Contemporary Asian America 101: An Introductory Class

If you were like me, when you started paying attention to Asian American issues, activities, entertainment and so on, you didn't really know where to start. Here is a crudely organized chart to get you going on things that are going on right now! Hope it helps.

Music:	Film:	Dance:	YouTube:	Sports:	Causes:	Movies:
Rap:	FreddieW	Dance Crews:	HappySlip	Jeremy Lin	Hep B Free	The People I've Slept With
Dumbfoundead	Wong Fu Productions	Jabbawockeez	NigaHiga		Bone Marrow Drive	Better Luck Tomorrow
Traphik	JustkiddingFilms	Quest Crew	Tim De la Ghetto			Harold and Kumar Series
J Reyes		Instant Noodles	Fung Brothers			White Frog
Lil Crazed		Kaba Modern	KevJumba
Gowe
Magnetic North		Dance:
J Reyez		Kanauru
D Pryde		LXD
Alternative:
AJ Rafael
New Heights
Jennifer Chung
Kina Grannis
Joseph Vincent
Jason Chen
Clara C
David Choi
Tim Be Told
Alyssa Bernal
Paul Detah
Hip Hop:
JRA
Blue Scholars
Iammedic
Far East Movement

Perspective: I Want to Be a Doctor

Perspective: I Want to Be a Doctor

I am Chinese. My dad is a surgeon at a prestigious university medical center, and yes – I want to be a doctor.

Surprise Surprise! Another high school Asian who has been brought up…trained…indoctrinated to follow in the footsteps of his all mighty doctor-dad.

I will graduate near the very top of my class having taken 11 AP classes, spent summers in labs and clinics, not to mention hundreds of hours of community service. I will go on to a top university and graduate with a major in Molecular Biology and apply to only the top medical schools in the country.

Oh wait. No I won’t.

In fact, I didn’t do most of that and I’m not in high school – I’m 24.

While I did take 11 AP classes in high school, do lab/clinic work, and go to a highly selective university, I didn’t major in Biology. Quite the opposite, I majored in English Literature. Don’t get me wrong, I also took all the pre-med requirements, but I graduated with a 2.7 science GPA as opposed to my 3.9 English GPA.

If you didn’t know, applying to medical school with a 2.7 science GPA is about equivalent to sending in an application with nothing on it except: “I watch House on TV and its cool.”

Forget top schools, even the least competitive schools laugh at applicants with 2.7’s.

I loved my work in clinics, and loved the science; I just wasn’t that good at it. In college, I began studying for tests weeks in advance, putting in (and I say this quite literally) 30 hours of study time for a big test. I found myself teaching my roommate concepts the few days before the test (when he started studying) only to find my scores 15% lower than his. If I was lucky, I got a C.

So after college, I went on to do a few other things. I did some tutoring in high school and college so I got a Master’s in Education from UC Davis and a California State Teaching Credential. I taught high school for a year and loved it. I was so young and short that on my first day, my students refused to believe I could be their teacher. It was one of the best experiences I’d had in my life.

But when funding got cut and schools had to fire the younger (and often better) teachers to save the tenured teachers, I decided I needed some job security. So I followed another passion of mine, technology.

I started working in start-ups. For those of you who haven’t worked or heard about working in a start-up let me explain what it is. Start-ups are companies that receive millions in funding on the hopes they will hit it big on the next amazing technology and/or product. Facebook is a great example, along with Yelp, Groupon, Google, even Ebay was once a start-up.

But before they became giants, they all started out the same: some young, hopeful people with an idea and buckets of money that some big wig investors have bestowed upon them. Most often, a dozen engineers are hired, some sales and marketing folks, and in a few years, the company goes under or does alright. Once in a while, one hits it big like Facebook.

Now having experience working at a few of these, I can personally say that it’s a blast. They put you in a room with a bunch of other young people and provide you with a nice chair, desk, computer, etc. and ask what amounts to very little of you. You don’t make much, but it’s better than most other jobs that you’d qualify for and because the environment is so great, you do good work, and have fun doing it.

To me, the work I do each week at the start-up is not even half as hard as a single day of studying for my college science classes. Eventually (or so you hope), you work your way up and after 15 years or so, you’re a VP of something and you’re set.

But the thing about this kind of work is that it’s not that fulfilling. Maybe it’s just me, but my work teaching and even in clinics felt more valuable. In the end, start-ups are about money. When you’re company makes it big, everyone gets a huge check and promotions. I wanted more than that…

Which brings me back to today. I am still working at a start-up but spend 6 hours a week taking private MCAT tutoring lessons. (The MCAT is the equivalent of the SAT for medical schools) I got lucky and found someone who charges only $80/hr and I spend almost half my paycheck each month on the lessons. In April or May, I’ll take the test and apply to international medical schools. These are schools outside the US with vastly lower standards that won’t use my 2.7 GPA application as toilet or scratch paper. If I don’t get in, I’ll try again next year, and again the year after that. And if I still get rejected, I still have the start-ups. Wish me luck.

I’m Chinese. My dad is a surgeon at a prestigious university and yes – I want to be a doctor.

Advice:

There are those that fit the model minority stereotype and those that don't. To each their own. My advice, Do what feels right. If you want to follow your parents suggestions, do it. Even if you don't love the path they want for you, its probably a safe and secure route. They only want the best for you. IF you want to take more time and do your own thing, that's fine too. Just remember that the life of a starving artist isn't as glamorous at it may seem. Whether I end up a doctor or a startup employee or even a teacher, I'll know that it was worth the experience and hopefully I will be where I belong.  

With a perspective, I'm GSo

Asian Americans and Civic Engagement

It can be argued that Asian Pacific Islanders (API) have it pretty good in America.  High median income, stellar college graduation rates, amazingly fine women -- what else could we want? 

There are currently 17.3 million APIs living in the United States; 5.6 million of that total number are living in California.[1]  APIs are one of the largest growing ethnic groups in the US; according to the 2010 Census, the Asian population in the United States has grown by nearly 50 percent over the past 10 years. Although Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic group in the US, states such as Texas, New Jersey, and Missouri show higher API growth. Additionally, it is estimated that the API community will grow 150 percent by the year 2050.  However, even with all of these optimistic numbers, it won’t mean a damn thing if there isn’t a comparable number of API elected officials to represent them.

According to UCLA's Asian American Studies Center, there are more Asian Pacific Americans currently holding public office in the United States than at any other time in U.S. history.  From the current roster of API electeds, we have two state governors, three U.S. senators, 10 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, two Obama administration cabinet members, two California statewide elected officials, four members of the California State Supreme Court (including the chief justice) and three of the five members of the California State Board of Equalization. It also includes the majority of Hawaii's Legislature, three California state senators, eight California Assembly members and 44 mayors of cities, including San Francisco, Oakland and Irvine.[2]  However, when you compare the proportion of congressional members to population size between APIs and Caucasians, the disparity becomes much more apparent.  The API vote is simply not being effectively leveraged.  More APIs need to run for office, and more APIs need to vote for them. 

2012 will be a significant election because of the presidential race, as well as the large number of congressional seats that will be in play.  Up to 4 million APIs are expected to vote this year, making this the most-voted election by the APIs ever. An additional 600,000 votes will be cast by APIs, a dramatic improvement from the 2008 presidential election.

Although APIs have made great strides in local representation, it needs to expand at a federal level.  Policy that can address the needs of the larger API community can only be implemented through congressional authority, which we are sorely lacking in.  It doesn’t help that we recently lost a congressional seat in Oregon due to a high-profile scandal.  API candidates need to support each other and not fight over the same seats and funders.  API voters need to be apprised of the issues and the candidates and must vote based on informed opinions.  With an 85 percent high school graduation rate and a 50 percent college graduation rate, the only thing holding API voters back is their lack of interest or commitment to political public discourse.  The pressure is now on to maintain this trend of ever-increasing API representation, which can only be accomplished through regular participation by API voters. 

We cannot become complacent within the electorate, even if we are being accepted with open arms into the middle class.  When you have an economy coming out of a recession, simply having corporations declaring record profits doesn’t mean a thing if a growth in job numbers fails to follow.  This just means that the rich are getting richer.  This same disparity can and will happen within the API population if we do not change our voting habits.  As the API population grows, we must vote in our best interest and encourage ambitious and progressive APIs to run for office, or else our voices will go unheard.  Non-API officials consolidate their power over us when we refuse to show up to the polls.  If our numbers increase and our level of representation doesn’t keep pace, then we will continue to be ignored by the old guard and never get our seat at the table.  One vote cast in support of an API issue can do so much more for our community than we give it credit for.  June is just around the corner and November isn’t far out either.  Remember to vote early and regularly.

Get Involved! 
First, register to vote and vote! It is the first and most important step to get our voices heard.
Second, get involved with some local activist groups or political groups. See what your own  representatives are doing. Do they represent Asian American community needs? If you are even more motivated:

Here are a few cool groups to look into:
AACI, Asian Americans for Community Involvement
SBFT, South Bay First Thursdays
VNA, Vision New America
ALC, Asian Law Caucus
OCA, Organization of Chinese Americans
CAPAL, Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership

These are just a few resources. I encourage you to find your own interests and get involved!

---

[1] http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-02.pdf

[2] http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/new-ucla-study-finds-highest-number-219844.aspx

North Korea - Unrecognized Hell

http://cdn.theatlanticwire.com/img/upload/2012/02/10/
kimjongun.02102012/large.jpg

On February 10, 2012, Twitter and Weibo were buzzing about the rumored assassination of Kim Jong-Un, the current North Korean leader. In a matter of hours, there was an article about the rumor posted on every major news site. Then, just as quickly as it began, the rumor was dismissed by U.S. officials who noted that the rumor was false based on close monitoring of the Korean Peninsula for abnormal economic and military activity. This was as "official" as confirmation would get and the rumor disappeared from all thought and mind. There was no way to accurately assess Kim Jong-Un's status or actually communicate with North Korea, and without Kim Jong-Un actually coming out publicly and declaring his state, there would be no way for the rest of the world to have any light into the country. And so, due to the general lack of information, the world once again dismissed North Korea and placed it out of mind.

60 years of hunger even in the capital
http://www.asianews.it/files/img/
NORTH_KOREA_-_POVERTY.jpg

IMPACT:
That would be fine if North Korea were a decent humane country simply seeking national sovereignty and privacy from other nations. But that is not the case. The situation in North Korea is not one that can be ignored simply because information is scarce. In fact, one of the main reasons why information is so tightly controlled in North Korea is because of how terrible the situation in North Korea is. (The other reason information is limited is so that North Koreans can't see how much better the rest of the world is). Even with the information control, however, we can still catch glimpses into the horrors of North Korea through the eyes of escaped refugees, and this is information that cannot be discarded. The purpose of this article is not to focus on Kim Jong-Un or to suggest anything about his status. Frankly, I have no idea, and neither does anyone else. What I want to emphasize though is how little everyone seems to actually know about North Korea. Just look around you. How much do you and your community actually know about North Korea?

http://www.newworldorderwar.com/wp-content/
uploads/2011/01/North-Korea-1.jpg

The lack of knowledge about North Korea even within highly educated communities is absolutely astounding. Most people simply see North Korea as a nuclear threat and a low-income developing nation, but that is where the knowledge usually stops. Based on occasional photo releases like the one at the right, they assume North Korea is just another highly militaristic country with living conditions comparable to other developing countries. They are wrong. North Korea is more comparable to Hitler dominated Germany in mentality with human rights violations rivaling the Holocaust exacerbated by regular country-wide famine and agricultural failure. Although what I write cannot even begin to do justice to North Korea's situation, here's a brief overview.

North Koreans mourning the death of Kim Jong-Il,
a testament to North Koreans' state of mind.
http://static.lifeislocal.com.au/multimedia/
images/full/1625096.jpg

Let's start with information control and North Korean mentality. For the 24 million in North Korea, there is no freedom of speech, press, assembly, or association. All information distributed to the citizens is centrally controlled and produced. Information that is given to the public is saturated in indoctrination praising the leaders of North Korea as literal gods who have blessed the country and made it prosper. All citizens are required to have a Kim pin and have a portrait of the leaders in their homes. People in North Korea actually believe they are living in the best modern living conditions due to the blessings of their leadership. They believe every other country is living in much harder times than them. A great documentary that shows this is "A State of Mind," which follows participants of the Mass Games in North Korea. Frankly, there is no way for citizens to know any better because anyone who possesses information, books, or media not approved by the government is considered a traitor to the Communist state and thrown into a concentration camp. Anyone who shows any dissent against the state are thrown into camps. All citizens are forbidden from leaving the country. Citizens cannot even travel within country without prior approval from their local jurisdiction. All entry into the country is forbidden unless it is pre-approved by the government and the visitors are guided throughout their entire stay. If a citizen attempts to flee the country, they are shot on site or sent to a camp.  And yet people still ask me if I'm from South or North Korea when I tell them I'm Korean...

A drawing by defector Hye Sook Kim showing one of
countless public execution she witnessed before escaping.
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/images/
stories/large/2011/02/03/DSC_0089.jpg

Speaking of the camps, there are an estimated 200,000 "offenders" of the state forced into concentration camps separated from society because of their "traitorous actions and thoughts" against the government. Much of what we know about the camps is from first-hand testimony by the trickle of those who have managed to escape. I had the rare opportunity of speaking with such a refugee during an awareness talk at Stanford, and the conditions he spoke of really are comparable to the concentration camps during the Holocaust without exaggeration. People are starved, beaten, tortured, raped, and publicly executed on a regular basis. Prisoners must feed on rats and weeds to survive, and even getting caught in that act of feeding can be considered insubordination and a reason for execution. Punishments are often applied to related kin as well, and three generations of a family can be executed simultaneously for the "crime" of one. North Korea's government officially denies the existence of such camps, but the steady stream of refugees and horror stories from those who escape cannot be denied.

The body of a North Korean woman
who died crossing the Duman River
trying to escape into China
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/
img_dir/2008/12/11/2008121161003_0.jpg

Life is hardly better for those who manage to miraculously escape North Korea. An estimated 300,000 North Korean refugees are hiding underground in China where the official government stance is to return discovered refugees back to North Korea where they will undoubtedly be placed into camps or executed. Thus, under the threat of being returned, over 80% of refugees never make it out of China and become victims of human trafficking. A documentary called "The People's Crisis" follows the journey of a North Korean refugee from the moment they arrive in China and shows the perilous risks these individuals must take even after finally escaping from North Korea.

What I've mentioned really is just a glimpse into the hell of North Korea, revealed by those far and few between who have escaped the country and lived to tell their story. The information is scarce, but it is powerful and reliable and cannot be ignored. Educate yourself and share about North Korea to others. It's the least you can do for one of the most unrecognized horrors of our time.

Get Involved!
You can also be proactive and join or support activist groups such as LiNK, Liberty in North Korea or others. Check them out here.

Music Review: Magnetic North - Home:Word [Deluxe Edition]

On November 29th 2011, hip hop group Magnetic North released their remastered and revamped collaboration album with Taiyo Na entitled, Home:Word [Deluxe Edition]. The culmination of 3 years of work, the collection includes 6 new songs as well as the majority of the original release's songs redone to feature some of the artists Magnetic North and Taiyo Na have shared the stage with while performing (Sam Kang, Heather Park and more).


Fortunately for all of us, this long time coming album was well worth the wait...


Sound:
In general the album steps away from the harder hitting more dramatic sound of many of Magnetic North's older songs ("We Will Not Be Moved" and "Price of Perfection" for example). The new album explores a wider variety of rhythms and beats.  From the soft relaxing piano of "Home:Word" to the jazzier sound of "I'm Here" to the poppy, fun paced guitar of "Summertime," This album has a nice, relaxed and homey feeling to it.

Despite the lighter tone, all of Theresa Vu's and Derek Kan's (the two members who make up Magnetic North) lyrical talent and rapping skill are obviously present and the voices of the other featured artists bring an intriguing and sweet complexity to the music.

Related to the title, the album revolves around home, family and friends, from the album's title song, about the importance of home, to "In My Corner" about the presence of loved ones no longer with us.

UPDATE 3/3/2012:
Upon further listening to Magnetic North's new album, I realized how woefully insufficient my original review was. If you know Magnetic North at all, they made a name for themselves with clever and catchy rap lyrics while telling relevant stories about the Asian American community and struggles. It is a field that is only now rapidly expanding as more and more Asian American artists take advantage of new media and pick up microphone to rap, sing, and play music.  The new album shows all those traits integrating great sounding lyrics with a deeper message that hits home for so many of us about our relatives, homes, relationships and more. In terms of criticism, some say that the songs, especially in this album, are somewhat cheesy. Although the topics are indeed disney-esque PG, for me, Magnetic North's songs fill a void, speaking directly to my own experiences, and my generation's perspectives and I would take their meaningful words over drugs, hoes and guns anyday. It was something I thought I would never really find in professional music and now I can sit back and hum along to songs that I feel are a true part of me.

Listening to Home:Word is a delight and suitable for any occasion really, but I like it best when I am just lounging around and can absorb the clever lyrics.

I could go on and on about each song on the new album but I'll let you experience them for yourself. You can sample the new album and Magnetic North's older songs here. Or purchase Home:Word [Deluxe Edition] here for just 10 bucks. Or you could be super awesome by buying the album along with t-shirts and posters for just a little more.

My verdict? Buy the CD!!

My Favorites:
Home:Word (Duh)
I Got My
Summertime

Here is the song list:
1. We Belong [ft. Chris Lijima]
2. It'll Work Out [ft. Sidney Outlaw]
3. Chris Speaks
4. Summertime [ft. Conchita Campos]
5. La La La [ft. Ruth Cho]
6. New Love [ft. Heather Park]
7. I'm Here
8.Cold [ft. Sam Kang]
9. Fukushima
10. In My Corner
11. Postcards
12. Chuck Speaks
13. Home:Word [ft. Sam Kang]
14. I Got My [ft. Jin]
15. Home:Word (Acro Jazz Laboratories Remix) [ft. Sam Kang]

Additional Notes:
"Home:Word", "Summertime" and "I Got My" all have fun music video versions, with Home:Word being the most touching and having been produced by our friends, Wong Fu Productions. It was a fun collaboration as Wong Fu had done Magnetic North's first ever music video "Drift Away" 5 years earlier.

You can take follow Magnetic north at http://magnetichiphop.com/ and Taiyo Na at taiyona.com.

For a more in depth view at Magnetic North and their history stay tuned for their upcoming spotlight!

The Movie Magic of Freddiew

The Movie Magic of Freddiew

What if real life were a little more like a spy movie or a first person shooter? It is a question that all gamers have pondered with enthusiasm. What if light sabers, the portal gun, or the Mario fire flower were real and we could actually use them? What would we do with these weapons slash toys? Imagine the possibilities!!!!

Having once been an avid gamer, I can tell you that I myself have pondered over these questions and wondered at the possibilities. Unfortunately, with few exceptions (Ryan Wieber and Michael Scott's famous light saber battle being one), the fantasy weapons and abilities of the silver screen and the gaming realm remained forever unattainable, like a secret character that could never be unlocked.

Enter Freddie Wong and Brandon Laatsch, keymasters (yes I made a bad Matrix reference). For years fans have been making home made videos bringing fantasy to life, some more professional, like this street fighter video, others less so like this street fighter video. Freddie and Brandon (creators of the Youtube channel freddiew) seemingly made it their mission to show us what we all thought was impossible, mixing real life with gaming and with awe inspiring realism.

Since their start, the duo has continued to amaze us, most consistently with his shootout scenes complete with blood spatter, muzzle flashes, environmental damage and so on. Some of their productions could be mistaken for scenes from hollywood movies complete with the hot girl.

Yet perhaps the most unique and entertaining aspect about the duo's videos is their ability to give us what so many gamers have imagined for so long.

Freddiew brought us bullies with  light sabers, messing around with the portal gun and discovering the Mario fire flower all in videos we could relate to. In a video viewed more than 22 million times, they brought us an amazing view of what a first person shooter game converted to real life might look like complete with kill statistics, replays and tea bagging. Freddiew also payed homage to dozens of gamer tidbits including triggermashing in Time Crisis, aimbot in Counter Strike, rocket jumping in TFC, or the misery that accompanies using your friend's computer and not realizing that he likes playing with inverted controls. They also showed us what the future of gaming might look like.

First person shooter's not your thing? How about Mario Kart or Katamari? Freddiew gave us a driver seat view of a real life Mario Kart race and the terror that might accompany messing with a Katamari ball.

To top it off, the duo was hired by EA games, the makers of the Battlefield franchise, to make a commercial for the then upcoming Battlefield 3 game.

In October of 2011, freddiew also embarked on a project (no idea when it will be completed) that was close to the hearts of thousands of gamers. Called Video Game High School, it was to be a professionally produced web series depicting a world where pro-gaming is the biggest sport on earth, where gamers earned million dollar endorsements and were frequenters of morning and late night talk shows. If you are or ever were a serious gamer, you have dreamed of a world where your KD ratio or ladder ranking meant something, made you the popular kid or helped you get the girl. Well freddiew was making it a reality. Unfortunately nothing has been posted since a sneak peak at production posted in November of 2011 and I sincerely hope that the project has not gone awry. You can read a little more about the project here.

Impact:

Freddiew's subscribers alone are a testament to their accomplishments. Their channel will soon reach 3 million subscribers with over 545 million total video views. Their work has delighted and intrigued hardcore gamers and main stream society members alike. Their work has appeared on CNN, BBC and ESPN. They have had the opportunity to work with Eliza Dushku, Andy Whitfield, Kevin Pollack and Jon Favreau.Their TV appearances include their Battlefield 3 commercial, an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live and a cameo in the popular NBC TV show Chuck.

In an interview for Last Call with Carson Daly, both Freddie and Brandon talk about why they started making videos. "Every video is something that we wish was something that someone else had made but because they didn't, we thought it was our duty to make it ourselves." Brandon states. 

They also talk about the obvious influence that growing up with video games had on their productions. Check out the interview here.

As a former gamer I understand all the gaming references and influences in Freddiew videos. Their work is well done, immensely entertaining and unique. Like other up and coming artists, new media, in this case Youtube, has been key to their success and they are a model for all of us who want to do what they love as a profession (Freddiew has practically an essay on how to succeed on Youtube here). Freddiew has also broken ground on a less trodden path for production success. Instead of hitting colleges and film festivals, they have stayed on Youtube. Who knows, it could be the way of the future for production. Subscribe to freddiew and if you don't believe me, believe the 2,906,613 others who are subscribed as of February, 18th 2012. 

As for me, fanhood of freddiew can be exemplified in 1 simple short called Chrono Trigger: Short Action Scene. In it Freddie battles a couple baddies but not before calling for a time out because he isn't ready and then charging back in, dives and rolls included, and dispatching the gunmen like a boss. Everything a gamer knows and wishes for in a 2 minute clip.

Wong Fu: Home is Where the Hans Are

What would it be like to see an American sitcom with a mostly Asian cast? Or even one that just dealt regularly with Asian American themes and stereotypes. Could it become a reality today? Would the general public accept it? How could the series be presented in a way to appeal to a broad viewing audience?

As far as I can tell, the closest thing America has to a main stream TV show with a less stereotyped Asian American members is Glee which features Jenna Ushkowitz and Harry M Shum. Glee did indeed tackle some Asian American stereotypes and I have mostly great things to say about Glee's involvement in sharing some Asian American culture, issues and dilemmas. Mike Chang's struggle with his parents' expectations and his own duty to family are indeed common themes with many young Asian Americans. Yet the glimpse into Mike Chang's supposed home life is by no means a tell all for every situation.  For example, Glee does not tap into the the poverty and day to day struggle of thousands of poor Asian Americans, nor does it tap into the emerging group of Asian Americans who are experiencing less and less of the traditional “Asian” pressures and are finding themselves with interesting questions of identity. In saying such, I also understand that Glee doesn't have the obligation to explore the above mentioned themes.  So what can we take away from Glee?

When I look at Glee I thank the stars that Mr. Shum and Jenna Ushkowitz have large rolls in the show. Originally Shum wasn't a core member of the cast and if it wasn't for his talent and popularity among fans he may have faded into the background. Thus, for many of us that have continued to hope for depictions of “normal” Asian Americans, that is Asian Americans in non stereotyped roles,  we have definitely seen media get better. There are more Asians in “regular” American roles and less of a focus on martial arts, brainiacs, shop keepers etc.

Yet I feel that we have reached a hypothetical glass ceiling. We have yet to pass into what I like to call, “the realm of normalcy.” For almost a decade now there have been sitcom shows directly aimed at other ethnic populations. Latinos and Black Americans have a variety of shows to pick from in which their actors are actually of their ethnicity and are portrayed as American families going through American issues while incorporating a blend of ethnic culture. Now I understand that networks are aiming to make money and by looking at population numbers alone, using a mostly Asian cast may seem like a bad bet if one assumes that a show with mostly actors or themes from one culture would mostly draw that ethnicity as an audience.

But is it really a bad bet? What if you could make a show that appealed to a wider audience while still involving an Asian American cast portraying, normal Americans who happen to be of Asian descent. Reports in census data nd economic data show rapid growth in the Asian America population, especially in urban areas, as well as a rapid growth in Asian American spending power. They remain a relatively untapped market according to many economists.

So what would a for TV Asian American series look like? Well FremantleMedia gave our friends at Wong Fu  the opportunity to take a shot at it, culminating in “Home is Where the Hans Are.”

Wong Fu productions was given the chance to create the beginnings of a series that could potential go to TV. Thus, Home is Where the Hans Are was born, telling the story of a Caucasian son returning from abroad after several years as a less than successful music artist. Disappointed at his perceived failure he arrives back to his suburban Californian home only to find that his mom has remarried an Asian American man with two children of his own.

In my own opinion, the first 3 episodes are entertaining, well written and clever. The family is made up of a Caucasian mother and son and an Asian father, with an Asian teenage daughter and son. As an Asian American, it was refreshing to see young Asian Americans on the screen in ways that I could very easily relate to. However, the notable point about the show is that it is clear that Wong Fu made an effort to ensure that the story line could appeal to a wide audience. The complexities of the characters and their issues appeal to all of us as Americans. And the plot of a racially diverse family and the sometimes, awkward, frustrating or comical situations that that the diversity can entail is definitely an untapped theme that is becoming more and more common as America's “melting pot” analogy becomes more and more realized.

Unfortunately there won't be more of the Hans in the near future as the project was just a small opportunity given to Wong Fu by FremantleMedia. And yes there is the huge hurtle of bringing a wide scale audience to a show somewhat based on Asian American life. In addition, there is a little stretch of the imagination to believe that a son would really not know that his mother remarried an Asian man without notifying her son unless the mother and son had some sort of major falling out which does not seem to be the case.

Still it is a great first try and if nothing else the fact that Wong Fu was given the chance to create the show is a pleasing sign that change may be on the horizon.

Check out Home is Where the Hans Are here and please, if you like what you see, leave a positive comment and tell your friends. The more positive comments and views, the higher chance that the show or something like it may become a reality.

 

Spotlight: The Rise of Wong Fu Productions

Spotlight: The Rise of Wong Fu Productions

On October 25^th 2011 Wong Fu Productions created a special video to celebrate their 1 millionth subscriber. In the video they satirized their own seemingly slow pace to reach this great milestone. Filled with cameos from other well known Youtube giants such as NigaHiga, KevJumba and FreddieW, it made for a great short and a great laugh. It was a fitting way to end the year and for me, it was an accomplishment long overdue. 

This weeks spotlight highlights the rise of our much beloved Wong Fu Productions (WFP).

History:

(If you want the quick version, skip to the Impact section)

It all began at UC San Diego (UCSD) in Southern California where friends came together to do something we know and love, have some fun and catch it on camera. In this case, it was Freshman Philip Wong lip syncing to “Senorita” by JustinTimberlake. Equipped with nothing more than a great group of friends, boundless energy and a bit of dance, Phil Wong had created a silly and entertaining video, and perhaps unknowingly, simultaneously launched WFP. It was 2003 (no Youtube back then, I know a crazy thought huh?). The video reached a mini viral level (again no Youtube) and Phil would follow it with several other lip sync videos (“Sunday Morning” by Maroon Five, “Qing Fei De Yi” by HarlemYu, and “What If” by Babyface just to name a few). Still, these videos differed little from the thousands of other lip sync videos floating around.

It was in 2004 that the Wong Fu we know today took shape when Phil met Ted Fu and Wesley Chan in a visual arts class at UCSD. At the time, the three were considering vastly different career paths, Wes in animation, Ted in mechanical engineering and Phil in economics. The trio began working together on class assignments and created short videos in their spare time. By 2005, the three were consistently working together on music videos to popular songs as well as more complex short films. Most notable perhaps was their “I'm Yours” (Jason Mraz) video made for a friend's wedding, and the Eighth of April short, one of Wong Fu's earliest attempts at a more serious, heart felt piece. The “I'm Yours” video cleverly depicted the almost identical average day life of the bride and groom split screen while the Eighth of April brought viewers to tears. 

Then in 2006 in their last year of college, Wong Fu came out with two pieces that would throw them into the spotlight. The first was “Yellow Fever” posted on Youtube in January of 2006. The video satirized the idea that Caucasian males were unfairly snatching up all the Asian girls while Asian guys were left on the sidelines. The sentiment seemed to hit home for many fans and the video became an instant hit, launching Wong Fu onto the Youtube scene and into the hearts of thousands of viewers. The second was a highly anticipated (even if only by fans at the time) feature length film called “A Moment With You.” It was a project the three worked on all senior year and the film showed at UC San Diego and the San Diego Asian Film Festival. It was and still is also available to purchase on the group's website. Check it out!

The group graduated in June of 2006 and posted their last video as college kids, a lip syncing video of Neyo's “Stay” complete with dancing and a farewell. For many, this seemed like the sad and premature end of WFP. Fortunately, Wong Fu put out their first “talk to the fans video” in September of that year. They told fans that WFP was “alive and kickin” and living together in LA. They even took the time to poke fun at Phil's first lip syncing videos. In the end of that video, Ted tells us “Wong Fu has a lot in store for us” and if anything, this would become a huge understatement. 

In late 2006 the group expanded their horizons by embarking on their first tour, visiting 25 schools across the United States to screen and promote their feature length film. In doing so they also crossed a new threshold, reaching out and meeting thousands of fans in person for the first time. WFP's next big move came early in 2007 in the form of a 3 part miniseries entitled “Just a Nice Guy” speaking to the perils that so many of us guys have experienced as the “nice guy.” The guy who is always there for the girl, the trusted confidant, the shoulder to cry on, the calm headed adviser but ultimately always the friend, not the boyfriend. It was a great twist on the friend zone concept. The series was a resounding success and would spark the creation of the Nice Guy clothing brand based on a shirt designed by Wes that Phil wore throughout the series.
 The success of the brand that followed allowed the team to focus more on their own video work and less on the freelance work they did to scrape by in LA as young, poor film makers. In 2007 WFP linked up with famed Far East Movement in a series called “You've Got a Friend” made to promote Far East Movement's single with the same title. The collaboration solidified a partnership that would benefit Wong Fu and Far East Movement for years to come and be a gateway to collaborations culminating in the International Secret Agents concerts (learn more about ISA here)

In 2008 WFP released a concept trailer for their planned second feature length film, The Sleep Shift. The movie was to revolve around a restless young adult stuck working the graveyard shift in his family's convenient store. The anxiety leads to a sleepwalking problem that proves far more complex than one could imagine (watch the trailer here). Fans across the globe eagerly awaited Wong Fu's next big project. Yet by late 2008 it seemed that the project was losing focus and Wong Fu productions felt they were losing control of what they originally wanted. The film was shelved for the time being.

Although a disappointment, the shelving opened new doors for Wong Fu as they redirected their attention to Youtube. WFP began branching out. 2009 and 2010 produced some of Wong Fu's most famous collaborations. They would make highly viewed music videos for David Choi, and AJ Rafael, boosting their careers respectively,as well as continue to meet, befriend and collaborate with an ever rising number of other well known Youtubers (Kevin “KevJumba”, Cathy Nguyen, Christine “Happyslip” and Ryan “NigaHiga.” The collaborations rapidly expanded Wong Fu's presence and fan base while simultaneously building deep friendships between much of the Asian American Youtube community.

2011 was an impressive year for WFP. First they were hired by multiplatinum Taiwanese American pop singer Wang Leehom to direct his upcoming music video. It was an incredible opportunity and honor for the rising production team and Leehom flew the three to Taiwan to shoot the video. The result was spectacular and well received by both fans and new viewers. 2011 also produced incredible shorts filmed in Taiwan and France. WFP continued its Vloging series called Wong Fu Weekends and moved into a bigger office.

WFP's annual Spring tour brought the group past its 100^th event and Phil's longer short entitled “Strangers, Again” about love became the most viewed WFP video ever. Harry Shum Jr. of Glee appeared in 3 hilarious shorts and WFP held 3 ISA concerts, one in San Francisco,one in LA and one in a new location, Seattle. LA's ISA brought in ISA's largest crowd ever, a sold out 4000 fans. Finally, WFP got the chance to meet the President of the United States at the White House's Holiday reception during Christmas time. It was unexpected by Wong Fu and highlighted WFP's influence on America.

Into its 10^th year, WFP has become a small but successful production company, earning its money from Youtube, its clothing line, public speaking and music video production.

Impact:

WFP has produced more than 100 short films and music videos which have gathered millions of views. They have over a million subscribers and counting and are a well known presence on Youtube.

Although perhaps not part of their original goals, WFP has had a decisive affect on the Asian American community, especially with the younger tech savy generation. As online media continues to grow as a primary source of entertainment, news and communication, WFP has become a symbol of that new media. Within the context of advancing Asian American causes, many of Wong Fu's pieces depicted Asian Americans in lead roles and as everyday Americans as opposed to the stereotyped roles Asians played in most Hollywood movies and TV shows. As producers they have perhaps unknowingly stepped into the role of promoting, encouraging and emboldening other Asian American activists, artists, musicians and comedians. As part of the new media generation, WFP has used new media such as Youtube and Vloging to reach a wide ranging audience globally and one that is ready to watch, listen and act. Yes WFP does videos that Asian Americans can specifically relate to but they also show stories that everyone can relate to regardless of race. It is an aspect the group has made a point of.

As a young Asian American adult, an Asian American activist and avid new media follower (still got to get in on Tweeting), I can truthfully say Wong Fu has had a profound affect on me. I discovered them back in 2006 with Yellow Fever and have followed their journey since. They had broken into a field with little Asian American representation. They highlighted issues that Asian Americans went through as well as depicted Asian Americans as normal Americans. Finally we weren't just shop keepers with accents, martial arts fighters or braniacs. Instead, we were just average college kids growing up, or people struggling with the issues of everyday life: love, friendship, heartbreak, work, and death. WFP showed that young Asians could follow their dreams and succeed outside of more traditional parent encouraged career choices. WFP helped unite, connect and promote so many up and coming Asian Americans who have good hearts and great talent. They have become a model for Asian Americans wanting to enter the entertainment business as well. But ultimately for me, WFP represented activists and artists that turned dreams into reality. They were not just another activist group complaining against stereotypes in the media. They were part of the entertainment industry itself destroying those stereotypes one video at a time and getting stronger and more influential by the day. They filled a gaping hole in the entertainment industry creating good, likable media that showed Asian Americans as we were, normal Americans.

All in all, their power to help other up and coming artists, the quality of their work, their devotion to bettering the image of Asian Americans in the media and their activism have rightly put them as some of the most influential Asian Americans of our generation.

NEW NEWS:

Most recently (2012) WFP informed fans of an opportunity that could change the future of Wong Fu Productions forever. They had been approached by FreemantleMedia to develop an idea for a web series that could be transformed into a for television series. Wong Fu describes the opportunity best on their website. The series is called “Home is Where the Hans Are” and involves the complexities of life that comes when a Caucasian college age son returns home after years abroad to find that his mom has remarried an Asian man who has children himself. I took a look at the series and it looks quite promising. The writing is clever, characters likable and believable and I am eagerly awaiting each episode.

That pretty much sums up Wong Fu Productions. I hope you will check them out. There are dozens of videos I didn't have time to mention and you can watch them all right here.

As 2012 begins, I know WFP has a great year ahead of them especially with this hopeful TV opportunity. And as I sat watching WFP's 1 millionth subscriber video remembering all their collaborations, the new friends they have made and pondering their influence, I cant help but follow in Ted's footsteps, throw up the W and shout Wong Fu 4 life ! (watch the video if you're confused)