I Now Pronounce you Chuck and Larry
Friday, August 31, 2007 at 12:34 am | Posted in being asian, faith, movies | Leave a commentSometimes, your instincts are correct. I had misgivings about watching this movie, but didn’t heed the voices and instead paid good money and watched this movie in the theater. Although, to some extent, some of the scenes were funny, by the same token, there some extremely crude scenes that were full of stereotypes. And as always, his buddy Rob Schneider had a minor role in the movie (albeit a rather sad and pathetic one).
I have to say, there were scenes in the movie which were extremely shocking and disappointing. Watching the movie in Northern California, where there is a high percentage of Asians in the theatre, one couldn’t help but notice that was actually a moment where one could hear loud audible gasps of shock when Rob Schnieder appeared in the scene as a kooky, ugly, and extremely stupid Asian minister. It was an exact replica of the Asian portrayed in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s, (a role executed so rudely by Micky Roonie). Only this time, the Asian looked more authentic, and had more stupid lines to say in this modern version. I wish I could say it simply bordered on offensive… but unfortunately it didn’t…. it actually was offensive.
I can even make excuses and say how Breakfast at Tiffany’s was produced during a time when the US was at war with Japan, and it was OK to demonize and evilize the Asian, showing them to be ridiculously stupid, and extremely ugly. But in this day and age, I have to wonder what the reason is TODAY for portraying Asian Americans in such a negative light !!??
The only thing that made it worse was the fact that it was played by an authentic looking Asian, Mr. Rob Schneider himself, who is BTW half Asian himself. One can’t help but wonder if he truly hates his Asian side of his cultural background…..and only embraces his Jewish side?? I was angry that someone who is half asian could portray what he himself is, in such a negative, and racist light. There was no humor in his interpretation of the Asian minister. What humor is there in finding an Asian American minister to be stupid, nonsensical, and incomprehensible in speech, and ugly, near-sighted, full of buck teeth and deformed eyes in appearance.
Likewise, it’s always ironic how Hollywood movies have to portray the beautiful, Caucasian, blonde woman as the highly intelligent and well spoken professional (i.e. doctor), while the Asian woman becomes a sleezy, stupid, bimbo prostitute that sleeps around at the drop of a hat. The only words the Asian woman often says in her panties and bra are, “ooooohh” and “aaaahhh”.
And do Asian actors have such little work in Hollywood that they have to jump at the mere chance of portraying their culture and ethnic background in such a negative and unreal light? Do they have no ounce of intelligence to refuse such portrayal of asian roles in media? And where are the Asian voices that have power and strength to speak out against such vicious and racist propaganda? Where are the Asian journalistic spokesmen, or the Asian journalists, or the Asian actors?
Why is it that Hollywood thinks that it is OK to bash Asians in media, while leaving other ethnic minorities unscathed? Since when did it become OK to trash Asians? It is no longer politically correct to be racist towards blacks, hispanics, or even native americans. But for some reason, it’s all fair game when it comes to Asian bashing. WHY?
All I can say is that I am going to cut down on the useless garbage I watch on big screen.
A time of grieving…
Tuesday, April 17, 2007 at 11:39 am | Posted in being asian | Leave a commentThere is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: …a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance… (Ecclesiastes 3:1 &4)
And certainly this is a time to grieve (both as a nation, as well as someone with a Korean ethnic heritage).
There is a verse in the bible that comes to mind. It goes the following way: Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Romans 12:15). And I think we are all mourning the people who died, as well as grieving right along side with the families that are suffering as a result of yesterday’s tragedy… 
Korean language lessons?
Saturday, March 31, 2007 at 11:08 pm | Posted in being asian | Leave a commentIt’s funny what the love of food often motivates me to do. After a rather frustrating experience of trying to read Korean on the web after finding a Korean recipe, it dawned on me how dismal my reading skills are in my 2nd language. It was bad enough that I was reading it outloud, and had my mother translating my reading for me simultaneously. Phonetically, I was able to sound out the words (although rather slowly)… but the comprehension was not up to par. Sad really.
Being an Asian that grew up in North America, I don’t think I’ve ever suffered too much from an identity crisis. Other than the times I felt an acute sense of injustice or racism from having yellow skin or black hair… and the occaisional argument with my parents that arose simply from a communication/language barrier/misunderstanding… Having grown up in an Asian subculture at home and at church, and then later on with my University friends, blending into the Korean subculture in North America was as natural as breathing through my mouth when swimming. I did it when the situation arose and required me to… almost subconsciously.
But I do admit, I was an unenthusiastic student in learning how to read and write my 2nd language……
So when I tried to read a few nights ago in a tongue that was rather foreign to me… I stumbled along… rather slowly. And at that very moment, I wished with all my heart that I was fluent enough to read and write in Korean, such that surfing the web in Korean was as effortless for me as it was in English.
I think that 2007 will be the year that I try to learn how to read and write in Korean with a passable skill. The easiest way will be to enrol in Korean language classes at my local university…. Yes, I love Korean food enough to want to read Korean recipes. Who would have guessed?
I think there are many Asian Americans out there who do suffer from an identity crisis. To some extent I am sure I did as well. I think people can go several ways from the crisis…
One way of resolving this crisis is to embrace their identity and perhaps even to the exclusion of other cultures. Sometimes I see these folks becoming entrenched in their 2nd cultural identity, only making friends with this subcultural group, and associating with them only. Seems rather exclusionary and almost nauseating really.
Another way, is to deny it all together. This may include extreme criticism of Korean culture (or whatever culture it may be), and refusing to understand the various customs and languages associated with it. It is taking the stance that it is completely and absolutely wrong in all aspects, without a single redeeming point.
However, I think there is a balance that can be striked up between the 2 extremes. Both above scenarios are not ideal as they require the person to become extremely enthocentric. The first example, becoming too focussed on the ASIAN aspect of being Asian American, and the 2nd example denying their Asian heritage and only assuming the AMERICAN aspect of themselves.
I think as a Christian, God also calls us out to be more outward in our thinking and acceptance. To push the envelope of being comfortable, and venturing into an area that may at times make us feel distinctly uncomfortable and uneasy. I think trying to understand various cultures is one way we can do this. To realize that we shouldn’t be so ethnocentric, and try to understand that each culture has it’s good points as well as it’s drawbacks. No culture is perfect (including the Korean culture)… but having said that… we should also realize there is much good (as well as bad) in it as well.
To deny the Korean part of my ethnic heritage is to hate a part of what God made me to be. But by the same token… I am very Americanized. The Korean aspect is very foreign to me at times as well… but what a priviledge it is to have experienced it first hand, and to enjoy much of the good that comes from it as well! 
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