Asian American Film Thoughts

        Love Alarm rotates around the life of Kim Jojo who is in the middle of her high school experience. This app is introduced in the first episode as a launch. The app allows for two people to create an invisible circle around each other to reveal their love intentions. While this app seemed to be introduced as positive the author explores the negatives sides about technology like the feeling of isolation and being unloved as well. I appreciate the approach into new technology that may not seem like a reality.            The reading introduced a unique topic when discussing the role fans bring into film. Without the fans the film would not be alive or even celebrated. I know a lot of fans get attached to the characters due to the close connection they feel. However, I think this is interesting to feel a connection with someone from the other side of the world. “K-drama fans’ comments further suggest that their creation, or expansion, of hybrid, pop cosmopolitan identities consists

     Bling Empire both plays off the desire for a wealthy lifestyle and curiosity in a new reality. What fascinated me the most when watching Bling Empire was the elegancy of the party and connections to Asianness. I was expecting a come up story somewhere not gonna lie but when I didn’t get that I was surprised. The wealth was entertaining but the family dynamic’s were more interesting to me. The way baby G had a better birthday than most of us says a lot about wealth but also Asian Culture.   I find some of the stereotypes within Bling Empire to be dissatisfying. Like the role of Andrew and his girlfriend. The fact that she continues to go back to Andrew rather than Kevin surprised me. It also enforced the stereotype that Asian women are docile and Asian men are unattractive. All in all the idea of being Asian and American is a topic that gets brushed over in Bling empire, however, Is much more complex. The set up is money is the key to solving issues including systematic racism and

                           "Asian Americans" by Renee Tajima-Pena, 2020 episodes 1&2 intrigued me to watch up until episode 5. I really thought about the generational stress Asian American’s have to overcome. From the first episode explaining the railroad workers to the bombing of Peal harbor I could tell this series was meant to inform the viewer but mainly empower Asian’s and their connections to America.  I appreciated the films access to individual stories from the families and individuals who have lived through these traumatic experiences. The stories seemed to be personal so I think its very important to appreciate the families for sharing and bringing up those emotions with a humble tone. I particularly enjoyed the part in the film where the huge family came together and celebrated their ancestors with food, music, and dance.  One thing I found disheartening about the film was the fact that it only showed certain Asian communities. Furthering the alienation of smal

    K-POP is a popular transnational music genre that has impacted the consumption of both Asian and transnational cultures. It has influenced the U.S youth specifically through dance, style, and music. K-pop plays an important role in asserting Korean youth as “normal” or belonging to the diaspora. As we learned from week one, Hollywood likes to represent marginalized communities in stereotypical ways. K-pop contrasts this narrative of alienation by allowing Koreans be the main character. “While trying to make sense of the hybrid cultural form, overseas K-pop fans in the study engaged with K-pop as a way of imagining the process of globalization. The fans experienced the K-pop mediated world as a participatory arena.” (Yoon 378) The experience of Korean culture is more than just an escape but a social practice of cultural domination and resistance.    One thing I am interested in learning more is the image K-pop industries focus on versus the reality of who the artist wants to be. I o

        Pen15 is a cringe comedy series created by Maya Erks and Anna Konkle who play younger versions of themselves in the seventh grade. As they journey through their first year in middle school, they quickly realize it is not as expected. Maya struggles to fit in being called UGIS as well as having little control over her autonomy. While Maya is seen repressing some of her Japanese side, her mother encourages her to embrace it when insisting on the bowl cut. Instead, Maya actively denies this reality and pushes herself to create a new identity in return letting family and friends down.      I thought Pen15 did a nice job tackling the details of sexual exploration and alienation. This is the first middle school series I have witnessed that openly talks about masturbation. I feel that Maya  uses masterbation as a way to take control of her autonomy. She is both trying to fit in and stand out while also choosing which parts of herself are most and least important. The only suggestion I

          Margaret Cho is considered one of the famous godmothers for using her comedian platform to discuss taboo topics. Cho is groundbreaking to Asian American culture because she is actively disassociates herself from stereotypes that consider Asian women as docile, dainty, and not self-reliant. Cho is none of instead openly expressing her sexuality, her tattoos, and has created a new form of identity for herself.       I enjoyed Margaret as a person but didn’t find the humor to be funny. However, I understand that her platform Is not just used for humor but for the audience and performer to discuss taboo topics like sexuality, sexual assault, racism, and drug abuse. Cho has created such a large fan base because she openly talks about these issues that tend to get ignored.      Cho has mastered the way Asian Americans have traditionally presented themselves and continue to strive for change. As Cassinelli says in “If we are Asian are we funny?” “The model minority is characterized