.
• Identify the critical path of the processes.
• Identify opportunities to improve the processes for a more efficient future state.
• Assist in validating the feasibility of the optimized processes.
• Implement process improvement following Lean Six Sigma methodologies.
• Propose action plans for process compliance assurance.
• Provide ad hoc support as needed for other JV projects.
• Identify problems and shortfalls and propose solutions.
• Attend related meetings and take minutes; support communication cadence between Pittsburgh team and China JV.

GlobalPittsburgh happy hour with visitors from South Korea, February 6.

The next GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays happy hour on February 6 will welcome visiting English teachers from Korea National University of Education, who are studying at Pitt's English Language Institute.

Join us for an informal evening with globally-minded friends and visiting teachers from the Korea National University of Education who will be coming here for training at the English Language Institute, University of Pittsburgh. Meet people from around the world, practice your language skills and citizen diplomacy! Kids welcome!

The happy hour runs from 5:30 to 8:00 pm at Roland's Seafood Grill in the Strip District (map). Tickets are required and may be purchased online.

"Pittsburgh of China."

Thirty-eight years ago, Pittsburgh formalized a Sister City relationship with Wuhan, China. A September 18, 1982 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article records the signing of a friendship pact between Mayor Richard Caliguiri and Mayor Li Zhi.

"Japanese Culture through Video Games," April 9 at Pitt.

The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania will host Dr. Rachael Hutchinson and her talk "Japanese Culture through Video Games" on April 9 as part of its 2020 Japan Lecture Series.

Japanese video games have had a significant impact on the medium worldwide. Dr. Rachael Hutchinson considers how ‘Japan’ has been packaged for domestic and overseas consumers, and how Japanese designers have used the medium to express ideas about home and nation, nuclear energy, war and historical memory, social breakdown and bioethics. She explores how ideology and critique are conveyed through game narrative and character design as well as user interface, cabinet art, and peripherals. Ultimately, she argues that Japanese artists have expressed similar ideas in the video game medium as in older narrative forms such as literature and film.

The talk runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm in room 232 of the Cathedral of Learning (map). It is free though seating is limited and registration is required.

Lantern festival (猜灯谜) at Pitt, February 6.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will present a Lantern Festival (猜灯谜) on February 6.

Join us in the Global Hub for refreshments, crafts, and games as we celebrate the Lantern Festival, or Yuan Xiao, in honor of the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar.

It runs from 1:30 to 3:00 pm in the Global Hub on the first floor of Posvar Hall (map).

Free Chinese, Japanese, Korean classes in Pittsburgh in February.

via Yoshimitsu Kurooka (Creative Commons)

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will continue to offer free Chinese, Japanese, and Korean classes at some of its branches in February. Check out the class information below in addition to its language resources on the shelves and online.

As the library notes: these classes are free; registration is not required; no materials are needed and nothing needs to be bought; new participants are welcome at any time; classes are for adults (unless otherwise noted) but well-behaved young people are welcome to join as well.

Community College of Allegheny County hiring Chinese instructor.

The Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) is hiring an adjunct instructor of Chinese.

General Summary: The primary responsibilities of the faculty are to teach and to develop the curriculum. To meet these responsibilities, faculty must remain knowledgeable about advances in their disciplines, in learning theory, and in pedagogy. Faculty portfolios will include contributions and program development and show evidence of ongoing professional development.

Lunar New Year Parade through Squirrel Hill, February 9.

via @Lunar New Year PGH.

The fifth annual Lunar New Year Parade in Pittsburgh will be held on Sunday, February 9, to welcome the Year of the Rat. It starts at 12:30 and runs up Murray Avenue from Phillips Ave. (map) to Forbes Ave.

Bong Joon-ho film Parasite (기생충) playing pretty much everywhere in Pittsburgh this week and next.

The acclaimed 2019 Bong Joon-ho film Parasite (기생충) is playing in numerous theaters across Pittsburgh ahead of the 2020 Oscars. A synopsis from the movie's official site:

Bong Joon Ho brings his singular mastery home to Korea in this pitch-black modern fairytale.

Meet the Park Family: the picture of aspirational wealth. And the Kim Family, rich in street smarts but not much else. Be it chance or fate, these two houses are brought together and the Kims sense a golden opportunity. Masterminded by college-aged Ki-woo, the Kim children expediently install themselves as tutor and art therapist, to the Parks. Soon, a symbiotic relationship forms between the two families. The Kims provide “indispensable” luxury services while the Parks obliviously bankroll their entire household. When a parasitic interloper threatens the Kims’ newfound comfort, a savage, underhanded battle for dominance breaks out, threatening to destroy the fragile ecosystem between the Kims and the Parks. By turns darkly hilarious and heart-wrenching, PARASITE showcases a modern master at the top of his game.

Here is a list of currently-scheduled screenings; tickets are available online via Fandango:

• AMC Loews Waterfront: now through February 5
• AMC Mt. Lebanon: now through February 5
• Cinemark North Hills: February 3 through February 8
• Cinemark Robinson: now through February 8
• Hollywood Theater: January 31 through February 5
• Row House Cinema: now through February 6
• Southside Works Cinema: now through February 6
• Squirrel Hill Manor: now through February 6
• Tull Family Theater: now through February 6
• Waterworks Cinema: now through February 5

Pitt hiring Chinese-speaking Language Buddies, Program Assistants, for on-campus Chinese Language and Culture Summer Camp.

via lezlie-neo (Creative Commons)

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures has a number of openings for Chinese speakers for its annual Chinese Language and Culture Summer Camp: Language Buddies, Program Assistant, Cultural Activity Leader, and Physical Activity Leader. These positions are for Pitt students, so the job ads and application portals may not be available to the general public.