2022 Japanese animated movie Lonely Castle in the Mirror (かがみの孤城) in Pittsburgh, June 21 and 22.

The 2022 Japanese movie Lonely Castle in the Mirror (かがみの孤城) will play in Pittsburgh on June 21 and 22. A synopsis, from the distributor:

Shy outcast Kokoro has been avoiding school for weeks when she discovers a portal in her bedroom mirror. She reaches through and finds herself transported to an enchanting castle where she is joined by six other students. When a girl in a wolf mask explains that they have been invited to play a game, the teens must work together to uncover the mysterious connection that unites them. However, anyone who breaks the rules will be eaten by a wolf.

From acclaimed director Keiichi Hara (Colorful, Miss Hokusai) and based on the bestselling novel by Mizuki Tsujimura, Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a heartfelt drama about the pains of growing up and the unlikely bonds that can bring people together.

It is scheduled to play so far at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.

Suga: Road to D-Day and J-Hope in the Box in Pittsburgh-area theaters for BTS's 10th anniversary, June 17 and 18.

The solo documentaries of two BTS members, Suga: Road to D-Day and J-Hope in the Box, will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters on June 17 and 18 to mark the band's 10th anniversary. A synopsis of the former, which runs 1 hour and 21 minutes:

In celebration of BTS’ 10th anniversary, SUGA’s solo documentary will be available in cinemas around the world for a limited time. Don’t miss the chance to gather with your friends and family to enjoy the movie on the big screen! Min Yunki, who had a lot of worries and dreams, has established himself as the world-renowned artist, SUGA of BTS, at twenty-eight years old. After leaving behind a unique legacy with his natural talent, hard work, and brilliant success, he works on a solo album as Agust D, embarking on a journey to uncovering new stories. From Las Vegas, Malibu, San Francisco, and Tokyo, to Chuncheon, Pyeongchang, and Seoul, SUGA hits the road to find his dream once again.

And the latter, running 1 hour 26 minutes:

In celebration of BTS’ 10th anniversary, j-hope’s solo documentary will be available in cinemas around the world for a limited time. Don’t miss the chance to gather with your friends and family to enjoy the movie on the big screen! I'm your HOPE. You're my HOPE. I'm j-hope. j-hope is the first Korean musician to headline the main stage of the world's largest music festival, "Lollapalooza" in Chicago. The young Jung Hoseok, who loved dance, is now famously known as j-hope, the main dancer and rapper of the world-renowned group, BTS. After the huge success of "Dynamite" and "Butter," he begins working on his first official solo album. Amid concerns and anxiety about his identity as a solo artist, j-hope takes a leap of faith, and prepares to come out of the box and greet the world. We capture the daily life of artist, j-hope, for 200 days, from the production of "Jack In The Box" and the listening party, to his preparation and appearance on the stage of "Lollapalooza."

The movies play at the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville and Monaca, in Korean with English subtitles, and tickets are available online.

"We Learn" Beginner and Intermediate Korean classes resume at Carnegie Library in Oakland, Saturdays from July 1.

via the Republic of Korea's Flickr page.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh branch in Oakland will resume its free "We Learn" Beginner and Intermediate Korean classes Saturdays from July 1. The beginner classes run from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm in Classroom A of the Oakland (Main) branch; a summary:

In this beginner-level class, we will use the textbook published by the Korean government for foreigners who learn Korean as a secondary language.

We will start from write/reading Korean characters, 'Hangul', and learning how to organize sentence structures.

The intermediate classes start at 12:00 pm, also in Classroom A.

In this intermediate-level class, we will cover the textbook published by the Korean government for foreigners who learn Korean as a secondary language. We will cover basic Korean grammar and vocabulary, and practice how to speak and write using what we've covered in each lecture.

Registration is required to participate. The classes run all five Saturdays in July: 1, 8, 15, 22, 29. The Oakland branch of the Carneige Library of Pittsburgh is located at 4400 Forbes Ave. (map), accessible by numerous city bus lines.

Eiwa Japanese Ramen and Bar on McKnight Road eyes opening next week.

Eiwa Japanese Ramen and Bar, which recently put up signage on McKnight Rd., aims to open its doors early next week, according to ownership. It is located at 4860 McKnight Road (map), at what was formerly McKnight Kitchen, and is run by the team behind Diners 2+1 in Squirrel Hill. It is currently accepting orders via Uber Eats.

2023 Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival, September 16 at Mellon Park.

The Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Center will present the 2023 Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival on September 16 at Mellon Park.

Big News, Folks! Mark your calendars for the 2023 Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival - the pinnacle annual event of our local Chinese community!

When: Saturday, September 16th, 2023, 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Where: Mellon Park, Pittsburgh (6518 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206)

We're expecting a turnout of over 5000 participants for a day filled with culture, cuisine, and entertainment - all for FREE!

Taste authentic Asian cuisine

Enjoy enchanting music and dance performances

Witness masterful exhibits by world-renowned artists and craftsmen

Play exciting games and much more!

For more info, check out the official event page: https://pghccc.org/

See you there for a celebration of Chinese culture like no other in Pittsburgh!

The festival is free and open to the public and will be held at Mellon Park in Shadyside (map) from 11 am to 6 pm.

2023 Adele Lim film Joy Ride in Pittsburgh-area theaters, from July 5.

The 2023 film Joy Ride will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters from July 5 through (at least) July 19.

From the producers of Neighbors and the co-screenwriter of Crazy Rich Asians, JOY RIDE stars Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Oscar® nominee Stephanie Hsu, and Sabrina Wu. The hilarious and unapologetically explicit story of identity and self-discovery centers on four unlikely friends who embark on a once-in-a-lifetime international adventure. When Audrey’s (Ashley Park) business trip to Asia goes sideways, she enlists the aid of Lolo (Sherry Cola), her irreverent, childhood best friend who also happens to be a hot mess; Kat (Stephanie Hsu), her college friend turned Chinese soap star; and Deadeye (Sabrina Wu), Lolo’s eccentric cousin. Their no-holds-barred, epic experience becomes a journey of bonding, friendship, belonging, and wild debauchery that reveals the universal truth of what it means to know and love who you are.

Also starring Ronny Chieng (Crazy Rich Asians), Lori Tan Chinn (Awkwafina is Nora From Queens), David Denman (Greenland), Annie Mumolo (Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar), Desmond Chiam (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Alexander Hodge (Insecure), and Chris Pang (Crazy Rich Asians).

It is scheduled to play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, AMC South Hills Village, AMC Saver, AMC Greensburg, and the Cinemark theaters in Monaca, Monroeville, and North Hills. Tickets are available online.

1989 film Kiki's Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便) in Pittsburgh, June 11, 12, 14.

The 1989 film Kiki's Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便) will play in Pittsburgh on June 11, 12, and 14, part of this year's Studio Ghibli Fest.

Celebrate this beloved coming-of-age story from the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away, and Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki, about a resourceful young witch who uses her broom to create a delivery service, only to lose her gift of flight in a moment of self-doubt.

It is a tradition for all young witches to leave their families on the night of a full moon and fly off into the wide world to learn their craft. When that night comes for Kiki, she embarks on her new journey with her sarcastic black cat, Jiji, landing the next morning in a seaside village, where her unique skills make her an instant sensation. Don’t miss this delightfully imaginative and timeless story of a young girl finding her way in the world[.]

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, Waterworks Cinema, and the Cinemark theaters in McCandless, Monroeville, and Robinson. Tickets are available online; please note, some shows are dubbed in English while others are in Japanese with English subtitles.

Walküre Final Live Tour 2023 ~ Last Mission in Pittsburgh, June 4.

The final concert by Walküre, featured in the Macross Delta animated series, will play locally at the AMC Loews Watefront on June 4.

The Tactical Sound Unit Walküre, featured in the Macross Delta anime series, will hold its final solo live tour “SANKYO presents Walküre FINAL LIVE TOUR 2023 ~Last Mission~”. The final performance of the tour, which will be held on Sunday, June 4, at Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Hall 1-3, will be live streamed to cinemas across Japan and Asia. Fans in the US can also enjoy the delayed stream in selected cinemas in the afternoon of June 4th their local time! Macross Delta is the latest entry in the long-running Macross franchise, which began with The Super Dimension Fortress Macross in 1982 and celebrated its 40th anniversary last year.

It plays here at 3:00 pm 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.

Taiwanese bubble tea chain Tiger Sugar, Hong Kong-style dessert chain Mango Mango, coming to Squirrel Hill.

Window signage recently went up in Squirrel Hill to welcome chains Tiger Sugar and Mango Mango. Tiger Sugar is a Taiwanese bubble tea chain that has been expanding rapidly in recent months, and Mango Mango is a Hong Kong-style dessert chain founded in 2013 and has locations around the US. The signage is up at 5847-5849 Forbes Ave. (map), what was briefly and most recently Hops Brews And Sunshine beer distributor.

KPOT, all you can eat Korean BBQ and Hot Pot chain, coming to Squirrel Hill.

Signage just went up in Squirrel Hill for KPOT, an all you can eat Hot Pot and Korean BBQ chain. It is coming to 1816 Murray Ave. (map), in the former Eat n' Park location. KPOT has locations throughout the US, mostly on the east coast.