Asian Culture Discussion Thread

[shogun]

That sucks. I figured with them having maori people they would be more welcoming of someone non-white or maybe it would be the opposite.

 

[W)taps]

I'm super proud about Chloe Kim's success, as a Korean, pretty much whenever any Korean is successful, be it Korean - any country in the world, the motherland and Koreans worldwide likes to claim them. What I found interesting was that there seems to be a sentiment among the younger generation in Korea feels like "Don't claim her, if she grew up here she'd be stuck studying 24/7 and captive to the system, she's successful because she is American". This may not be how most feel though.

Native Koreans (the younger ones) have the grass is greener on the other side syndrome imo. They wanna leave Korea thinking America is paradise, when we all know its not. Of course not all Koreans think that, but a good chunk do.

To me this speaks to how rapidly the current millennial generation both here and there has changed and the gap is widening in so many ways. I was talking to a nephew about her success and how good it was to see a Korean achieve success. His response gave me the impression that the common Korean heritage meant very little to him, with no feeling of connection or bond whatsoever. But he also made me see that my definition of being "Korean" is far different from his being an "American" of Korean heritage.

Is he Korean-American? Its funny.. when i was younger, I didnt care about my Korean heritage or any of that. I just saw myself as American. The older I got the more I became in touch with my Korean side. I have my parents to thank though because they are pretty traditional. Plus my parents are first gen immigrants.

I don't know all the details but apparently some NBC/CBS commentator spewed some nonsense about how Korea owes it's fast growth and modernization to the Japanese colonization and many are grateful........I asked him how he felt about that, it was clear he had no idea (not surprised because his parents know very little) and it was not too different from any other Imperialistic colonization in history. Sigh.

yea, no Korean is grateful but to say Japan didnt help Korea get their feet wet in modernization would be a lie, esp in N Korea/Manchuria where the Japanese opened up a lot of factories to produce items for the war. Not justifying what the Japanese did though whatsoever.

I've always been really curious how other Asian- Americans felt about the colonial history and how that plays role in today's respective cultures.

I dont think most Asian-Americans really know the details about the war. Japanese imperialism forever changed relationships between E. Asian countries and even some SE Asian countries. I do hope that relations do get better and I have no doubt it will as younger generations eventually move past it and forgive (as long as Japan acknowledges it). If your read Chinese, Korean, and Japanese history books, its crazy how different they are. For ex. many Japanese historians lie about the total death # that occurred in the Nanjing massacre. If you're interested, try reading a book called "under the black umbrella." Its real stories Korean women told about their experience working as sex slaves for the Japanese military. Truly horrifying.


Sorry for the dissertation , I'm just bored after taking all the Ls on this week's releases

My response is under your quote in red.

I'm Korean and my major was E Asian history btw.

Last ting I want to mention, one foreigner I saw on youtuber who lives in Korea. She's Chinese-Canadian. When Koreans ask her why shes in Korea, they say "why are you in OUR nation" and she was complaining about how Koreans are racists because they say "our nation.."

Korea deserves all the pride they have for their land, history and, culture. Korea has always been under rule by another country/other ethnicity. Chinese, Mongolians, Jurchens, Manchus, Japanese, etc. And to this day, Koreans have survived and is one of the top economic powers in Asia. So to me, Koreans can claim Korea to be their nation until the end of time. We deserve it.

 

[equality]

That sucks. I figured with them having maori people they would be more welcoming of someone non-white or maybe it would be the opposite.

Generally speaking, Maoris dislike Asians. There's also a real problem with the Chinese driving up property prices and the locals getting extremely pissed off about it. It's a shame because there's a credible theory that Maoris were indigenous Taiwanese who migrated to NZ

 

[W)taps]

Generally speaking, Maoris dislike Asians. There's also a real problem with the Chinese driving up property prices and the locals getting extremely pissed off about it. It's a shame because there's a credible theory that Maoris were indigenous Taiwanese who migrated to NZ

theory? Correct me if im wrong but I believe theres DNA evidence on that. Even linguist believes so too by their language.

 

[frink85]

Damn NZ getting it too? In SoCal these baller Chinese are buying crazy properties here, sending their kids to UCLA and usc

 

[equality]

theory? Correct me if im wrong but I believe theres DNA evidence on that. Even linguist believes so too by their language.

Oh I didn't' know about that. Damn, Maoris were the most racist to me growing up hah, it all comes full circle

 

[equality]

Damn NZ getting it too? In SoCal these baller Chinese are buying crazy properties here, sending their kids to UCLA and usc

They doing it all over the world man, that Chinese money don't play

 

[Roderick Kingsley]

Anyone listen to Tagalog songs? If you can recommend me some that'd be great. I'd like to listen to some to help broaden my Tagalog. I can understand fluently but when I speak it i blank out on words and it sounds so damn Americanized

If you want rap/hip hop, i recommend listen so songs by gloc9, andrew e, and francis magalona. they're a little on on the old school side and it can be a little awkward a great majority of tagalog songs are the simpish lovey dovey songs.

Oo & Tadhana- Up Dharma Down
Torete - Moonstar 88

yooo, i love these songs

 

[sfsjjang98]

My response is under your quote in red.

I'm Korean and my major was E Asian history btw.

Last ting I want to mention, one foreigner I saw on youtuber who lives in Korea. She's Chinese-Canadian. When Koreans ask her why shes in Korea, they say "why are you in OUR nation" and she was complaining about how Koreans are racists because they say "our nation.."

Korea deserves all the pride they have for their land, history and, culture. Korea has always been under rule by another country/other ethnicity. Chinese, Mongolians, Jurchens, Manchus, Japanese, etc. And to this day, Koreans have survived and is one of the top economic powers in Asia. So to me, Koreans can claim Korea to be their nation until the end of time. We deserve it.

Thanks for the great response. I love this thread and how positive things stay, but we need this kind of serious business discussion too.

I'm curious, where/when did you receive your education?
I think your experience growing up and having the disconnect with heritage is pretty natural and common. So many cousins/friends of mine that grew up like that, only got "into it" later in life. Also I've noticed there seems to be a distinct difference in groups of people I know from the Midwest/south vs. East or West coast - SoCal >>> NY >>> East Coast>>>>> south/midwest >>> NorCal btw (J/K) ^0^

I sort of have a different experience then most Kor-Ams, simply because I was born/raised here, but spent most of my "formative years" in Korea, parents live there, go back every yr etc. Kind of a hybrid in the opposite way. So I kind of like speaking about things from my own experience.

This gave me a pretty unique paradigm regarding WW2 and Imperial Japan. I learned much of the history first from the Korean perspective - in Korean schools - which was very direct and to the point - anything Japanese = evil/bad.

The topic of Japan/Imperialism/Colonialism is a hot one for sure. You are right, there was influence. Can't deny it. I would say from certain perspectives the "E. Asian Sphere of Prosperity" or whatever the translated term for the Imperialistic colonization was, did what it set out - modernize the rest of "Asia". This was a quarter long discussion in a couple of courses I took, it was eye opening for me, because one course was looking at the "East asian modern socio-economic history" (from a Japanese American Professor) and "Modern Socio-Economic history of Korea" (taught by a Korean American professor).

But yeah, the rage/fury inducing part was how the commentator said that most Koreans are grateful for it. There was also some trash youtuber, can't remember if he was American/Euro or Canadian, but basically was a Japanophile, trashing Korea, and had the same sentiment.

It's conflicting for sure though. Going through those courses, it did make me wonder (and write several papers) how "Korea" would have modernized, progressed, during the early century, or if the economic rise of the 70s/80s would have occurred without the Korean War, and put the country where it's at today.
One interesting argument was that without these events, the wave of immigration in the 60s/70s never would have happened, and would have changed what our Korean - American looks like today.

I was really curious about the other countries perspectives because many of the other Asian Americans, or non Asians didn't feel so strongly, or in some cases supported the Japanese perspective.

 

[QU!K]

This reminds me of a conversation I had with someone from Greece a few years back. We were talking about sports.

I think Giannis Antetokounmpo had just got drafted. That year. I asked him what he thought about him.

"He's not Greek."

Dude was born in Athens



Doesn't matter if you're born on their soil, speak their language, take their names, if they racist they won't claim you.

 

[equality]

This reminds me of a conversation I had with someone from Greece a few years back. We were talking about sports.

I think Giannis Antetokounmpo had just got drafted. That year. I asked him what he thought about him.

"He's not Greek."

Dude was born in Athens



Doesn't matter if you're born on their soil, speak their language, take their names, if they racist they won't claim you.

Exactly. Which goes back to my point a few posts above. They only want minorities when they achieving accolades for the country.

 

[wballz]

My response is under your quote in red.

I'm Korean and my major was E Asian history btw.

Last ting I want to mention, one foreigner I saw on youtuber who lives in Korea. She's Chinese-Canadian. When Koreans ask her why shes in Korea, they say "why are you in OUR nation" and she was complaining about how Koreans are racists because they say "our nation.."

Korea deserves all the pride they have for their land, history and, culture. Korea has always been under rule by another country/other ethnicity. Chinese, Mongolians, Jurchens, Manchus, Japanese, etc. And to this day, Koreans have survived and is one of the top economic powers in Asia. So to me, Koreans can claim Korea to be their nation until the end of time. We deserve it.

You all definitely do. From what Korea was after WWII to an almost G8 country in such a short time span. Wow, just wow.

I envy that because in the Philippines, we did the opposite. It's America gone wrong on steroids.

 

[DadNboujee]

I posted chloe Kim a week before the olympics in here. And some of y’all were treating her as a self hating person. Because she doesn’t embrace her Korean culture. Or identifies as an American.

 

[sfc415]

I posted chloe Kim a week before the olympics in here. And some of y’all were treating her as a self hating person. Because she doesn’t embrace her Korean culture. Or identifies as an American.

Usually the ones that go out of their way to say that end up being the self hating/white washed ones. If you're raised by Korean immigrants, there's no way in hell you don't identify as Korean AT ALL I've met too many Asian kids who pretend not to know their parents' languages, customs, etc. who say nonsense like that.

I knew a Chinese girl who used to say she doesn't know anything about Chinese culture, which was complete BS because her parents used to send her to Chinese school during the weekends

If you identify as just an American, guess what, the reality is that most people outside of diverse big cities will not. I'm sure many of us here have gotten the "Where are you REALLY from" "Are you from here???" questions growing up. Why do you think the "Go back to your own country if you don't like it here" comment is so prevalent when literally everyone here is a descendant of immigrants?

To be fair though, I agree with her age being a factor. She still has time to learn the way things really are. I used to be that "America #1 " type when I was a teenager too.

 

[slighted]

Everything started making sense when I re-embraced my heritage/culture.

When you progress through America, you'll quickly realize the first thing people notice is the color of your skin.
I've noticed it firsthand in my career.
Don't ever play yourself and think otherwise.

 

[anderson]

About time this thread is active again.

 

[Nawzlew]

To be fair though, I agree with her age being a factor. She still has time to learn the way things really are. I used to be that "America #1 " type when I was a teenager too.

yeah, i'd be lying if i said i didnt embrace my culture until my late teens.

i think as a kid i just wanted to fit in.

 

[whatscomplex]

yeah, i'd be lying if i said i didnt embrace my culture until my late teens.

i think as a kid i just wanted to fit in.

Prior to college, there was probably less than ten Asian kids total in all of my classes combined from Elementary to High School. It was mixed, but mixed with everything but Asian. Apparently there are a lot of Asians in Maryland (which I can confirm since going to UMD), but not where I went I guess.

When I took one of my first Asian American studies classes in college as an elective (I ended up taking a lot more), they asked everyone how they identify and in what order. I think I said American first, then Tibetan (my ethnicity), and then Asian. And I never saw the importance of race. I saw it as a social construction and thought it would be better if everyone just didn't make such a big deal of it. and I remember I had the perception that the people in cultural clubs and stuff were a little weird.

Looking back at that question now, I would probably say Asian-American first, or even Asian-Tibetan-American lol. I don't see them as separate anymore. There's so many shared experiences, and the success of one Asian-American will effect the lives of everyone. We all go through so many of the same roadblocks and benefit from the same triumphs. You being successful makes my nephew's life easier. There's a bond between all of us. I'm at a point now where like 75% of all the media I consume is Asian-American or Asian. It wasn't even a conscious decision. Once I had the opportunity to take in Asian-created media, I was naturally drawn to it and at one point I realized my Youtube subscription feed is almost entirely Asian. I think for some of us it takes time, especially those of us who didn't grow up around any other Asian Americans.

Not saying this is the case with Chloe Kim, but just saying, Asian Americans have the lowest population of any of the major race groups in America by a significant amount. There's a bunch of pockets where we had no exposure to other AAs + media barely represented us, so how could we really build that identity as an Asian American if the only AAs we saw really was ourself. I know you guys were talking about embracing ethnic cultures, but I think finding your identity as an Asian American is the first step to really embracing your roots, otherwise there's this feeling of a push-pull between our ethnic culture and American culture, which in reality doesn't exist because it's all one part of us. She + others might need time to realize what being Asian-American means before she can fully embrace her Korean side.

Mb for the long *** post.

 

[QU!K]

I think Chloe claiming American over Korean culture is kinda disrespectful to her parents sacrifices.

She owes her father everything.

 

[frink85]

Nathan Chen byke

 

[shogun]

I think Chloe claiming American over Korean culture is kinda disrespectful to her parents sacrifices.

She owes her father everything.

I doubt her father is scolding her while she got that gold medal around her neck. She identifies with what she is closer to, and she has lived in america and not korea. It’s better than her faking the funk.

 

[shogun]

You all definitely do. From what Korea was after WWII to an almost G8 country in such a short time span. Wow, just wow.

I envy that because in the Philippines, we did the opposite. It's America gone wrong on steroids.

Yeah, I dunno if the PI will ever stop being a developing country. So much corruption and poverty. The island resorts are amazing though. It’d be kinda nice to work at one of those resorts and escape life for a few years.

 

[beacon ave south]

Ive never identified as american, only when traveling abroad and folks ask me where im from. Even at that 90% of the time id tell them im canadian .

Chinese > chinese american > american

 

[Nawzlew]

what are ya'lls take on the jj reddick situation

 

[equality]

what are ya'lls take on the jj reddick situation

Almost certain it was an honest mistake but the skeptical hippo in me thinks how do you even say that accidentally unless you've been saying it regularly