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May 25th 2004: Issue 10
Director of Hero, Director Zhang Yimou, is in town to talk about his film today. Yes, I know I called Hero, last year's Couching Tiger, but apparently, his film at Cannes House of Flying Daggers, set in the ninth century Tang Dynasty, in which two police captains are assigned to seek out the leader of a rebel group, is the new Crouching Tiger (which also ironically stars Zhang Ziyi of Crouching Tiger fame). And in other film news, the Korean film industry got some props from the filmmaker community: South Korean film Old Boy, directed by Park Chan-wook, won The Grand Prix at Cannes (film that shows the most originality) and is scheduled to be remade in an English-language version in Hollywood.
NYC & Company, the city's official tourism marketing organization, recently announced the launch of Explore Chinatown, a new tourism marketing campaign to build awareness of Chinatown as an important New York City visitor destination and bolster business in neighborhood restaurants, shops, visitor and cultural attractions. Its about time the city recognized Chinatown as a legit tourist destination. Now all they have to do is one for K-town. Although, I suppose that would be a small campaign, as K-town is a ginormous 3 streets big.
And somebody has to fire the person resposible for McDonald's new marketing campaign targeted towards Asians. Are you an Asian "living on the rim"? I sure am not, thank you. All and all, its nice to see a large corporation trying to appeal to the Asian demographic and have an interest in Asian culture (which in itself is problematic--somebody forgot to tell them that there is more than one culture in Asia), but this has to be the manual of what not to do. The only thing they left out was the part where they say "Confucius say, Macdonurda Big Mac make you fat like other American". But my favorite has to be that dog with the t-shirt that says "I am Asian". Aren't we supposed to eat dogs?
-ubn
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DISCUSSION
A Conversation with Director Zhang Yimou
and Barbara London, Curator/museum Of Modern Art
Ever since his directorial debut, Red Sorghum (1987) won the Golden Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival, Zhang Yimou has established his reputation as one of the most talented and influential directors today. Please join us for an informal discussion on his life, career, and upcoming U.S. release of his epic, Hero. Co-presented by Miramax Films And Asia Society. Co-sponsors: Association Of Independent Video And Filmmakers, Asian American Arts Alliance, Coalition For Asian Pacifics In Entertainment, Film Society Of Lincoln Center
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BOOK LAUNCH PARTY
The Temperature of This Water Launch Party
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Asian American Writers Workshop
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Thursday, May 27th, 7:00pm
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The Asian American Writers' Workshop
16 West 32nd Street, Suite 10A
New York City
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www.aaww.org
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Join us at the launch for Ishle Yi Park's new book, The Temperature of This Water (Kaya Press), with an introduction by Eric Gamalinda. Park's vision encompasses the lovers, criminals, mothers, and gangbangers who live behind the closed doors of New York City immigrant life, tracing the paths of prisoners meeting girlfriends, Korean comfort women, and .44s shot from rooftops in Brooklyn. Reading, guitar and Q&A. Reception to follow. $5 suggested donation.
Co-sponsored by Kaya Press, Columbia's Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race, A/P/A Studies Program & Institute at NYU, Rutgers Korean Students Association and CAAAV.
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FORUM
Korea Peace Forum
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Young Koreans United of New York and Korean Alliance for Peace and Justice of New York
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Thursday, May 27th, 7:30pm
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Open Center
19 W 26th Street 5th Floor
between 5th & 6th Avenue
New York City
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www.ykuusa.org | ny@ykuusa.org | 718-460-8474
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An evening forum on the current situation of the Korean peninsula. This forum commemorates the 24th Anniversary of the May 18 People's Uprising in Kwangju, South Korea.
Speakers:
Charles Armstrong (Associate Professor of History and Acting Director of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute at Columbia University)
Trevor Rowe (North America spokesperson, UN World Food Programme)
Moderator:
Seung Jin Jung (Representative of Korean Alliance for Peace and Justice of NY)
Video Presentation:
World Food Programme's video footage on the recent accident in Ryongchun, North Korea. This tragic accident exacerbates the plight of North Koreans, already heavily suffering from food shortage.
The Korean Peninsula - The next target of the Bush administration after Iraq?
What is the root cause of the Korean peninsula crisis?
Is it really the "nuclear crisis" or something else?
Is the Korean peninsula crisis going to be resolved through the 6-way talk?
What happened in Ryoungchun, and what is the impact of the disaster?
The Korean peninsula is one of the most militarized regions of the world and still divided for more than fifty years by "Cold War" conflict. The Korean people still confront the possibilities of destructions and devastation. In the early 1990s and again in 2002-2003, the United States has gone to the brink of war with North Korea over nuclear issues. Misinformation and misunderstandings are fueling the crisis. Free admission! (But donations for North Korean explosion victims welcome).
Sponsored by:
Korean-American Task Force in campaign for a Resolution for Peace in Korea (Flushing YWCA, Korean Alliance for Peace and Justice of New York, Korean-American Family Service Center, Korean-American Voters Council in New York/ New Jersey, NY/NJ Korean American Social Worker¡¯s Network, P.I.K.S.S. at Stony Brook, The Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, Young Korean American Service & Education Center, Young Koreans United of New York)
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FORUM
The Korean Economy: Challenges and Opportunities
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Asia Society
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Thursday, June 3rd, 12:00pm - 2:00pm
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Asia Society and Museum
725 Park Avenue
New York City
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$50 member, $75 nonmember
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www.asiasociety.org
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Korea faces the rapid hollowing-out of its manufacturing sector due to the rise of the Chinese economy, the expansion of openness and its relatively high-cost structure. This is similar to what previously happened in the U.S. and Japan amid the tectonic shifts of the bases of world manufacturing production. Although the hollowing-out of manufacturing is a challenge to the Korean economy from certain perspectives or a short-term point of view, taking the overall or more long-term view, it also offers opportunities for its further upgrading and development. To grasp these opportunities, we need to breathe life into North-South economic cooperation on the Korean peninsula, to rectify the high-cost and low-efficiency structure of the Korean economy, to upgrade the industrial framework and to further promote openness and liberalization. These programs must go hand in hand with wide-ranging reforms helped by a transformation of the structure of popular consciousness. In collaboration with KWR International, Inc. and Korea Economic Institute
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FUNDRAISER
Corea is One: The Ways to Help Are Many Medical Aid Fundraiser
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DEEP - DPRK Education and Exposure Program
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Saturday, June 5th, 7:00pm
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$10
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Teachers and Writers Collaborative
5 Union Square West
New York City
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www.nodutdol.org | wol-san@nodutdol.org
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Raise money for an important cause, have fun, listen to good music & poetry, drink beer & eat food
(at the cash bar), all in one night. All funds will be used for medical aid for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Featuring:
Soul'd Out (amazing vocalists)
Sung Joon Cho (poet & organizer)
Vong Pak (world renowned korean drummer)
Ishle Park (poet laureate of queens, ny)
Julie Hyun Jung Hwang (doctor & poet)
Special performance from Notdutdol members!
And more!
This event is organized by the DPRK Education and Exposure Program (DEEP) which is sponsored by United for Peace and Justice, Korean Americans United for Peace, Bay Area and Nodutdol for Korean Community Development.
DEEP is an annual peace delegation to the Democratic People? Republic of Korea (north Korea) made up of Korean activists from around the United States. DEEP participants go to the north of their homeland to learn about the history, struggles and daily lives of the people who live there and to share thoughts about the best ways to work towards peace and reunification.
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FORUM
Doing Business With Corporate America: What Every Minority/Woman Owned Business Should Know
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Asian Women In Business
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Monday, June 7th, 9:00am - 2:00pm
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Cornell Conference Center
16 East 34th Street, 6th Floor
New York City
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www.awib.org | info@awib.org | 212-868-1368
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What are corporations looking for? Who's buying? How can you best position your business to get a foot in the door? Should you get certified as a Minority/Woman owned Business Enterprise? What are the benefits and who are the certifying authorities? Get the facts and get them from the experts. Meet with corporate procurement officers and representatives from various certifying authorities. Whether you're ready to take your business to the next level or want to research what your options are, this conference will inform and clarify and serve as a forum to get your answers. The procurement panel will include AllState, Bank of New York, Boise Office Solutions, IBM, LMDC, NBC and others. The certification panel will feature Empire State Development Corp, MTA, NJ Transit, NYC Small Business Services, Port Authority of NY/NJ, and Women Presidents' Educational Organization. This conference is free and is sponsored by Asian Women In Business and Cornell University's Institute for Women & Work.
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CALL FOR ENTRIES
Submissions for The Los Angeles Korean International Film Festival (LAKIFF)
LAKIFF, a film festival dedicated to Korean and Korean American cinema, promises to bring about a greater knowledge and appreciation of the cultural richness and artistic diversity of the Korean and Korean American experience to the audience nationwide. By presenting films, videos, new media, which educate and entertain media arts lovers, LAKIFF strives to spread individual creativity, cultural exchange, and global communication.
The film festival will take place on September 24-26 and October 1-2, 2004. The entry form and submission guidelines for the festival are available online at our web site, www.lakiff.com. For more information, please visit the web site or e-mail lakiff@lakiff.com. Entry form available at: www.lakiff.com. Submission deadline: July 10, 2004 (postmarked)
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COURSES
Nodutdol Korean Language Classes
Nodutdol for Korean Community Development is offering two Korean language classes from June 7 to July 26: Beginners and Intermediate. Each class will be customized to the needs of students enrolled. If you are interested, please contact us at nodutdolkoreanclass@egroups.com or 718-335-0419 by June 4, 2004. Each class will be small (a maximum of 10 students) and focus on developing conversational Korean language skills in an informal atmosphere.
Beginner Korean
Mondays from June 7th - July 26th (8 weeks)
6:30 - 8:30 PM
Location: Downtown Manhattan
Intermediate Korean
Approximately 3- 6 months of Korean lesson
Wednesdays from June 9th - Jully 28th (8 weeks)
6:30 - 8:30 PM
Location: Midtown Manhattan
Tuition
$200 per 8-week session ($160 low income).
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