KATIE TRINH WRITES – Everyone has a story, a unique and personal story. Both my parents were born in Vietnam. Their roots originated in China but they emigrated to Vietnam to escape Communism. Communism eventually spread to Vietnam and my family escaped once again. They migrated to the Philippines and…
Full Article INTERVIEW: Iconic Photographer Nick Ut Hangs Up His Camera
JAY SEO WRITES – When I first heard about the documentary Under the Sun, I assumed that the filmmaker used a hidden camera to catch a glimpse of the real lives of citizens in North Korea. I was wrong: Russian filmmaker Vitaly Mansky was permitted by North Korean authorities to…
Full Article MOVIE REVIEW: TOO MUCH ‘SUN’ FOR NORTH KOREA
It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed a film for Asia Media, but after seeing Makoto Shinkai’s “Kimi no Na Wa.” (君の名は。), also known by its Western title, “your name.”, I felt compelled to return to spread the word about what could go down as one of the greatest animated…
Full Article MOVIE REVIEW: JAPAN’S ANIMATED ‘YOUR NAME’
TOM PLATE WRITES – Win some – lose some. The Obama administration was shocked and rocked: “We recommend that the United States bring its [raised tariffs against China] into conformity with its obligations.” That, just two years ago, was the sharply worded ruling from an international body whose judgment Beijing…
Full Article CHINA: SEA-ING INTO THE FOG OF WAR
Writes Peter Gordon in the recent issue of The Asian Review of Books, in his review of David Moser’s A Billion Voices: China’s Search for a Common Language — In a recent piece in the New Yorker, Ted Chiang wrote: “I never learned anything in the Saturday-morning Chinese school I…
Full Article BOOK REVIEW: WHY THE ‘CHINESE LANGUAGE’ IS AN UNREAL CONSTRUCT
Writes Kim Ji-soo of the Korea Times (courtesy of the Korea Times) – Perhaps only someone of Professor Moon Chung-in’s stature can deliver a lecture entitled “Why I’ve Failed as a Professor.” On Tuesday, the 65-year-old political science professor at Yonsei University in Seoul and political brain during the Kim…
Full Article FROM YONSEI UNIVERSITY IN SEOUL: CONFESSIONS OF A ‘FAILED’ PROFESSOR
From CHINA DAILY in Beijing – Under an ambitious agreement, the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and the Financial Review newspapers (Fairfax Media) will issue an eight-page English-language edition of “China Watch” once a month starting this month. “In the process of international communication, China Daily has been forging alliance…
Full Article CHINA ‘SOFT POWER’: A BIG DEAL GOES DOWN IN SYDNEY
MIRANDA PAK WRITES – The U.S. this week (Feb. 2) joined calls for Chinese authorities to release five Hong Kong booksellers whose main crime appears to have been embarrassing Communist Party officials. What’s proving the bigger embarrassment is that no one doubts it is Beijing behind the kidnapping/detentions. Since October,…
Full Article HONG KONG: Missing Book Sellers — When will China Fess Up? (UPDATED)
MICHELLE VARINATA WRITES – Picture a world of rainbows , puppy dogs and smiling children running through rose-scented gardens. Sure, it’s a dream. But for some, even imagining such a scene could prove impossible, so harsh is their reality. As one of the world’s most family-oriented societies, Indonesia prioritizes family…
Full Article INDONESIA: Overcoming Adversity One Step at a Time
SHUTING LI WRITES – As interracial marriages are increasing every year in America, Chinese women are getting more attention in the interracial marriage pool. American men can’t seem to get enough of their exotic, cute, and sweet image. However, American’s love of Chinese women may lead them into dealing with something they are…
Full Article CHINESE DATING: Sajiao Me, Baby
ASIA MEDIA INTERNATIONAL’S EDITOR IN CHIEF TOM PLATE WRITES: Dean and former UN Ambassador Kishore Mahbubani is widely regarded as one of the most pioneering and influential thinkers in world politics today. The following is an essay based on his recent Harvard lecture. It appears courtesy of The Straits Times…
Full Article CHINA: THE PROBLEM FOR THE U.S.
LEXIE TUCKER WRITES– If China, South Korea, and Japan were humans instead of countries, you might say their relationship status would be “It’s Complicated.” The three are geographical neighbors, and treat each other as such – they are cordial when they need to be, but behind closed doors are not…
Full Article CHINA, SOUTH KOREA, and JAPAN: To Face the Future, Respect the Past
ALEXIS CRUZ WRITES- This year, two pan-Arab television channels were launched with the aspirations of providing an independent media platform. Al-Arab launched in Bahrain on February 1. Its owner, Saudi Prince Al Waleed bin Talal, promised that he could run the channel without any political interference and set up the…
Full Article QATAR: Changing the Channel
KELCEY LORENZO WRITES – After almost a year away and the departure of two members, boy group sensation EXO is officially back on the K-Pop scene. The now ten-membered group began releasing teasers for their new album “Exodus” on March 18th through the YouTube page of their entertainment company, SM…
Full Article K-POP KORNER: Crack the Code with EXO’s Pathcode Teasers
HAIG TER-GHEVONDIAN WRITES – According to an interview between Pakistani teacher Rubia Akram and Feminist: Stories from Women’s Liberation director Jennifer Lee, in 1947, during the war of independence in Pakistan, a woman named Dr. Fatima Jinnah fought alongside male soldiers. After the war ended, she became a national legend. Today she…
Full Article PAKISTAN: Not Just a Pretty Face – Speaking Out Against the Media Image of Pakistani Women