May Pang's Asian Media Internet News

Is this year a good year for marriages? This year, many Japanese artists announced their marriages.  Starting from famous model and talent Rika's marriage in January, many other new couples have got married this year.

Kabuki actor Ebizou Ichikawa and the announcer Mari Kobayashi held their press conference on January 29.  They first met each other last November, during an interview with Ebizou in the NTV news program "NEWS ZERO."  Ebizou said that he will "keep loving his wife for his life time."  Mari was considered to be the number 1 lucky girl in Japan when the news was still hot.

Another surprising marriage is the one of actor Eita and singer Kaela Kimura.  They announced their marriage on June 1, and admitted that they are expecting a baby, which was 5 months into pregnancy then.  The estimated time for birth of the baby is November this year.  Indeed, they already had the plan in mind last year, however, due to the new drama of Eita and Kaela's latest single "Ring a Ding Dong", both released last April, their entertainment agencies wanted them to hold the announcement back as it may affect their drama and single ratings.  I personally met Kaela in a ramen shop in Meguro, Tokyo a few weeks after they announced their marriage.  She looks really cute and her tummy was big then.  I even said congratulations to her and she thanked me with a sweet smile.

The latest marriage news is this new couple: SU from Hip-Hop group Rip Slyme and solo artist Ai Otsuka.  The news came out on June 26, and they first met during the collaboration in Ai's song "aisu x time."  Another Rip Slyme member ILMARI also got married with model Yuri Ebihara last December, and they held the ceremony in Paris last month.

Who will be the next couple? Lets look forward to it!  Before that, lets enjoy the music video "aisu x time" by Ai and Su:

While the Korean summers are often miserably rainy, humid and hot, I have to say summer here is still my favorite time of year, mostly due to the plethora of rock festivals taking place. I love going out and discovering new bands and meeting awesome musicians. And this is how I discovered my pick of the week: Guckkasten.

I’ve caught them at a couple shows and still have a lot to learn about them, but just those couple of shows were enough to get me hooked. They have a stage presence that is funny and entertaining and their music sets them apart from other bands in the indie scene. With anywhere from 200 to 300 indie bands vying for attention and fans in Hongdae, it definitely takes something special to stand out from the crowd and these guys have it.

The four-person band has a sound all their own. Describe as psychedelic rock and ‘hauntingly beautiful,’ their sound sticks with you even after they’ve stopped playing and their somewhat dorky lead singer, Ha Hyun-woo makes sure that all eyes are on them once they hit the stage. After the first time I saw them, I couldn’t get their song, “Faust” out of my head for days. Until I succumbed to buying their first album “Guckkasten,” that is. From the opening, “la, la la,” by Hyun-woo, the listener is definitely hooked on the song. Some songs are upbeat and some are more mellow, making you want to sway slowly with the music. Sometimes I feel as though I’m transported back in time, and sometimes I just want to dance.

And in terms of indie bands here, they are definitely one of the top bands, playing at all the major festivals in the country and getting spots on live shows on MNet. They even performed with Kara and f(x), something that attests to their growing popularity, (though I won’t hold it against them. ^_^). The more I learn about them and watch them, the more I think they could be the bridge that helps make the rock scene a little more mainstream in a country that is obsessed with manufactured idol groups.

Not to mention, these guys got their start in the same place that all indie bands in Korea get their start. Club FF. A somewhat hole-in-the-wall live club that was the springboard for other popular bands such as Galaxy Express and the Rocktigers, who both still grace the small stage from time to time.

But don’t take my word for it. Check these guys out. They are definitely worth a listen.

These days a small act can go a long way. We may think that it isn't much, but to some people it allows them to survive and it allows them to accomplish what they once thought was impossible. The HBO documentary film A Small Act, produced by Jennifer Arnold and Patti Lee, is about one woman that gave a young boy in Kenya a chance in life to overcome the hardships that he faces just to get his education. I thank director, producer, and actor Jimmy Tsai of the movie Ping Pong Playa, a Cherry Sky Films production, for giving me the opportunity to do this interview with Pattie Lee, Producer/DP.

For my 'Pick of the Week,  recently, I saw "Kites" and it was epic!  Better than the latest Bollywood movies. The actors were not only stunning, but performed brilliantly as well, there was logic and the script was original.

The movie stars Bollywood's heartthrob, Hrithik Roshan who has starred in many Bollywood movies and leading lady, Barbara Mori, who is a well known Mexican model and actress.

Hrithik Roshan treads the crooked path in the by-lanes of Las Vegas. He has married umpteen girls for the coveted green card and Barbara Mori happens to be one of his abandoned wives. But sparks fly between the two when they meet again, this time under different — and dangerous — circumstances. The mercenary couple are all set to marry a rich brother-sister duo (Kangana and Nick Brown) for their money but they soon discover they are in love and flee the rich and powerful siblings who are hell bent on avenging their dishonour. Will love surmount all odds?

In my opinion, no matter what critics may have to say, this movie was completely beautiful and is now my all-time favorite. It gives you an understanding of love as an expression of emotion and not of language, but at the same time it goes beyond the traditional love story and gives you a realistic sense of what it means to be in love and what it is likely to cost you.

After warming up to Barbara Mori, Bollywood has asked her to star in more Bollywood films.“I will come back in January, if everything goes well. I have to go through the script first before taking a final decision,” Barbara said.

I personally think that Barbara Mori should star in more Bollywood films. She fits in perfectly and who knows? Maybe Barbara will open the eyes of other international actors and actress to take on Bollywood films.

Take a look at "Kites"!

For my Pick of the Week, recently, I have been watching this Korean variety show called "우리 결혼했어요" or in English "We Got Married." The show is based on bringing two celebrities together, where they both go through the trials and tribulations of being married. The show has been going on since 2008, but it caught my eye this season with, as fans call them, the "Adam Couple" aka 2AM's Jo Kwon and Brown Eyed Girls' Son Ga In.

To me, this couple is really cute; just seeing them together, makes me feel all cozy inside. I normally see Jo Kwon being so rambunctious and humorous on other variety shows that it sometimes questions me about his 'diva' like personality. However, on We Got Married, we get to see this other side of him; how he cares for his woman and what he would do in such situations. As for Ga In, I love her personality. She is one of those ladies who can stand for her own but when she needs someone to comfort and care for her, one look and she got it. She has these tendencies of making Jo Kwon jealous, the push-pull effect, where the woman pushes the man away but really it just pulls him in to love her more, however I feel like she does that to test if he truly cares for her; and he passes every time. In some ways I can relate to Ga In, since I like putting my man to the 'test.'

Even though We Got Married is a just a television show and the married couples are supposed to be fake, I personally feel that The Adam couple would make it well in real life; as from watching the show, I see a very strong bond grow between them. Just recently, Kwon spent money out of his own pocket to by Ga In couple rings. Although his event to give it to her was sort of fail (They went to the movies where he hid the rings in the popcorn so when she would reach for some popcorn, she'd find them. Later he found out, she doesn't like movie theater popcorn.), it still turned out well since she did end up finding the rings, her face glowing in happiness. They were even asked to make a couple song during the 2009 holiday season called "We Fell in Love." Are they trying to hint their fans? Should they date in real life? It looks like it's getting serious between those two and I would hate to see this relationship end once their time is up on the show.

For anyone who is interested in a show that shows true character and humor at the same time, I do recommend We Got Married. Maybe future newly weds might learn something after watching it!

Watch "We Fell in Love"

source: BEGISLOVE4 @ youtube

Photo by Laura Suuronen

Layla Lane is a duo made up of both Valerie Stern and Hidehito Ikumo (Heday). They bring a unique flavor to the music scene combining rock and a hint gypsy swing. Their music has recently been featured on a popular Coca Cola advertisement in Japan where they sing the popular Japanese song "Sunday Monday Tuesday" (which has also been sung by celebrities such as Hulk Hogan). The group's hot single "No More" will be featured on the soundtrack for the Hollywood movie "Killers" starring Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl.

While I was in Japan this past Winter and Spring, I had the opportunity to interview Layla Lane and special guest Mitsuru Kuramoto, a famous writer for Japan's popular comedy duo Down Town. I was fortunate to also see this duo perform in Tokyo at the Crawfish in Akasaka. Take a peek at their performance!

For more information, check out Layla Lane's official website: CLICK HERE

Interview with Layla Lane

Layla Lane's performance in Akasaka

Japanese Coca Cola CM with Layla Lane

Layla Lane's Music Video "No More"

The Month of May was Asian Pacific heritage month and as a special celebration Verizon and HTC put together another amazing event. Last year they brought us Epik High and this year they brought us the APAHM concert tour that went to a total of 5 cities and featured guest such as Mike Relm, JJ Lin, Evonne Hsu and Vanness Wu.

Fellow AMIN writer, Lara Visconti, and myself were bold enough to hop a bus all the way to Washington DC to view the event. As we arrived, there were tons of fans lined up outside the venue waiting for the show to start. Fortunately for us, we were able to wait inside. While waiting, we were able to hear JJ Lin do his sound check! After a few minutes, we were able to meet up with Evonne Hsu and do a quick interview with her. Evonne was very gracious and was great to interview. Take a look at our interview with Evonne Hsu!

A few minutes after our interview with Evonne, the fans were allowed in to get their seats and of course, their Verizon glow sticks. Before the performance, we had a chance to talk to Tim Youn and Fernando Molinar, both from Verizon. They expressed their excitement about these concerts and want to bring more awareness to Asian Pacific American Heritage month . If more awesome events like this take place I'm sure APAHM will gain more recognition in the years to come.

The first up was Mike Relm. He wasn't able to get his second turntable to work so he worked with his Mac, a turntable and his new iPad! When he used his iPad, he brought it down to an audience member and let them take a shot at being a DJ. Mike Relm mixed all sorts of songs and videos together. He used clips from the hit movie "Office Space" and even used a clip from the famous YouTube video "Charlie Bit my Finger." Check out our footage of Mike Relm!

After Mike Relm, famous Singaporean artist JJ Lin was introduced. An introduction video was played followed by his hit song "Cao Cao (曹操)." Everyone went wild and cheered at the top of their lungs. He performed other songs such as "The Killer (殺手)" and "100 Days (100 天)." The girls went wild as they ran to the front of the stage to give JJ Lin their glow sticks and flowers. One girl even told him that she wanted to have his baby! JJ Lin's performance had a great mix of songs whether they were upbeat songs or slow songs accompanied by the piano. Check out our footage of JJ Lin's performance!

The last performance was by Evonne Hsu. Evonne started off her performance with her a remake of her hit song "Big Wind" all with new choreography. She also sung a large variety of song such as "Sing" and the famous song from the Disney movie "The Little Mermaid." She was very energetic on stage whether  she was singing a ballad or a pop song. She revealed things to the audience such as her love of musicals and how she came to be a star. She even came down to the audience to sing and her fans ran straight up to her. She even took someone's camera and filmed herself from the stage! Evonne Hsu knows how to put on a great performance!

After the concert, we were able to meet up with Mike Relm, JJ Lin, and Evonne Hsu. We asked them a few questions about their careers. After every interview, we always as a random question. This time, we got a hilarious response from JJ Lin and Evonne Hsu. Check it out!

Check out some of the photos from the event!

I, along with fellow AMIN writer Maimounah Masudi, had the opportunity to attend the JYP/2AM Bad Party Tour Concert on May 21, 2010 at the Roseland Ballroom in NYC. It was such an amazing experience considering I got to see a performer who has been around for over a decade. One of the groups JYP manages, 2AM were also present at the concert. Their soulful voices lit up the venue, causing all the ladies (and guys) to scream at the top of their lungs.

Of course, the main event of the night was the man himself, Park Jin Young, aka JYP. He performed a bunch of his old hits as well as his new hits such as ‘No Love, No More.’ Along with that, he performed some of 2PM/2AM’s song, ‘This Song” and “Again and Again” and yes, he did pull the autotune live.

In addition to his fabulous singing, he did dance a lot (I’m surprised a man at his age has that much stamina), from sultry/sexy body movements to swing dancing and even tap dancing (Being a tap dancer myself, I feel a tap dance battle in works). Overall the concert was such a fun experience.
JYP said himself that he wants to be the first ‘white haired’ performer, meaning he wants to keep going for his fans, young and old. Could this mean another concert in New York City next year? Probably so! Stay tuned for photos and more from this event!

Check out the footage from the concert!

2AM

JYP

Check out the photos from this event!

Who are they you say? Some of you may know the members of Quest Crew from various cultural events, stage shows like Kollaboration, and TV shows such as So You Think You Can Dance, and America's Best Dance Crew. The members consist of Dominic "D-Trix" Sandoval, Hokuto "Hok" Konishi, Ryan "Ryanimay" Conferido, Ryan Feng, Steve Terada, Brian "Hirano" Hirano, Victor "Vic" Kim, Andy "Rocket Man" Luo, Lydia Paek, and Aris Paracuelles

Let's face it, Quest Crew is becoming known worldwide! Ever since their winning victory on MTV's America's Best Dance Crew, they're in high demand. From members traveling to different parts of the country and the world, to performing in front of thousands in various award shows and sports games; they're gaining more popularity wherever they go.

With hectic schedules going underway, May Pang's AMIN had the opportunity to interview some of the members of Quest Crew.

(1) How do you think the election of Asian Americans to the White House and the Cabinet will affect your life as an Asian American?

I believe the election of Asian Americans to the White House Cabinet will help direct American political focus slightly more towards issues in Asia. Conversely I think young Asian Americans might start showing more political awareness. Growing up with few prominent Asian American political figures, I never developed much political interest. However, as the American political picture becomes progressively more diverse, I believe young Americans, not just Asians Americans, will become more proactive in the political scene as a larger population of role models from different ethnic backgrounds becomes available. - Andy Luo

It would definitely be a milestone for the advancement of Asian Americans in American culture. How it would affect me in daily life will depend on the stances the certain individual takes, but it does raise the status of Asian Americans in the eyes of the population. - Ryan Feng

(2) Who is the person that most influenced you in your life?

The person who has influenced my life the most would definitely be my older brother. As healthy competition, our sibling rivalry has always drove me to compete and perform at my best. At the very least, I've always tried to emulate his positive traits. - Andy Luo

My mom. - Aris Paracuelles

Salvador Dali, Itou Naoki. - Hokuto Konishi

The person that most influenced my life is my mom. She has supported me in everything that I do. - Steve Terada

My parents, their hard work allowed me to do what I am doing now. - Ryan Feng

(3) What are your favorite kinds of video games to play and why?

Favorite video games huh? Well I love/hate anything with a compelling story. I love them because they keep you in the game, you have to keep playing to get the whole story because the stories are really good. I hate them because they keep you in the game, you HAVE to keep playing to get the whole story because the stories are THAT good haha. Also, a lot of them are single player and it's just more fun to play with a buddy. - Andy Luo

Fighting games because it's really fun bashing on my friends.. and tower defense games because I'm really good. - Aris Paracuelles

Strategy RPG, puzzle, and TOWER DEFENSE!!!... if u play them you'll understand why. - Hokuto Konishi

Fighting games. They tap into my competitiveness when I play my friends! - Steve Terada

Shooting games. A great way to deal with aggression. - Ryan Feng

(4) What got everyone into dancing? What was the trigger?

I'm not sure if everyone means any dancer on earth or just the ones in Quest, but in general I think the reason anyone starts dancing is because it just feels good. Being in rhythmic motion is completely different from your everyday standard movements. It's almost a separate state of mind, one in which you can express yourself and interpret the world in your own little way. - Andy Luo

The power dance has to move someone's heart... I was infected by the dance bug! - Hokuto Konishi

I got into dancing because my sister starting dancing in the collegiate dance scene in college. I saw how much fun it looked and it was a good way to meet people socially. - Steve Terada

Curiosity was my trigger, I always thought it was cool and something I might be able to do, so I tried. - Ryan Feng

(5) State one secret fact about a Quest Crew member that people don't know about (The catch: Another member from the group has to be the one to state the fact. e.g: Victor has to say one fact about Hok, and Hok has to say one about D-Trix, etc)

Did you know...Lydia started dancing with us when she was 15. (before Quest was started) - Andy Luo

Conferido just bought a new hair straightener and I'm pretty jealous cuz its a really good one. - Aris Paracuelles

Victor used to eat buffets every week as a kid. - Hokuto Konishi

Aris can catch anything you throw at him! It's amazing! - Steve Terada

(6) Random Question: Cinnamon Toast Crunch: With or Without Milk?

Cinnamon Toast Crunch with milk of course. All cereal needs milk. CTC could actually go both ways but with milk is nicer. Side note...Lucky Charms all the way. - Andy Luo

W/ MILK BABY! - Aris Paracuelles

WITH!! ahhh I'm craving milk now... mmmmm - Hokuto Konishi

With milk. - Brian Hirano

With milk of course! - Steve Terada

With, how else do you get cinnamon milk? - Ryan Feng

(7) What was it like being in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel?

I wasn't in the movie, but it was pretty funny seeing my real good friends on a huge screen. - Aris Paracuelles

It was amazing to do a movie with the guys... but I wish we were in avatar too... I could've rocked my hair. - Hokuto Konishi

We slept and chilled in our trailers till it was night time almost and we would do multiple takes of our routine. We had long but relatively low stress shoot days. - Steve Terada

Very cool to be in a movie. It was my first. - Ryan Feng

(8) If you weren't a dancer, what would you be doing now?

If I wasn't a dancer I'd be doing exactly what I am doing right now. Working as an Aerospace Engineer by day and hitting the gym at night. - Andy Luo

I would be handling a lot of computer stuff.. building, fixing and what not. As if i don't do that already. I would be a nurse I suppose haha. - Aris Paracuelles

An artist. - Hokuto Konishi

If I wasn't dancing right now I'd probably be in business school or working in finance. - Brian Hirano

I would be working on a martial arts company with my best friends and furthering my career as a stunt man. - Steve Terada

I'd like to think I'd be doing photography. - Ryan Feng

(9) Who are some known artists the group would want to work with?

Well I know we really wanted to work with Black Eyed Peas. I loved doing ISA show with Far East Movement. - Andy Luo

Jonas Brothers! BEP! - Aris Paracuelles

BUSTA RHYMES!!!! ... it would be such an honour. LMFAO... fun guys. Melody Gardot... amazingly sexy. - Hokuto Konishi

Personally I would like to work with artists like Usher, Justin Timberlake, Black Eyed Peas, or Ryan Leslie. - Brian Hirano

We would definitely love to work with Black Eyed Peas. I think their energy and style would be a good match for Quest. - Steve Terada

JUSTIN, JANET JACKSON. - Ryan Feng

To Quest Crew and their wonderful staff, thank you again VERY much for an awesome interview! We looking forward to working with you again in the future.

The Polysics is a hot new wave band from Tokyo, Japan. They are famous for their supercharged, energetic performances and their innovative, funky sounds. I recently had the opportunity to interview them via Skype and with their translator Shin.

Mai: Everyone please introduce yourselves.

Hi! I'm Hiro from the Polysics and I do the guitars, vocals, and programming.
Hi! I'm Kayo and I play the synthesizer (keyboard).
Hi! This is Fumi and I'm the bass player.
Hi! I'm Masashi Yano and I play the drums.

Mai: When was the band formed and how many of the original members are still in it?

The all formed in 1997 and Hiro is the only member from the original band.

Mai: What made all of you choose to play this genre of music?

Polysics: Our music is a fusion of all the music we like and the style along with the sound we want to produce. We didn't want to go for a specific genre, it's something we like to do.

Mai: I notice that your influences in your music range from David Bowie to The Ramones to Frank Sinatra. What other genres of music would you like to incorporate into your current style of music?

Polysics: In regard to Frank Sinatra, we did the cover of "My Way". We are influenced by New Age music, the B52's, Devo, Talking Heads, and Japanese techno pop bands like YMO. Everyone has different musical background in the band that they come from and they all fuse together to create what is Polysics.

Mai: What hobbies do all of you do when you are not performing?
Hiro: I like to watch DVD's of "Godzilla" and "Ultraman"
Yano: I love to make coffee in the morning, grind the beans, I love the whole process.
Kayo: I love to make hair bands and knit.
Fumi: I love to drink and eat.

Mai: What would a typical day consist of in preparing for a concert?

Polysics: Everyone drinks Red Bull and that's about it.

Mai: What is your touring schedule like?

Polysics: We have around 100 shows inside and outside Japan. We come to the states almost every year. This is our seventh or eighth time coming to the states.

Mai: Why do you choose to perform in boiler suits?

Polysics: Because of Devo and we like to be referred as wearing jump suits. The jump suits are our default that we always go back to. But for the summer festivals when it gets really hot, especially in Japan, we switch it up a little, for example we wear flight attendant costumes and boy scout costumes to name a few.

Mai: What artists would you like to perform with?

Polysics: To tour with Devo would be a dream come true.

Mai: Kayo, I understand you are leaving the band in March, what are your future plans?

Polysics: We like the term "graduation". Kayo is graduating from the band. It's mostly undetermined, I would like to come back to the states for a pleasure trip to check things out. I like America's West coast the best.

Mai: Do you hope to get more fans with the “Absolute Polysics” album?

Polysics: With every release we try to gain a new audience. We would love to tap into the audience that loves their energetic music like rock and roll, punk. This particular album has more of an individual color coming out more so than in other past albums. It's something that you can look for in this album.

Check out the video of one of their latest songs Shout Aloud!
from their Absolute Polysics album.

We will have a review of the Polysics concert that we will be attending this Saturday, February 13, 9pm at the Gramercy Theatre in New York. If you're in the New York area check the theater for information on tickets.