Infatu Asian Podcast

InfatuAsian Podcast

A show where we aim to illuminate and elevate Asian culture and creators! New episodes every Wednesday! Tune in each week as Curtis and friends discuss ways that Asian creators and Asian culture make our lives more interesting. Email us at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com and follow us on Facebook or Instagram @infatuasianpodcast read less
Society & CultureSociety & Culture

Episodes

Ep 131 Eddie Ahn - Author of the Graphic Novel Advocate
Yesterday
Ep 131 Eddie Ahn - Author of the Graphic Novel Advocate
Eddie Ahn has been working in environmental justice as the executive director of Brightline Defense for the past 15+ years, here in San Francisco.  And you know me, whenever I get a chance to interview someone from SF I'll jump at the chance! Eddie has published his first graphic novel, Advocate, a memoir about navigating family and working on environmental justice issues here in SF and beyond.  He is a self-taught artist who illustrates the ups and downs of being a child of immigrants doing non-profit work in a difficult arena like California. Listen to our episode wherever you get podcasts (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, etc...), or find the link in our bio on Instagram You can get Advocate wherever you get books.  Follow Eddie over @ehacomics on social media, and go check out https://www.brightlinedefense.org  Special thanks to Jessica over at Niko Niko Gifts at 2181 Union Street here in San Francisco for providing such a cool little parklet for Asian creators to use for FREE!  Check out her website https://www.shopnikoniko.com/ for more details on how to book her space! Also huge thanks to @cornerclubofficial for letting me use "Manhattanhenge" as my outro this week.  They are also based in SF and are fantastic!  Go check out their Instagram or find them on YouTube or Spotify.  We will have Mike and Sav on the podcast one of these days so stay tuned for that! Our logo and cover art were designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half The World). Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  As I always mention, you can write to us at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast    Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple and Spotify! #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters
Ep 130 The Outcasts From The 853!  Paji and Iasmin!
Jun 5 2024
Ep 130 The Outcasts From The 853! Paji and Iasmin!
I traveled to Macau to teach English for 3 summers in the early 90's. It's a really special place to me, since so much of my Chinese identity was formed during my time there.  Since I lived there before the internet age, I needed to dial and receive phone calls from overseas, so I was familiar with telling people they needed to dial the country code for Macau, 853, before the rest of the number.  So when I heard about some content creators calling themselves the Outcasts from the 853, I knew I had to look them up! Iasmin and Paji are so much fun to chat with.  Their reels, videos, and podcasts point out so many funny things about the Cantonese language.  It was such a joy to chat with them! You can listen to our episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts (see link in our Instagram Bio). Follow Paji and Iasmin @outcastsfromthe853 on social media, or check out their website www.outcasts853.com  They're even doing Cantonese classes if you're lucky enough to snag a spot before they fill up! Special thanks to Julia for helping me with this episode!  You can find her @juleslastsforever or @savecantonese_ccsf  Our logo and cover art were designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half The World). Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  As I always mention, you can write to us at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast    Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple and Spotify! #outcasts853 #cantonese #cantonesehumor #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters
Ep 128 Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn Author of Exclusion and The Chinese American Story
May 22 2024
Ep 128 Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn Author of Exclusion and The Chinese American Story
This week we had a wonderful chat with Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn!  She is a Bangkok-born Malaysian/Chinese-American author and educator who wrote Exclusion and The Chinese American Story a middle-grade history book supplement that delineates the ups and downs of the Chinese American experience from the 1800s to today.  It's a fantastic read that is not just for kids, Zoe and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! You can get Sarah-SoonLing's book at penguinrandomhouse.com or online bookshops for only $8.99!  I highly recommend looking into the entire Race to the Truth education series published by @randomhousekids, they all sound great!  You can also follow Sarah @sarahsoonling on social media. Co-hosting this week is our friend Zoe from Manchester, England. If you're in the UK, check out her online bookstore www.juniperbythesea.com, or follow their account @juniperseabooks on Instagram As I always mention, you can write to us at: ⁠infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com⁠, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  Cover Art and Logo designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half the World) #asianauthor #racetothetruth #randomhousekids #chineseamerican #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #infatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian  #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters
Ep 127 An Interview with C-POP Idol Ally Shen (English)
May 15 2024
Ep 127 An Interview with C-POP Idol Ally Shen (English)
Ally Shen is a rising star in the Mando Pop world!  She's part of the 9 member Taiwanese girl group Twinkle Black, but she announced on OUR SHOW that she is officially launching her solo career with 2 new songs in the next few months! It was a complete pleasure to talk with Ally for about an hour, she is so warm, friendly, funny, and smart! I can't wait to follow her career and see how far she goes! You can listen to Ally's and Twinkle Black's music on Spotify or YouTube. Follow her on social media @allly.shn or at her label @ss_ent_official_   Watch the reality survival show with Ally - Next Girlz on Youtube with English subtitles! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3eyYHjN2_0&list=PLOPvD3-B96oDvXmD78VOdnIjZewbyjNoH Music Played: Twinkle Black “ Copy Paste " Performance Video |黑曜精靈 Copy Paste 九人舞蹈完整版 黑曜精靈 TWINKLEBLACK "Be Your Own Star" @未來少女NEXTGIRLZ《未來的王牌-歌唱組》 Love Me Right Now -Ally Shen 申力安 - " LMRN " M/V "Spot" cover by Ally Shen and Lin Lin Thank you to Shining Star Entertainment for helping us set this up! Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  Our logo and cover art were designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half The World). As I always mention, you can write to us at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast    Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple and Spotify! #CPOP #twinkleblack #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #infatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters
Ep 126 AAPI Heritage Month!
May 8 2024
Ep 126 AAPI Heritage Month!
It's always fun to get together with my teacher pals, but it was even more fun to get together at my new favorite Southeast Asian restaurant, Lime Tree!  Loan, Vicky, Jackie, and I got together right before our Spring Break to talk about AAPI history, facts, and historical figures.  Pictured here is the Tape family, their 8-year-old daughter, Mamie, was part of a Supreme Court case that led to the desegregation of schools in America in 1885.   I hope you learn something and have fun at the same time! Fact check: I said George W. Bush signed AAPI Heritage Month into law... but it was his dad George H.W. Bush who signed it in 1992.  (Loan knew it... but I blew it) We recorded at Lime Tree in SF's Richmond District, and as a special treat, we got to interview the owner Ming too!  (We stayed for dinner, we're not sponsored by them, but I can tell you that the food is super yummy and you should go!) https://www.yelp.com/biz/lime-tree-southeast-asian-kitchen-san-francisco-2 Thanks to my guests and our host Ming for making it a really fun and delicious night! Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  "Asians Being Awesome" by Brian Lum p.k.a. All Arms Around Our logo and cover art was designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half The World). As I always mention, you can write to us at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast    Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple and Spotify! #aapiheritagemonth #asianamericanhistory #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters
Ep 124 K-POP Trivia Night at SarangHello!
Apr 24 2024
Ep 124 K-POP Trivia Night at SarangHello!
We headed back to our favorite KPOP store, SarangHello, here in San Francisco to have some fun on a Friday night!  We had a Trivia Night with about 30 of our listeners and friends!  It was lots of laughs, a few tense moments, but in the end, I think everyone left a winner! Special thanks to Chesca, Pip, (and Kevin in absentia) for hosting us and providing our final prize of a $50 gift card to the shop!  Also shouts to the Lawton Alternative School and Galileo High School's KPOP clubs for participating!  Intern Sydney, helped a lot with the logistics! I hope you have fun listening to this.  Let me know if you got them all correct!  I'll send you a sticker if you got at least 5 right!  (shoot me an email) Music played in this episode: "Lion Heart" by Girls Generation (SM Entertainment) "Magnetic" by Illit (BELIFT LAB Inc ) "Get A Guitar" by Riize (SM Entertainment) "Sweet Venom" by Enhypen (BELIFT LAB Inc ) "Baby, One More Time" by Britney Spears (Jive Records) "Run BTS" by BTS (Big Hit Entertainment) Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  Outro: "Soju Over Ice" by @sonofpaper Our logo and cover art were designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half The World).  Photo Credit:  P. Tuet As I always mention, you can write to us at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast    Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple and Spotify! #kpop #kpoptrivia #hybe #enhypen #illit #tomorrowxtogether #riize #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #infatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters
Ep 123 Chinatown Rising Film with Harry and Josh Chuck
Apr 17 2024
Ep 123 Chinatown Rising Film with Harry and Josh Chuck
This episode was so much fun to record!  I was able to get a mini tour of Chinatown with two SF natives who grew up down there, Josh Chuck, co-producer and co-director of the documentary film Chinatown Rising, and my mom Brenda!  It was really fun to capture the sounds of Chinatown on this recording, I hope you enjoy!  A few FACT CHECK items:  I said Pan-Pacific Exposition, but I meant The Golden Gate International Exposition of 1939.  And I also said my mom's grandparents immigrated here in the 1870's, but I meant to say my mom's GREAT-grandparents. After a little walk through the streets, we ended up at the historic Donaldina Cameron House, where we met Harry Chuck who had worked there as director for over 40 years.  He captured footage of various social justice moments during the 1960's-1980's.  Flash forward over 40 years and he and Josh were able to produce a film about that era.  It is wonderful to see some moments in SF history that many of us would otherwise never be able to see. For now Chinatown Rising is limited to school and community viewings, but it will be available for rent via streaming soon, so stay tuned!  To learn more about the film you can go to https://www.chinatownrising.com or follow them on social media @chinatownrising Thanks to all my guests, Harry and Josh Chuck and special thanks to my mom for showing me a little bit more about where she grew up! Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  Interlude: Chinatown Rising Trailer via YouTube Our logo and cover art were designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half The World). As I always mention, you can write to us at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast    Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple and Spotify! #chinatownrising #sfchinatown #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters
Ep 122 Jess Hong - Jin Cheng in Netflix's 3 Body Problem
Apr 9 2024
Ep 122 Jess Hong - Jin Cheng in Netflix's 3 Body Problem
**No Spoilers For the First Half**  Jess Hong plays Jin Cheng in Netflix’s sci-fi thriller 3 Body Problem, adapted from Chinese novelist Cixin Liu’s books, and produced by Benioff, Weiss (Game of Thrones) and Woo (True Blood).  Jin is a genius scientist trying to save mankind from a consequence that started over five decades earlier.  Jess called in from New Zealand, and she couldn’t have been nicer or more generous with her time. Her performance in the show left both me and my co-host Zoe wanting more of Jin and her friends!  My co-host this week is Zoe.  Zoe hails from Manchester, England and is the owner of Juniper By the Sea online bookshop (@juniperseabooks on Instagram, website coming soon). Huge thanks to Jess for coming on with us less than a day after returning home from London!  You can follow her @jessthehong on Instagram, and of course, watch 3 Body Problem on Netflix!   Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  Outro:  The Opening Credits (and Opening Song) of 3 Body Problem | Netflix  @stillwatchingnetflix   Our logo and cover art were designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half The World). As I always mention, you can write to us at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast    Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple and Spotify! #Netflix #3bodyproblem #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters
Ep 121 Julia Chen Senior Staff Writer and Restaurant Reviewer at The Infatuation SF
Apr 2 2024
Ep 121 Julia Chen Senior Staff Writer and Restaurant Reviewer at The Infatuation SF
Julia Chen has my dream job! (though it does seem like a lot more work than I realized) She is a Senior staff writer at the restaurant recommendation site The Infatuation. (no, the similarity of our media names did not escape us)! Julia eats out in SF 6-10 times a week and writes reviews for The Infatuation website. The Infatuation has quickly become my favorite restaurant recommendation site! Coming back to co-host for a third time is my student Sydney!  The three of us came up with some San Francisco Asian restaurant recommendations for various prompts like, the best under $10 bite, best Asian splurge, 2nd date spots, our favorite Asian comfort food spots, late-night grub, and more! You can read Julia’s reviews over at https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco If you’re not in SF, look for The Infatuation in a city near you 11 different cities in the US plus London, and has dozens of articles from cities all over the world!  You can follow Julia’s local account on social @infatuation_sf  Some of the SF restaurants mentioned in this part of the episode:  Noodle In A Haystack Bodega SF Dumpling Zone Saigon Sandwiches StiX Ken-SF Thai Farmhouse Kitchen  Dumpling Story Marugame Udon The Empress by Boon Old Mandarin Hon’s Wun Tun House Kevin’s Noodle House Cafe Bakery VIP Coffee and Cake Shop D and A Cafe Cocobang SF Na Ya Dessert Cafe Tai Shan Cuisine Lucky Chances Cafe As I always mention, you can write to us at: ⁠infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com⁠, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  Cover Art and Logo designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half the World) #theinfatuation #asianfood #sanfranciscofood #chineseamerican #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #infatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian  #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters
Ep 120 A 2023 Hollywood Wrap-Up with Kelvin Han Yee and Katie Nguyen
Mar 27 2024
Ep 120 A 2023 Hollywood Wrap-Up with Kelvin Han Yee and Katie Nguyen
What a year 2023 was for Asian American representation in TV and film. Since the Oscars is traditionally the end of awards season, I figured it’d be fun to do a little recap of some of our favorite AAPI projects that aired in 2023!   I brought back 2 friends of the pod to help me with this. We’re happy to have Katie Nguyen back!  And joining us again is our old pal Kelvin, who is a real Asian American Hollywood mainstay with 90+ acting credits under his name.  It’s always fun to hear Kelvin’s take on things happening in Hollywood! Also, Katie and I were able to screen a film called Earthlings. Earthlings depicts what happens when people of drastically different backgrounds are thrown together for a dinner party where a little too much tequila is consumed. Thanks to Kelvin and director Steve Doughton for the screening invite! Thanks to both my guests for a lively chat! Follow Kelvin on social media @kelvinhanyee and Katie over @katieyowyow As I always mention, you can write to us at: ⁠infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com⁠, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Our Theme:“Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  Cover Art and Logo designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half the World) #asianhollywood #aapiTV #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #infatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian  #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters
Ep 115 Our Favorite K-Drama Romances!
Feb 21 2024
Ep 115 Our Favorite K-Drama Romances!
Love is still in the air over here at the InfatuAsian Podcast... you get a 2nd Valentine's Day episode!  This time Jennifer, Nadira, and I asked some of our podcasting friends to pick their favorite K-Drama romance of ALL TIME!!!  I loved hearing all their answers, and I hope you agree or maybe even get a few dramas to add to your watchlist! Special thanks to all my special guests! They all went above and beyond my expectations and came through big time.  THANK YOU!!!! Lia from Afternoona Delight Podcast (@afternoonadelightpodcast) Judy and Linda from K-Drama My Eyes Out (@kdramamyeyesout) Margo from Kdrams with Margo (@margo_dramas) Andy, Jenny, and Brandon from Pocha Playlist (@pochaplaylist) Jess from Daebak K-Rambles (@daebakpod)   Thank you to Nadira and Jennifer as well, you guys always make me laugh and keep me watching new dramas! Did you like our picks?  You can let us know your thoughts on the draft at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, or via direct message on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We could use your ratings and reviews over at Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  Our Outro: "Soju Over Ice" written and performed by Son of Paper 2020 used by permission #kdramas #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters
Ep 113 The Brothers Sun - With Stars Alice Hewkin and Jon Xue Zhang!
Feb 7 2024
Ep 113 The Brothers Sun - With Stars Alice Hewkin and Jon Xue Zhang!
*Spoiler Free 1st Half*  Netflix’s The Brothers Sun started 2024 with a bang!  Starring Michelle Yeoh, it is a non-stop adventure from episode one. It is far from simply being a show about fighting a triad war, it has lots of comedic and heartfelt moments. At its core, it is a story about loyalty and family both born into and chosen. My co-host Katie and I got to spend our lunch hour with two of the stars of the show, Jon Xue Zhang who plays Blood Boots, and Alice Hewkin who plays twin sisters May and June.  Both Alice and Jon called in from England where they live.  They are both so kind, funny, and insightful.  We honestly could have talked to them until the wee hours of the night (London time). Please watch The Brothers Sun on Netflix and encourage the network to film a second season!  You can follow our guests on social media @jonxuezhang and @alicehewkin    Catch up with Katie @katieyowyow on TikTok and IG. Our logo and cover art were designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half The World). Music: The Brothers Sun Theme | The Brothers Sun | Official Soundtrack | Netflix Music Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  As I always mention, you can write to us at: infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast    Please follow us wherever you get your podcasts.  We would love your ratings and reviews over at Apple and Spotify! #thebrotherssun #Netflix #asiantelevisionshow #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #iinfatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters