Fact check: US did not ‘bury’ data on anti-Asian hate crimes
A recent tweet claiming that the U.S. government has been “burying” the anti-Asian hate crisis is false.
The allegation: In a recent tweet, investor and physician Michael J. Burry alleged that the government is “burying” the “anti-Asian violent hate crime crisis.” As of this writing, the tweet has amassed more than 9,300 likes and nearly 2,000 retweets.
Simu Liu’s joke about ‘Batgirl’ cancellation lands him in hot water
- Warner Bros. Discovery announced on Thursday that they would be scrapping the $90 million dollar “Batgirl” movie after months of being in post-production.
- “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” star Simu Liu tweeted a joke in response to the news, and some social media users have called him out for being insensitive.
- The users pointed out that the parody seemeds to be mocking Warner Bros. Discovery for canceling the movie, while others saidy the tweet was insensitive to those in the film industry who worked hard on the project only to see it crumble.
Simu Liu is embroiled in controversy after tweeting a joke in response to Warner Bros.’ cancellation of the “Batgirl” movie.
Principal photography for “Batgirl” had already wrapped up in March when it was announced on Thursday that the production company would be scrapping the $90 million dollar project. The movie, which would have starred Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon, was originally slated to be part of the lineup for HBO Max’s original DC Extended Universe films.
Chinese sci-fi movie ‘Moon Man’ becomes biggest movie in the world after $129 million weekend
- Chinese sci-fi movie “Moon Man” grossed $129 million in China, reaching the top spot on the worldwide box office over the weekend.
- DC’s animated movie "League of Super Pets," which follows the adventures of Superman’s dog, followed behind at $41 million internationally.
- Over 1.4 million fans rated “Moon Man” as “want to see” on Chinese tracking platforms.
- It has since gone on to score a 9.4 and 9.5 out of 10 on film sites Maoyan and Taopiaopiao, respectively.
- With local projections estimating the film to earn over $640 million before exiting the Chinese market, “Moon Man” is on pace to become the country’s sixth-largest film of all time, giving its film industry the boost it needs.
The Chinese sci-fi movie “Moon Man” outshined all others at the global box office over the weekend.
The film grossed $129 million over the weekend, according to Comscore, and that’s only from the Chinese market. DC’s animated movie “League of Super Pets,” which follows the adventures of Superman’s dog, lagged behind at $41 million internationally.
TAAF, Panda Express invest over $500,000 into AAPI artists
This year, six artists were accepted into the fellowship which includes a $20,000 unrestricted grant for each to fund their projects plus additional, customized support from the Institute.
An additional six emerging artists will also receive TAAF/Sundance scholarships this year that will allow them to enroll in a live online course of their unique discipline, receive a Creator+ Sundance Collab membership to access Master Classes, participate in exclusive networking and community-building events, and receive guidance from their Sundance Collab Advisors on their projects.
Oakland Chinatown Summer Festival celebrates community strength against COVID, anti-Asian hate
- The Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council (OCIC) is organizing the Oakland Chinatown Summer Festival, a street fest meant to celebrate the community’s resilience against COVID-19 and anti-Asian hate.
- The event will take place on 9th Street (from Franklin to Alice Streets) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 30.
- The street festival will also celebrate the upcoming Chinese Valentine’s Day, regarded as the most romantic of all traditional Chinese holidays.
- Stage performances, free COVID-19 testing and vaccination, more than 20 food vendors, over 50 businesses, and a photo exhibit on anti-Asian hate will be featured during the event.
The Oakland Chinatown Summer Festival is taking place July 30!
Nearly three years since COVID-19 arrived and negatively impacted residents and businesses in the Chinatown neighborhood of Oakland, California, community members are coming together for a historic street festival to celebrate their resilience against anti-Asian hate and the ongoing pandemic.
500-year-old tree from Netflix’s smash hit ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ could become a monument
- The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) said on Monday that a 500-year-old hackberry tree that appeared on Netflix’s “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” may be added to the list of Korea’s natural monuments.
- The CHA will be making an on-site visit to the tree to determine its cultural significance, taking into account its age and condition.
- The tree drew interest after appearing in the eighth episode of the legal series in the fictional neighborhood of Sodeok-dong.
A 500-year-old hackberry tree that appeared on Netflix’s “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” may be added to the list of Korea’s natural monuments pending evaluations by the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA).
The CHA said on Monday that the organization will be making an on-site visit to the tree to determine its cultural significance, taking into account its age and condition. It will take at least two to three months for a decision to be made.
Song Hye-kyo set to star in upcoming Netflix original drama ‘The Glory’ by Kim Eun-sook
- Song Hye-kyo will star in the upcoming Netflix original drama series “The Glory,” penned by esteemed screenwriter Kim Eun-sook.
- Kim is known for her hit romance dramas, including “Goblin,” “Heirs,” “Secret Garden” and “Descendants of the Sun.”
- “The Glory” follows the story of Moon Dong-eun, a former victim of school violence who seeks revenge on the bullies and bystanders that ruined her childhood.
- Lee Do-hyun (“Sweet Home”), stars alongside Song as a character with a dark, secret past of his own.
- A release date for the series has yet to be announced.
South Korean actor Song Hye-kyo will star in the upcoming Netflix original drama series “The Glory,” penned by esteemed screenwriter Kim Eun-sook.
The upcoming epic revenge drama deviates from the romance genre Kim has become associated with after a number of major hits, including “Goblin,” “Heirs,” “Secret Garden” and “Descendants of the Sun.” Kim and Song previously worked together on the latter.
‘We’ve been seen as less than men for so long’: John Cho reflects on breaking stereotypes in ‘Harold & Kumar’
- John Cho recently spoke in an interview with GQ about how his film franchise “Harold & Kumar” was ahead of its time.
- “Its posture towards race is to laugh at it. Instead of elevating it, it took the stereotypes and turned the sock inside out. Looking back, I think we were ahead of our time a little bit,” he said.
- “In America, everyone sees your race first, but that’s not the way you feel,” Cho said. “I never feel Asian, necessarily — it’s the world that makes me think about it.”
- Cho starred alongside Kal Penn in the film franchise at a time when AAPI actors hardly ever headlined major Hollywood productions — a pattern that’s only begun to shift in recent years.
John Cho may be long past his days of weed-fueled road trips in “Harold & Kumar,” but almost 20 years later, the actor reflected back on how the film franchise may have been ahead of its time.
Cho, now 50 years old, spoke on the years he reprised the titular role of Harold along with Kal Penn as Kumar in a recent interview with The Guardian: “Its posture towards race is to laugh at it. Instead of elevating it, it took the stereotypes and turned the sock inside out. Looking back, I think we were ahead of our time a little bit.”
Hit Japanese manga ‘Burn the House Down’ to be made into live-action series by Netflix
- Netflix will be producing a live-action adaptation of the Japanese manga “Burn the House Down” by Moyashi Fujisawa.
- The story centers around Anzu Murata, a young woman who manages to infiltrate the lives of the wealthy Mitarai family as their housekeeper on her quest to unravel the mystery behind a devastating fire that changed her life 13 years ago.
- Mei Nagano and Kyoka Suzuki star in the series, their first ever Netflix project.
- “Burn the House Down” is expected to premiere sometime in 2023.
Moyashi Fujisawa’s “Burn the House Down” is the latest hit Japanese manga to be adapted into a live-action series by Netflix.
Initial details were released by The Hollywood Reporter on Monday.
Ice Cube’s alleged anti-Asian, anti-Semitic past resurfaces after news of NFL partnership
- The NFL recently announced its partnership with Ice Cube’s economic equity initiative Contract With Black America (CWBA) Institute.
- The partnership will focus on “identifying league-wide opportunities in the financial, tech, and production sectors, with a concentration on increasing spending to Black business nationwide to help close America’s racial and economic wealth gap.”
- Ice Cube, whose real name is O'Shea Jackson, has come under fire over the years for alleged anti-Semitic and anti-Asian lyrics in his 1991 songs “No Vaseline” and “Black Korea.”
- Ice Cube most recently drew flak for posting tweets in support of religious leader Louis Farrakhan, who has called Jews “wicked deceivers” and compared them to “termites.”
- To date, Ice Cube has reportedly not apologized for the controversies and has threatened to sue journalists who referred to him as “anti-Semitic.”
Critics have called attention to Ice Cube’s alleged anti-Asian and anti-Semitic past following the NFL’s announcement of its partnership with the rapper’s Contract With Black America (CWBA) Institute, an economic equity initiative.
The NFL, which has been aiming to boost its work with Black-owned businesses, announced the partnership on June 30. The collaboration is set to focus on “identifying league-wide opportunities in the financial, tech, and production sectors, with a concentration on increasing spending to Black business nationwide to help close America’s racial and economic wealth gap.”
I visited a Korean sex shop beneath the streets of Gangnam. Here’s how it went.
In the basements of South Korea’s most popular districts lies Red Container, one of the many thriving adult shop brands in the country.
With its traditional Confucian foundation, South Korea — like much of East Asia — is known to be a conservative country under a patriarchal structure. Korean history depicts a “woman’s self worth and honor” in accordance with “her chastity and adherence to men,” as Katrina Maynes of Grand Valley State University states in her 2012 article “Korean Perceptions of Chastity, Gender Roles, and Libido.” In accordance with these beliefs and values, South Korea continues to consider sex as taboo.
Minnesota mom in ‘triple murder-suicide’ allegedly bullied by husband’s relatives after he shot himself
- Molly Cheng, 23, reportedly drowned herself after allegedly killing her three children by smothering and drowning in Maplewood, Minnesota, on July 1.
- The killings took place just hours after Molly’s husband, Kos Lee, shot himself to death following an alleged argument with his wife.
- A Medium post by writer Yia Vue, which cited information from undisclosed sources, claimed that the couple’s marriage had been problematic from the beginning, with Kos’ family disapproving of Molly.
- In the aftermath of Kos’ death, his relatives allegedly went to Facebook Live to talk about the tragedy and “tear down Molly,” calling her names such as “homewrecker,” “cheater” and “sl*t.”
- Vue also shed light on Molly having been adopted, and how she felt, even after getting married, that “everything she did was met with disapproval.”
- Investigation into the case is ongoing.
A Minnesota woman who is believed to have died by drowning herself after allegedly killing her three children was earlier bullied following the death of her husband, according to reports.
The case, which authorities are investigating as a “triple murder-suicide,” has shaken the family’s neighborhood in Maplewood, as well as Hmong communities across the country after making national headlines.
