vol 32 no 2 | january 5 – january 11, 2013

VOL 32 NO 2 JANUARY 5 – JANUARY 11, 2013 FREE 31 YEARS YOUR VOICE

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage PaidPermit No. 746Seattle, WA

■ 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 • f. 206.223.0626 • [email protected] • [email protected] • www.nwasianweekly.com

In Review: The Top 10 of 2012

The Top 10 APA Movies of 2012

2012 was a good year for Asian and Pacific Americans. Our community was awarded a Medal of Honor, began recording more of our own history, and elected more people than ever before into office. Today, there are Asian and Pacific American

mayors, representatives, judges, and even spelling bee champions. “Uncle” Bob Santos even travelled to the Philippines for the first time in his life to receive an award. Did you catch all of these stories? If not, read on for the top 10 outstanding APA achievements of 2012.

The silver screen shined for Asian and Pacific American actors, actresses, writers, and directors in 2012. Studio Ghibli, Aung San Suu Kyi, and Norwegian Wood all appear on Film Critic Andrew Hamlin’s top 10 list of 2012, but who takes the top honor? Read on to find out.

Last year, we saw the resurgence of the dowry, the first ever APA “reality” show, more APA actors and actresses on screen than ever, and the

success of some guy named “Psy.” But there was much more. Check out A-Pop’s top 10 stories of 2012!

I’m sure you know how to gallop “Gangnam Style,” but are you ready to “Bounce” and turn the “Volume Up”? We asked Seattle’s

top J- and K-Pop DJs over at JKPOP!, Seattle’s monthly Japanese and Korean pop music dance night, for the 10 songs we missed in 2012.

Pacquiao might have hit the canvas, but Asian and Pacific American athletes all over stepped up to bring home the gold, the pennant, a few belts, and a whole mess more prizes and honors. APA athletes dominated all over the sports world last year, whether it was in wrestling, golf, mixed martial arts, volleyball, swimming, boxing, or any other sport.

APA athletes were central to many 2012 sports story lines, from the Seahawks rise to dominance to that little bit of Linsanity that swept the nation earlier this year.Washington State even sent some of its native sons to bring home some honors.What’s in the future for the world of APA sports? If it’s anything like this past year,

a lot of good, good things.

Last year, we saw the resurgence of the dowry, the first ever APA “reality” show, more APA actors and actresses on screen than ever, and the

success of some guy named “Psy.” But there was much more. Check out A-Pop’s top 10 stories of 2012!

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2 JANUARY 5 – JANUARY 11, 2013 asianweeklynorthwest

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MOMO Seattle celebrates its 5th anniversary

MoMo Seattle celebrated its 5th anniversary on Thursday, Nov. 15, hosting a small party at their International District storefront. The store extended their nighttime hours and pro-vided spam musubi, sushi, and beer and wine to its customers.

The store, which is appropriated by former Seattle Maga-zine writer Lei Ann Shiramizu and Tom Kleifgen and bills itself as a “hapa” store, sells men’s and women’s clothing, modern and vintage house wares, and gifts with both Asian and European flairs.

Cindy Ryu among 5 finalists for King County Council

Cindy Ryu, State Representative of the 32nd District, is among the 5 finalists to fill Attorney General-elect Bob Ferguson’s King County Council seat when he vacates it in January, announced the office of King County Executive Dow Con-stantine on Friday, Dec. 21. The other four finalists are Rod Dem-bowski, Will Hall, Keith Scully,

and Chuck Sloane; the five finalists were selected from 13 ap-plicants by a citizen committee convened by Constantine and chaired by George Allen and Kathe Fowler.

Next, Constantine will transmit three names to the King County Council, who will have 60 days from the date the seat is vacated to make an appointment.

Chris Soon chosen as Select Real Estate Agent by Seattle Magazine

Chris K Soon, a real estate broker and principal of Chris-soon Real Estate Internation, has been chosen by Seattle Mag-azine and Five Star Professional as a Five Star Select Seattle Real Estate Agent for the year of 2012.

The Five Star distinction is given to wealth managers, real estate agents, mortgage professionals, and home and auto in-surance professionals who provide exceptional service to their clients.

Chris Soon has been a Licensed Real Estate Broker since 2002, working in the East Side of Greater Seattle, based out of Bellevue. His services include representation for buyers, sell-ers and investors in residential, commercial and investment properties.

UW hosts Minority Business Awards

The University of Washington Michael G. Foster School of Business hosted its Minority Business Awards on Thurs-day, Dec. 6, honoring eight minority-owned businesses and awarding seven scholarships at the Seattle Sheraton. The win-ners included Redmond-based Redapt, Bellevue-based C2S

Technologies, Federal Way-headquartered Jabez Construc-tion and ST Fabrication, Seattle-based Radarworks, Medical Lake-based Spoko Fuel West Plains, Granger-based FJS Con-struction, Kingston-based Gliding Eagle Marketplace, and Vancouver-based SunModo Corporation.

Scholarship recipients include Doug Ta’a, who gave the welcoming address, and Midori Ng.

Over 600 people attended, raising $22,000 in donations and $130,000 in corporate sponsorships, for the program.

The MOMO Storefront

From left to right: Alicia Newman, BEDC alum; Ali Tarhouni, former UW professor and current Libyan economist and politician; Michael Verchot, BEDC director; and Doug Ta’a, scholarship winner

Chris Soon

Cindy Ryu

Phot

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Lam

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Northwest Asian Weekly is always looking for Asian American community news. If you are the host or an attendee of an API fundraiser, e-mail us a big photo, event highlights, and the amount of money raised. We are also looking for news about APIs in new jobs and APIs getting public recognition and awards.

Please send materials to [email protected] with “names in the news” as the subject line.

31 YEARS YOUR VOICE JANUARY 5 – JANUARY 11, 2013 3


■ NATIONAL NEWS

By Alicia ChangAP SCIENCE WRITER

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (AP) — Volunteers who patrol California beaches for plastic, cigarette butts, and other litter will be on the lookout this winter for flotsam from last year’s monstrous tsunami off Japan’s coast.

Armed with index-size cards, beachcombers will log water bottles, buoys, fishing gear, and other possessions that might have sailed across the Pacific to the 1,100-mile shoreline.

The March 2011 disaster washed about 5 million tons of debris into the sea. Most of that sank, leaving an estimated 1 1/2 million tons afloat. No one knows how much debris — strewn across an area three times the size of the United States — is still adrift.

Tsunami flotsam has already touched the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii this year. The West Coast is bracing for more sightings in the coming months as seasonal winds and coastal currents tend to drive marine wreckage ashore.

Like the past winter, scientists expect the bulk of the debris to end up in Alaska, Washington state, Oregon, and British Columbia. Last week, the Coast Guard spotted a massive dock that possibly came from Japan on a wilderness beach in Washington state.

Given recent storm activity, Northern California could see “scattered and intermittent” episodes, said Peter Murphy, a marine debris expert at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which recently received a $5 million donation from Japan to track and remove tsunami debris.

To prepare, state coastal regulators have launched a cleanup project to document possible tsunami items that churn ashore.

Working with environmental groups, volunteers will scour beaches with a checklist. It’s like a typical beach cleanup, but the focus will be to locate articles from Japan.

Until now, efforts in California have been haphazard. The goal is to organize tsunami debris cleanups at least once every season stretching from the Oregon state line to the Mexican border and then posting the findings online.

Debris from Asia routinely floats to the United States. It’s extremely difficult to link something back to the Japanese tsunami without a serial number, phone number, or other markers.

Of the more than 1,400 tsunami debris sightings reported to NOAA, the agency only traced 17 pieces back to the event, including small fishing boats, soccer balls, a dock, and a shipping container housing a Harley-Davidson motorcycle with Japanese license plates. No confirmed tsunami debris so far has reached California.

Even in the absence of a direct connection, California coastal managers said it helps to know if a beach is being covered with more marine debris than usual.

“We want to get an idea of where to focus our efforts. We have limited resources,” said Eben Schwartz, marine debris program manager at the California Coastal Commission, which heads the $50,000 NOAA-funded project. “If we see the problem is hitting the north coast and not getting as far south as San Francisco, that tells us where to focus.”

Last summer, NOAA awarded $250,000 to five West Coast states to help with tsunami debris removal. Alaska spent its share to clean up a 25-mile stretch of beach before the weather turned too bitter. Hawaii and Washington state have yet to dip into their funds.

Oregon racked up $240,000 to remove debris on beaches, including a 66-foot dock that broke loose from the port of Misawa during the tsunami and splashed ashore over the summer. Part of the tab — $50,000 — was covered by NOAA.

Charlie Plybon, Oregon’s regional manager at the Surfrider Foundation, said the tsunami has raised beachgoers’ awareness about marine debris plaguing the world’s coastlines.

“There’s a bit of tsunami debris fever. It’s like an Easter egg hunt,” said Plybon, who has been cleaning up the Oregon coast for more than a decade. “People used to walk past debris. Now they want to be engaged.”

Health experts have said debris arriving on the West Coast is unlikely to be radioactive after having crossed thousands of miles of ocean. Tsunami waves swamped a nuclear power plant and swept debris into the ocean. The debris field, which once could be spotted from satellite and aerial photos, has dispersed. More than 18,000 residents were killed or went missing.

Volunteer Julie Walters has combed Mussel Rock Beach, located south of San Francisco, for wreckage, but all that’s turned up so far are wave-battered boat parts and lumber of unknown origin.

If she did find an object with a direct link, “I would find it quite intriguing that it made this incredible journey across the Pacific,” said Walters, a volunteer with the Pacifica Beach Coalition. “It would also sadden me to think of the human tragedy.”

AP writers Becky Bohrer in Honolulu and Tim Fought in Portland, Ore., contributed to this report.

West Coast prepares for more tsunami debris in winter

By StaffTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW DELHI, India — Indian police charged six men with murder on Saturday, adding to ac-cusations that they beat and gang-raped a wom-an on a New Delhi bus nearly two weeks ago in a case that shocked the country.

The murder charges were laid after the wom-an died earlier Saturday in a Singapore hospital, where she has been flown for treatment.

New Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said the six face the death penalty if convicted.

The case has triggered protests across India for greater protection for women from sexual vio-lence and raised questions about lax attitudes by police toward sexual crimes.

The tragedy has forced India to confront the reality that sexually assaulted women are often blamed for the crime. They are often forced to keep quiet and discouraged from reporting it to authorities for fear of exposing their families to ridicule. Police often refuse to accept com-plaints from those who are courageous enough

{see INDIA cont’d on page 16}

By StaffTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — North Korea said Friday that it has detained an American citizen who has confessed to un-specified crimes.

State media said in a short dispatch that someone named Pae Jun Ho entered North Korea on Nov. 3 as a tourist, but was detained because of crimes.

The North said the crimes were “proven through evidence,” but didn’t elaborate.

Pyongyang has detained and eventually released several Americans in recent years. Some have been journalists and others Chris-tians accused of religious proselytizing.

In 2009, two journalists were detained af-ter crossing into the North from China while on a reporting trip. They were later released.

South Korean activists have told local me-dia in Seoul that the detained man is a Korean American and was taken into custody after entering North Korea to guide tourists. He

{see KOREA cont’d on page 14}

■ WORLd NEWS

N Korea says it has detained a US Citizen

Indian gang rapists charged with murder


■ TOp 10 ACHIEVEMENTS

The only weekly English-language newspaper serving Washington’s Asian community. The NW Asian Weekly has one simple goal:

“To empower the Asian community.”

The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any advertisement, letter or article. Subscriptions cost $30 for 52 weeks of the NW Asian Weekly and $25 for 52 weeks of the

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By Nina HuangNORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Each year, certain people are recognized for the extraordinary things that they have accomplished in the Asian American com-munities. Here are 10 of those people from 2012.

1. Along with 12 other people, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the late Gordon Hirabayashi last April. Born and raised in Seattle, Hirabayashi was known for openly defying the forced relocation and internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.

2. The Japanese National Museum cele-brated the official launch of its Remembrance Project, a communal website commemorat-ing the Japanese American experience dur-ing WWII last February. The launch came 70 years after President Franklin D. Roos-evelt signed Executive Order 9066, stripping thousands of Japanese Americans of their civil liberties. According to the museum’s website, the project features stories about those affected by the events surrounding the Japanese American World War II expe-rience. Through written tributes submitted by individuals, families, and friends, this evolving three-year project will allow the museum to present these first-person stories to younger and more diverse audiences and will continue to make these stories accessible to future generations.

3. Last November, U.S. Rep. Mazie Hi-rono (D–Hawaii) made history and became Hawaii’s first female Senator, by defeating former Gov. Linda Lingle. Many believed that her victory was key to shifting power dynamics in Congress. Not only will Hi-rono be the first elected female Senator from Hawaii, but she will also be the first Asian American woman elected to the Senate, the

first U.S. Senator born in Japan, and the na-tion’s first Buddhist Senator.

4. “Uncle” Bob Santos received the Ba-naag award from the president of the Phil-ippines, Benigno Aquino III, as part of the country’s “Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas” program. The Banaag Award, Tagalog for “bright light,” is conferred on Filipino indi-viduals for their contributions that have sig-nificantly advanced the cause of overseas Fil-ipino communities. Santos became involved with Seattle’s civil rights movement in the 1960s and served as the executive director of Inter*Im from 1972 to 1989. He served as regional director of the Department of Hous-ing and Urban Development in 1994. His trip to the Philippines was the first time for the Seattle-born Santos.

5. Sen. Daniel Inouye (D–Hawaii), the first ever Japanese American to serve in Con-gress and second-longest serving U.S. sena-tor in history, passed away this December, leaving behind a legacy that spans decades. Inouye served in World War II as part of the all-Nisei 442nd Regimental Combat Team, earning a Medal of Honor, Bronze Star, and several other honors. He served in Congress for 49 years, first as Hawaii’s at-large repre-sentative and then as one of its senators. A Democrat, he works across the aisle, forming the moderate Gang of 14. When he remarried in 2008, then Sen. Ted Stevens (R–Alaska) served as his best man.

6. Jim Yong Kim was named president of the World Bank. Formerly president of Dartmouth College, Kim succeeded Rob-ert Zoellick as his five-year term ended last June. President Obama nominated Kim to the position for his global development ex-perience. Hailing from South Korea, Kim is

{see ACHIEVEMENTS cont’d on page 15}

The Top 10 Outstanding Asian American Achievements of 2012

Gordon Hirabayashi

Mazie Hirono

Bob Santos

Daniel Inouye

Grace Meng

Miranda Du

Jim Yong Kim

Tri Ta

Snigdha Nandipati


■ COMMUNITY CALENdARTHU 1/3

WHAT: Lion Dog Dance and a visit from DaikokuWHERE: Welcome Hall at the Wing, 719 S. King St., SeattleWHEN: 3 p.m.INFO: www.wingluke.org, 206-623-5124

FRI 1/4

WHAT: Tribute to “Nirbhaya” - Memorial Service for “Nirbhaya”, the New Delhi Gang Rape Victim WHERE: The Westin, 600 Bellevue Way N.E., BellevueWHEN: 6:30–8:30 p.m.INFO: www.facebook.com/events/424963314243691

WHAT: Greater Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce Luncheon with Rep Sharon Tomiko SantosWHERE: Han’s Garden 3020 78th Ave. S.E., Mercer IslandWHEN: 11:30 a.m.COST: $20INFO: 206-228-6871, seattlechinesechamber.org

SUN 1/6

WHAT: Celebrate 2013 at the 24th Anniversary of a Bainbridge Island Japanese American community tradition – Mochi TsukiWHERE: IslandWood, 4450 Blakely Ave. NE, Bainbridge IsleWHEN: 11 a.m.–3 p.m.INFO: 206-855-4300

THU 1/10 & SAT 1/12

WHAT: South Korean pianist HK Lim makes her debutWHERE: S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, Benaroya HallWHEN: 7:30 p.m. on 1/10; 8 p.m. on 1/12INFO: www.seattlesymphony.org

FRI 1/11 & SAT 1/12

WHAT: Human Trafficking in an Era of Globalization: Forced Labor, Involuntary Servitude, and Corporate & Civic ResponsibilityWHERE: UW, Husky Union Building, North BallroomWHEN: 1/11, program 9–5:15 p.m., keynote & reception 5:30–7:30 p.m.1/12, program 9–4:15 p.m.COST: $150TICKETS: humantraffickingconference.brownpapertickets.com

SUN 1/13

WHAT: Washington State Korean-American Day Celebration Ceremony: Showcase PerformanceWHERE: Highline Performing Art Center, 401 S. 152nd St., BurienWHEN: 3 p.m.RSVP: [email protected], 253-852-0474

SAT 1/19

WHAT: Egg carton dragonsWHERE: Welcome Hall at the Wing, 719 S. King St., SeattleWHEN: 1–3 p.m.INFO: www.wingluke.org, 206-623-5124

WHAT: Fashion Night: A Runway Show featuring Seattle’s Asian American DesignersWHERE: The Wing, 719 S. King St., SeattleWHEN: 7 p.m.COST: $30-$60RESERVATION: 206-623-5124INFO: www.wingluke.org, 206-623-5124

SAT 1/26

WHAT: The Crumbles Pacific Northwest Premier at the 2013 Seattle Asian American Film FestivalWHERE: Wing Luke Museum, 719 S. King St., SeattleWHEN: 6:30 p.m.INFO: www.thecrumbles.com

THU 1/31

WHAT: NWAW Foundation’s event, “Women of Power: Building Bridges”WHERE: New Hong Kong Restaurant, 900 S. Jackson St. #203, SeattleWHEN: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.COST: $25-$45TICKETS: www.brownpapertickets.com/

event/265165INFO: 206-223-0623, womenofcolorempowered.com

SAT 2/2/2013

WHAT: Lunar New Year 2013 sneak peak: Year of the Snake!WHERE: The Wing, 719 S. King St., SeattleINFO: 206-623-5124

SAT 2/23

WHAT: Japanese Noodle Cooking Demo with Shirley KarasawaWHERE: The Wing, 719 S. King St., SeattleWHEN: 3 p.m.COST: $25/members, $30/general admissionINFO: www.lovelylanvin.com

MON 2/25

WHAT: 9th Annual Seattle-Kobe Female Jazz Vocalist AuditionWHERE: Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, 2033 6th Ave., SeattleWHEN: 6:30–9:30 p.m.SUGGESTED DONATION: $5/students, $10/adults

SAT 3/16

WHAT: Create Korean Paper MagicWHERE: The Wing, 719 S. King St., Seattle

WHEN: 1–3 p.m.INFO: www.wingluke.org, 206-623-5124

2Nd & 4TH TUES OF MONTH

WHAT: International District Special Review Board meetingWHERE: Bush Asia Center, 409 Maynard Ave. S., SeattleWHEN: 4:30 p.m.INFO: 206-684-0226 www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/preservation/historic_districts.htm

EVERY TUE

WHAT: Asian Counseling and Referral Services Employment Program OrientationWHERE: ACRS, 3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S., SeattleWHEN: 3–4:30 p.m.INFO: 206-695-7527, [email protected], acrs.org/services/employmentandtraining

EVERY WEd

WHAT: Seattle University School of Law Citizenship ProjectWHERE: Yesler Community Center Computer Lab, 917 E. Yesler Way, SeattleWHEN: 5–6:30 p.m.COST: FreeINFO: 206-386-1245


■ TOp 10 MOVIES

By Andrew HamlinNORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

From close-set family dramas to burgeoning blockbusters, Asian films were as strong as ever this year. Here are my picks for the top ten Asian Pacific American films that played in Seattle this year.

10. “The Secret World Of Arietty,” directed by

Hiromasa Yonebayashi, starring Mirai Shida, Ryunosuke Kamiki, and Shinobu Otake

The latest from Japan’s Studio Ghibli to hit American shores tells the story of a tiny teenage girl, the sick young boy who discovers her, and their struggles to maintain their friendship against an adult world gone haywire. Bold, inventive, funny, touching, and everything we’ve come to expect from Ghibli.

{see MOVIES cont’d on page 12}

The Top 10 APA Movies of 2012

Northwest Asian Weekly / Seattle Chinese Post presentsChinatown-International district Lunar New Year Celebration

Children’s parade ContestSaturday, February 9, 2013 — 1 P.M.

Children’s parade Competition Schedule:• 1:30 PM — Parade Begins• 1:50 PM — Finals competition (5 contestants)• 2:00 PM — Parade winners announced!!!

• Contestants must be present at the announcement of finalists (1:50 PM).• Finalists will be lined up in numerical order. • All contestants will receive a fortune cookie and a stuffed panda.

Registration/Sign-Up:• You may pre-register for the contest by filling out this application and sending it in or sign-up on the day of the contest (Saturday, February 9) before 1:15 pM at the registration table. Registration table will be located in front of Seattle Chinese Post/Northwest Asian Weekly – 412 Maynard Ave S.• Contestants are chosen on a first come first serve basis.• Contestants must sign-in at the registration table 15 minutes prior to parade.• Register before Feb 5 for a free Panda Express Panda! ($5 value)

Rules/Guidelines:• Children ages 12 and under can participate in the contest• Parents are welcome to accompany their children during the Parade• Children will be given a contestant number for order of Parade lineup• Children attire should be culturally relevant to the Lunar New Year Celebration

Judging:• All contestants will be judged by the provided judging criteria.• Prizes will be awarded to First ($100), Second ($50), and Third ($25) Place Winners.• All decisions made by competition judges are final.

Please submit completed application through one of the following methods: Mail:Northwest Asian WeeklyChildren’s Parade Contest 412 Maynard Ave. S.Seattle, WA 98104

Name: ______________________________________

Phone: ______________________________________

E-mail: ______________________________________

Contestants must adhere to all rules and regulations. Contest officials will remove any contestant failing to cooperate with officials or failing to comply with the rules and regulations. If you have any questions, please contact Northwest Asian Weekly at 206.223.5559 or via email at [email protected].

Fax: (206) 223-0626

Email:[email protected]

pRIME SpONSOR CORpORATE SpONSOR SpONSOR

Parade winners from last year

One of the many contestants

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Come on! Let’s join this parade,

you guys!


■ TOp 10 A-pOp

By Vivian NguyenNORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

With 2013 officially underway, everyone is clamoring for a fresh start by tackling their New Year’s resolutions. While it’s certainly good and well to usher in the new, I don’t think I can let 2012 slip away without recapping some of

the past year’s most popular pop culture highlights — or lowlights, as the case may be.

10. Race at the moviesRace-bending and anti-Asian

films weren’t a new thing in 2012, per se, but it’s certainly a trend that showed up often during this past year.

Specific offenses include “Total Recall,” a science-fiction action film that starred Korean American actor John Cho. Cho, however, was required to bleach his hair blond for the part — a move that came across as a concession of his Asian roots, as Caucasian actor Ray Baker originated the role. Then there

was “Cloud Atlas,” the science-fiction drama that showcased race-bending characters, including both Caucasian and Black actors donning yellow makeup and eye prosthetics to appear more ethnically Asian.

Finally, there was “Red Dawn,” a dystopian war film that sees America overtaken by

North Korean troops. The movie unleashed a bunch of hate-fueled tweets detailing how the viewers wanted to kill Asians as a sign of their American patriotism. To further complicate matters, film producer Tripp Vinson claimed

{see A-POP cont’d on page 13}

Top 10 Pop Culture Stories from 2012

PsyAnn Curry

Mindy Kaling

Jenny Hyun Justin Lin

Gigi Chao (right) and her partnerJohn ChoJessica Sanchez

K-Town


■ TOp 10 ASIAN pOp SONGS

By Reese UmbaughFOR THE NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

When South Korean artist Psy’s song “Gangnam Style” became a worldwide phe-nomenon this year, the formerly niche genre known as K-pop (short for Korean pop) fi-nally hit the mainstream. However, several other artists made advances into the interna-tional market, and Asian pop is churning out some of the world’s catchiest, most danceable music on the planet. At JKPOP!, we spotlight the most cutting-edge sounds coming out of Japan and South Korea every first Thursday at BARBOZA on Capitol Hill. Check out a selection of the amazing J/K-pop groups and songs that you may have missed in 2012:

10. JJ Project – “Bounce”A rookie group that made their debut in

May 2012, JJ Project’s “Bounce” combines rock, hip hop, and electronic elements to cre-ate a dance floor stormer. The duo, consist-ing of JB and Jr., were already familiar to the Korean public through their stint on Dream

High 2, a Korean drama that features mem-bers of other popular K-pop groups, includ-ing 2AM, SISTAR, and T-ara. “Bounce” will have you butt shaking and head bobbing uncontrollably. Be prepared to be possessed!

9. After School - “Flashback”After School brings the “graduation” con-

cept that has been popularized in the Japa-nese and South Korean music market. Mem-bers are occasionally added and “graduated” between song promotions to either pursue other talents or to begin solo careers. The ladies of After School, currently consist-ing of eight members, are generally known as being K-pop’s sexiest girl group. With a musical concept influenced by The Pussy-cat Dolls, After School has sometimes been noted as being too sexy for Korean televi-sion, with a handful of songs and perfor-mances banned from Korean broadcast sta-tions. “Flashback” is a fun, exciting single with polished production and an infectious chorus.

{see SONGS cont’d on page 15}

The 10 Best Asian Pop Songs You Might’ve Missed in 2012

Girl's Generation

TVXQ!

T-ara

JJ Project

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu After School

SHINee

4Minute

Perfume

Big Bang


■ TOp 10 SpORTS

By Jason CruzNORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

2012 Year in Review2012 was a great year for Asian American athletes. Despite

a strike-shortened regular season, the NBA had major excitement, thanks to the rise of a Taiwanese American point guard from Harvard. The NBA championship series was won by the Miami Heat, coached by Filipino American Erik Spoelstra. The Summer Olympics were held in London, where Asian American athletes won medals, including Bremerton’s Nathan Adrian, whose mother is Chinese.

The year also saw the rise of young Asian golfers qualifying for major tournaments at an age when most would be happy to be getting their driver’s permit. Andy Zhang had the opportunity to play in the U.S. Open golf tournament at the age of 14. Another 14-year-old, Guan Tianlang, played in The Masters. Lydia Ko, at 15, became one of the youngest ever to win a Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) event. University of Washington golfer Cheng-Tsun Pan had a good year on the team as a freshman, ranking in the top 15 amateur golfers nationally. Finally, Taiwanese golfer Yani Tseng was voted one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World” for 2012 by Time Magazine. Tseng won 3 LPGA events in 2012.

It was not a good year for Manny Pacquiao, however. Coming off of a controversial loss to Timothy Bradley in June, Pacquiao faced his arch nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez in December. It was their fourth fight against each other and many expect a fifth. If his fans thought Pacquiao was Superman, Marquez is his kryptonite. In a brutal fight that saw both men knocked down, Marquez scored a final knock-out on Pacquiao with one second to go in the 6th round. Pacquiao lay motionless, face down on the canvas. It was a scary moment for fans. With two losses this year, Pacquiao’s famed invincibility is now gone. While it’s likely that he’ll return to the ring, we do not know if he’ll ever be the same. At 34 years old, one must question how much longer he could (or should) continue in the ring.

Ichiro Suzuki was traded to the New York Yankees this summer. A longtime Mariner and face of the franchise, Suzuki requested a trade from Seattle to play for a contender. In July, he was traded to the New York Yankees. Ironically, the Yankees were in town to play the Mariners when the trade occurred. A change of scenery seemed to help Ichiro as his batting average went up and he helped the Yankees make the playoffs. Ichiro will likely finish his career in New York.

In May, the Chinese women’s national basketball team visited Seattle to prepare for the Summer Olympics. The team played an exhibition game against the U.S. Women’s National team at the KeyArena.

Top 10 of 2012Honorable mentions go out to UFC Fighter Cung Le, who

is still fighting at age 40 and was in the movie “The Man with the Iron Fists;” Summer Olympics bronze medalist swimmer Natalie Coughlin, who is quarter Filipino; and Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin, who is part Filipino. Baldwin has helped rookie quarterback Russell Wilson this season in getting the team to the playoffs.

And without further ado, the top 10 Asian Pacific American athletes of 2012:

10. Tim Lincecum, Major League Baseball pitcher — Lincecum, who is part Filipino, was converted to a relief pitcher in the baseball postseason and played a key role for the Giants in the playoffs. Although the San Francisco Giants pitcher did not have as dominant a year as he has in past years, he still helped the Giants win the World Series.

9. Kyla Ross, U.S. Olympic gymnast — Ross was part of the “Fierce Five” or “Fab Five” — comprised of the five gymnasts that won the second team gold medal in the history of U.S. women’s gymnastics. Ross, who is part Filipina and Japanese, contributed to the U.S. women’s team gold medal in London with her work on the uneven bars and beam.

8. Clarissa Chung, U.S. Olympic Women’s Wrestling — Another big winner in the London Games was Chung, as she won bronze in the 105-pound weight division of women’s wrestling. Chung was the only member of the women’s team to earn a medal.

7. Benson Henderson, Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) Fighter — Henderson made his triumphant return to Seattle by defending his UFC Lightweight title against Nate Diaz on Dec. 8. The Decatur High School graduate wore a Gary Payton Seattle Supersonics throwback to the weigh-ins the day before his bout, drawing cheers from the hometown crowd. Originally from Federal Way, Henderson, who is half Korean, is one of the top mixed martial arts fighters in the world today.

6. Tamari Miyashiro, U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball — The former University of Washington volleyballer won a silver medal with her U.S. teammates in London. Known for her defense on the volleyball court, she has been playing with the U.S. National team since 2010. Originally from Hawaii, Miyashiro has followed her mother, who played college volleyball.

5. Nonito Donaire, Boxer, — “The Filipino Flash” has been

considered the Fighter of the Year by many writers and media in the boxing world. Donaire was undefeated in four fights this year against top talent. He also conducts self-imposed drug testing to show the world that he is free of performance enhancing drugs. This transparency has drawn praise by those in boxing that do not feel the sport is doing enough to address concerns of cheating in the sport. With the downfall of Manny Pacquiao, Donaire is well aware that many are looking to him to carry on the torch for Filipino boxing fans.

4. Erik Spoelstra, NBA Coach — If you coach a team to an NBA Championship, you get included on this list. Spoelstra, who is part Filipino, coached the LeBron James-led Miami Heat in beating the Oklahoma City Thunder (remember those guys?) this past June to win the championship. Spoelstra, 42, is the first Asian American to head coach a team in one of the major American sports leagues (which includes the NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB) and is the first to win an NBA Championship. It helps to have James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh on the team. But Spoelstra managed egos and media scrutiny to win the NBA world title, keeping it away from the former Sonics.

3. Manti Te’o, College Football — The senior linebacker from Notre Dame finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy. An unprecedented feat for a defensive player considering the award is primarily won by offensive players. Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel won the award.

Te’o is a Samoan American from Hawaii that chose the Catholic school in the Midwest, despite being Mormon and from the islands. Although he did not receive the Heisman, he earned more awards than any other defensive player in college football history. Among the awards is the Maxwell Award given to the best player in college football, as judged by sportswriters, sportscasters and NCAA head coaches.

2. Nathan Adrian, U.S. Olympic Swimming — While most

fans of swimming for the Summer Olympics look for Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte in London, Nathan Adrian became a shining star this year. Adrian, whose mother is Chinese, had a commercial that ran during the Olympics featuring his mother in which she described herself as a “Tiger Mom.” The Bremerton native won two gold medals and one silver at the Summer Olympics. He won individual gold in the 100-meter event and was part of the 4x100 meter medley relay featuring Phelps. Notwithstanding the attention received by Phelps and Lochte, Adrian impressed at the pool this summer. After the

{see SPORTS cont’d on page 16}

The Layup Drill - Year in ReviewThe Top 10 Asian American Sports Figures of 2012

Erik Spoelstra

Nonito Donaire Nathan Adrian

Jeremy Lin

Manti Te’o

Kyla Ross Tim Lincecum

Clarrisa Chung

Benson HendersonTamari Miyashiro


OpINION

■ TOp 10 bLOG

■ TOp 10 EdITORIAL

The numbers tell us that we have conquered many moun-tains in 2012, even though some of them seemed impossible to beat at the beginning of the year. Like a child keeping a Christmas list, I had a wish list for the Asian Weekly’s 30th anniversary.

I wanted to celebrate this milestone with a bang. What I couldn’t predict, however, was that the first bang would ripple into endless other moments of serendipity. These are my top 10 moments of 2012, whether they are happy, exciting, sur-prising, or sad.

10. The Dragon Dance

We didn’t want gubernatorial candidates Jay Inslee and Rob McKenna to give speeches at the Asian Weekly’s 30th An-niversary Gala, but we wanted them to attend. Anyone who organized an event with both Inslee and McKenna knows how difficult it was to negotiate with both sides behind the scenes. How could we create a win-win situation for all of us?

The solution was with a dragon, or well, with two dragons. We had both candidates open the dining room by leading two dragons to the stage. The moment the two opponents led the dragon parade into the ballroom, I was blown away. Accom-panied by beautiful Chinese music (provided by Seattle Chi-nese Post editor Rebecca Ip), the gala’s opening was refresh-ing and dramatic.

Although Tony Au was the brainchild of the parade, much of the act was improvised. Dignitaries were recruited on the spot to form the dragons’ bodies. Thank you to my son John for chauffeuring the 20-foot dragons back and forth from the venue. It wasn’t a small task to bring the dragon parade to life!

A month later, the Seattle Chinese Garden copied our idea — having VIPs holding the dragon. I was thrilled.

9. “No One Will Come”

When we began to organize the 30th anniversary of the Asian Weekly’s sister paper, the Seattle Chinese Post, one Chinese man predicted, “No one will come.”

Not only did we pack the House of Hong Restaurant on April 22, with 430 people attending and 30 Chinese organiza-tions buying tables, we managed to bring different factions of the community together. Many guests told me, “The event is well done.” The sweetness of their words still swims in my head.

8. Taking a Risk at the Westin Bellevue

Since 1996, we have never ventured into Bellevue for our

Women of Color Empowered luncheons. We were afraid that if we changed venues and raised prices, no one would show up.

Our friend Dash had always begged us to use his favorite place, the Westin Bellevue Hotel, where he works as the cul-tural group sales manager.

I realized that sometimes we have to look beyond our bot-tom line and support our Asian American friends, so we dashed across the bridge to the Westin Bellevue for our wom-en’s lunch last May. Instead of our usual $30, we charged $50 for lunch.

The facility was nice, the food was tasty, and the sound system was wonderful. We had a full house with a diverse audience, including many Bellevue folks. The committee worked very hard to make it happened. We even managed to surprise Bonnie Miller, a committee member, with a plaque for her dedication. The moment she was fooled, her sons and husband, who were hiding, jumped into the dining room. I felt that my group was amazing and did a fabulous job for the program.

7. Crisis is an OpportunityTwo crises happened to us this year: First, when our editor

Stacy Nguyen resigned in March, after my dad’s passing; and second, when her successor Tiffany Ran resigned after five months on the job, four weeks before our anniversary gala.

“What lousy timing!” I sighed. But there was no time for self pity. While I focused on going back to Hong Kong for my father’s funeral and organizing our anniversary gala, Nguyen and Ran helped us to screen new job applicants.

Fortunately, the new editor Charles Lam, a 23-year-old Cal-ifornian who we hired on Sept. 1, quickly learned the ropes.

Instead of one special anniversary issue for the Asian Week-ly, he did two. As if that wasn’t overwhelming enough, we ran a big election issue two weeks afterwards. To my astonish-ment, the Asian Weekly had our best ever election advertising and full coverage of both the Democrats and Republicans. To-gether with Han Bui’s work, the three of us collaborated and produced some of our best issues of the year.

6. The Magical Calls

I visualized goody bags made up of several items, includ-ing Chinese sausages, for all the guests attending the Chinese Post’s 30th anniversary gala. No one in the Chinese commu-nity had gifted goody bags with such variety before.

I didn’t know then that I was being very ambitious.

I didn’t even know the owner of Ken Yen Jan, a major manufacturer of Chinese sausages. Would he hang up when I called?

When Jimmy Din heard I was with the Asian Weekly, he instantly said yes to my request. I was so happy that I danced around the room for a while.

I am grateful to all the donors, including Northwest Orien-tal, Dong Heng, Lam’s Seafood, Hung Lung, Fran’s chocolate, and Panda Express. These folks didn’t even require me to send a written letter. If they did, I would never have gotten every-thing done.

5. A Moment of Luck

Luck has always been a stranger to me. I have never won anything. Then, life surprised me when I wasn’t thinking.

At the celebration for ANA Airline’s inaugural flight from Seattle to Asia, the airline’s staff called out the winner of two plane tickets, “Asian Weekly, George Liu.” My jaw just dropped. My husband won. “What, we won?” I thought to myself.

Hey, I had to claim to be a beneficiary too — George forgot to bring his business cards, so he used mine, crossed out my name, and wrote in his. I am pretty lucky after all.

4. Mourning Our Losses

I miss many of the people who passed away in 2012, espe-cially Jimmy Mar, a kind, generous and noble soul; and Win-nie Chin, wife of the late Ark Chin, who sent me inspiring cards with beautiful Chinese characters to encourage me. I keep all her cards. And, of course, I miss my father who left this world on Feb. 14. I miss them dearly.

3. Do Good

“What’s your fundraising goal for the International District Emergency Center (IDEC)?” friends asked me before our an-niversary gala.

I had no clue.When Donnie Chin of the IDEC sent me the final number

we raised from the Chinese Post and Asian Weekly’s 30th an-niversary dinners, I was ecstatic.

We raised $20,000. Hooray!

2. A Blast for AllThe first celebration for our new governor, attorney general

and state senator in the Asian community was at our Dec. 7 Top Contributors dinner at China Harbor Restaurant.

Gathering 310 people who are willing to pay $65 each has never been easy. The Asian community holds many activities,

{see BLOG cont’d on page 14}

2012’s Top 10 Moments of Thrills, Triumph, and Sadness

2012 was a great year for the Asian Pacific community, but there’s always more to accomplish. For 2013, we wish for…

1. A return to 2011’s Chinatown–International District parking rates. While the rest of Seattle can afford increased parking rates, the businesses in the International District have been having a hard time. A return to the 6 p.m. cut off time of 2011 would help greatly.

2. A cleaner ID. 3. An Asian and Pacific American Justice on the U.S. Su-

preme Court.4. An Asian and Pacific American Justice on Washington

State’s Supreme Court.

5. More Asian and Pacific Americans and people of color in cabinet-level positions in Washington State. It shouldn’t be difficult. Washington State has 29 departments that need heads, many of which have had minority leaders before. We hope for at least five department heads of color and three of Asian or Pacific descent.

6. An APA on the University of Washington Board of Regents. There are 10 regents but only one person of color, Joanne Harrell.

7. A jump in business in the ID. 8. More APA involvement in politics. We want to see more

APA candidates, a stronger, more united APA base and more

APA youth volunteering.9. More businesses that aren’t restaurants. We need to diver-

sify to help the state’s economy and our community. The more restaurants we have, the more we compete with each other. We also want to see better marketing, not driven by low prices and bad quality but reasonable prices, a good atmosphere and high quality. Also, cleaner bathrooms.

10. More philanthropy. We urge the community to give back as much as they can, because a stronger community is better for all of us.

The Northwest Asian Weekly’s Wish List for 2013

Want to get the inside scoop on

the latest happenings of Seattle’s

Asian American community? Follow

Publisher Assunta Ng’s blog at

nwasianweekly.com under the Opinion section.

Gubernatorial candidates Rob Mckenna and Jay Inslee led the dragon dance that opened the event.

Seattle Chinese Post 30th anniversary goody bag

Phot

o by

Hut

Kw

an


Architects, Consultants & ContractorsKCLS Library Contract Information Available Online!

Check www.kcls.org/buildings for information about KCLS construction and the latest available

details on current and pending projects.Requests for Proposals•Requests for Qualifications•Current Project Bid Listing•Call for Art Proposals•Site Selection Policy•

Announcements of Finalists•Community Meetings•Contacts•New Releases•

The King County Library System recognizes strength and value within our communities, and we encourage all interested and qualified service providers to review

our public bid construction opportunities.

Contact Kelly Iverson, Facilities [email protected] or 425.369.3308

{MOVIES cont’d from page 7}

9. “The Manzanar Fishing Club,” directed by Cory Shiozaki

Japanese Americans wrongfully interned in the Manzanar camp during World War II often skipped out at night under the search-lights, but snuck back to their barracks come dawn. Their secret? Fishing. Shioza-ki’s documentary retraces one of the hugest injustices in modern American history, and goes to show how liberating a simple, quiet pastime can become.

8. “A Simple Life,” directed by Ann Hui, starring Andy Lau, Deanie Ip

Andy Lau plays the globetrotting son of a prominent Hong Kong family. Deanie Ip plays the aging domestic, finally too old to work, whom Lau must look after. It sounds simple enough in sentences but director Hui gives us a long, deep look at both souls and at how they still struggle to connect af-ter decades in the same household.

7. “Jiro Dreams Of Sushi,” directed by David Gelb, starring Jiro Ono

Yes, Jiro dreams of sushi. But given that he’s made sushi his life’s work, that’s only fair. You don’t have to be a foodie to enjoy this shot-in-Japan documentary’s lush look at Jiro Ono’s cooking. The lessons about life and work will stick to you too.

6. “Tatsumi,” directed by Eric Khoo, starring Yoshihiro Tatsumi

For his first animated film, Singapore’s Eric Khoo draws on the life and work of Yoshihiro Tatsumi, the person who taught Japan that comics could be for adults. Not in a pornographic sense, but in a mature, reasoned, sense acknowledging grown-up

experiences. Tatsumi’s stories shift be-tween the enigmatic, the spooky, and the sad, as he guides us through the story of his life, and imagination, in picture.

5. “The Lady,” directed by Luc Besson, starring Michelle Yeoh, David Thewlis, and Jonathan Woodhouse

Aung San Suu Kyi overcame oppression, long-term imprisonment, and the assassi-nation of her own father to lead the country of Burma. Michelle Yeoh seems to live in-side the role, but the script doesn’t neglect the love story between Suu Kyi and her hus-band, the late Michael Aris.

4. “Norwegian Wood,” directed by Anh Hùng Trần, starring Kenichi Matsuyama, Rinko Kikuchi, and Kiko Mizuhara

A gorgeously-shot exercise in love, loss, and the painful inward transitions from adolescence to adulthood. Director Trần always gives us amazing looking cinema, and here he’s found a story worth chewing over as well.

3. “This Is Not A Film,” directed by Jafar Panahi and Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, starring Jafar Panahi

Like one or two other films on this list, “This Is Not A Film” will leave you grate-ful that you live in America. For all of our nation’s (copious) flaws, we would probably not lock up a director for allegedly criticiz-ing the government. Prize-winning Iranian director Jafar Panahi contemplates his own pending jail time in this documentary study of his pensive pre-prison life, as he waits to hear from his lawyer. It would take a lot of courage for a man in his shoes to even venture out of his apartment, but Panahi

works up the courage to do so, and then finds a story right outside his door unlike any other.

2. “Planet Of Snail,” directed by Seung-jun Yi, starring Young-Chan and Soon-Ho

Young-Chan has no sight and very little hearing; he is effectively deaf-blind. Soon-Ho, his wife, is dwarfed and partially crippled by a spine disorder. How do they live? Surprisingly, very well. They help each other through the mundane chores of the day (a struggle to change a light bulb becomes an epic almost on the order of the Iliad), and they stay tuned to their shared sensuality. One of the finest documentaries to come out of South Korea in years.

1. “Golden Slumbers,” directed by Davy Chou, starring Dy Saveth, Ly Bun Yin, and Ly You Sreang

Of all the films on this list, only this Cambodian documentary has such an epic scope: To remind the world of pre-Khmer Rouge Cambodian filmmaking, which van-ished almost completely during the revolu-tion. Pol Pot and his minions succeeded in destroying the present and the past of his nation’s film industry, leaving only a few refugees left alive, to try to restore the overarching story. It’s heartbreaking in its details, but thrilling in its depictions of sur-vival and resilience.

OpINION

■ COMMENTARY

By John CreightonFOR THE NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Small businesses have been the en-gines of economic growth in Ameri-ca, generating 64 percent of net new jobs over the past 15 years. Small businesses have been the major fac-tor in stimulating economic growth in our country. In today’s economy,

small businesses matter even more. The Seattle Port Commission is committed to the idea

that the economic opportunity created by the port is shared by all segments of our community. The Commission’s Cen-tury Agenda, our 25-year strategic plan to help grow 100,000 new jobs for the region, includes aggressive small business contracting and workforce development goals. We intend to increase the proportion of funds spent by the port with quali-fied small business firms on construction, goods and services to 40 percent. We have also set the goal to increase workforce training, job and business opportunities for local communities in maritime, trade, travel and logistics.

The Commission approved the creation of the Office of So-cial Responsibility (OSR) at the port in 2008 to help focus the port’s small business contracting and workforce development initiatives. In January 2010, the Commission unanimously ap-proved a resolution that revised and strengthened the port’s small business initiative. The port’s Small Business Program aims to increase the number of small businesses applying and competing for port procurements and has two main sub-pro-grams: the Small Contractors and Suppliers (SCS) Program

and the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program.Small business certification for the port’s SCS program

parallel’s King County’s certification process: by achieving certification with one agency, a company can do business as a small business with both agencies. Once certified as an SCS, firms can benefit from vendor training and continuing educa-tion workshops, as well as procurement incentives.

The port’s DBE Program was established in accordance with U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations. Most of the port’s DBE opportunities relate to contracting with Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which operates under the supervision of the Federal Aviation Administra-tion. It is the port’s policy to ensure nondiscrimination in the award of DOT assisted contracts, create a level playing field on which DBEs can compete fairly for DOT assisted contracts and assist in the development of DBEs, in order to increase their competitiveness in the marketplace.

Last September, the Commission unanimously passed a motion aimed at helping DBEs at Sea-Tac Airport. The Com-mission’s motion focused on the DBE food and beverage op-erators at the airport, many of which have been negatively impacted by the down economy and realignment of airlines at the airport. The motion directed the port’s CEO to establish criteria for determining whether DBEs should receive relief in the form of lease extensions, allowing them additional time to recoup the investments made in their airport shops, up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in some cases.

Some of the DBE restaurants at the airport – including the Africa Lounge and Maki’s – have won national awards. Yet it is understandable that they are not performing well under the conditions of the last decade. By historical accident or other-wise, most of the airport’s small business operators were giv-

en locations at the ends of concourses with the least passenger traffic, and have shorter leases and higher rents than conces-sions in the Central Terminal and other prime locations.

The aviation world has been on a roller coaster since 9/11, with airlines merging and going bankrupt, businesses and lei-sure travelers cutting back on flying and increased security measures making it much more expensive to do business at airports. Small businesses do not have the same ability as large businesses to spread their losses across dozens of stores.

When the global shipping industry was bleeding billions of dollars in red ink in 2010 because of adverse economic con-ditions, the Commission approved a rent deferral program, allowing our seaport terminal operators to defer millions of dollars of rent until the end of the year. We did this to give our seaport tenants breathing room during brutal economic conditions, and incentivize them to keep jobs in Seattle and continue increasing cargo shipment though the port. In 2011, we saw record cargo coming through the Port of Seattle and we were made whole on our rent.

Our job as commissioners is not to pick winners and losers with respect to companies that do business at the port. But it is our job to make sure that conditions are right for businesses to succeed and create jobs for our community.

For years the port has pursued policies to help business at our airport and seaport succeed and generate economic devel-opment for our region. It is about time that the port put that same sort of focus on helping small businesses in our com-munity succeed, the segment of our economy that accounts for two-thirds of all job created in our country.

John Creighton has served on the Seattle Port Commission since 2006.

The Seattle Port Commission is committed to helping foster small local businesses

John Creighton


What’s your animal sign?Rat 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 Ox 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 Tiger 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 Rabbit 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 Dragon 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 Snake 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013Horse 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002 Goat 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003 Monkey 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004 Rooster 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 Dog 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 Pig 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

*The year ends on the first new moon of the following year. For those born in January and February, please take care when determining your sign.

RATYou generally guard your privacy against prying eyes. However, there is no need to hide everything.

OXSharing space can have its challenges, especially when you want to be alone. If possible, carve out a little area to call your own.

TIGERThere are many ways to let a loved one know that you care about them. The important thing is that they get the message.

RABBITWhen in doubt, ask instead of assuming what is expected. Not only is this more efficient, but it also saves you from needless worry.

DRAGONWhile the first few attempts have not worked out to your liking, the next one could be the one that finally fits.

SNAKEDo you want to be the star of the show? Before you jump too quickly into that role, beware that it could bring some unwanted attention.

HORSERevisiting an old issue could really stir things up. Build on progress already made rather than starting at square one.

GOATThere is more to like with the current picture than not. However, that doesn’t mean you should settle for less than you want.

MONKEYInspiration can come in many different forms. It merely provides the spark; you must still provide the direction for it to go.

ROOSTERLooks can be deceiving, so don’t just rely on what you see. Something that looks ideal might actually be far from it.

DOGIt is all too easy to get caught up in someone else’s drama. Extricating yourself from the situation might be an option to consider.

PIGIf you are tired of playing cleanup after a problem has already occurred, then next time focus more on prevention.

For the week of January 5–January 11, 2013■ ASTROLOGY

{A-POP cont’d from page 8}

that the film isn’t about race, and that the enemies in the film could be anybody. But that still doesn’t change the fact that the enemies were Asian.

It’s certain that such gaffes won’t relent in 2013. But maybe we can see more ownership for these offenses from the people that commit them, particularly from the movie executives themselves? Culpability to these actions would be nice for once.

9. Justin LinThis has been a slow but steady year of success for Tai-

wanese American director Justin Lin. Readers may know Lin for directing the 2002 drama “Better Luck Tomorrow,” as well as several installments of the import car action film franchise, “Fast and the Furious.”

With the sixth installment in the franchise set for release next year, as well as Lin’s attachment to direct the science-fiction thriller “Hibernation,” Lin is on the rise to become one of the biggest Asian American directors well into 2013!

8. Jessica SanchezSinger Jessica Sanchez, a recent “American Idol” runner

up, has seen her career blow up as a result of her success on the reality show. Sanchez, who is of Filipina descent, has sung at several public events since, including a per-formance at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. this past September. Sanchez will also have a multi-arc role in the musical-comedy television show “Glee” later this year. With so much success in 2012, I’m sure Sanchez will have even more exciting projects lined up this next year!

7. Jenny Hyun Remember when basketball superstar Jeremy Lin swept

the nation earlier this year with his sweet dribbling skills? Naturally, all his praise ensured that a backlash against

the Chinese American athlete was fated. Floyd Mayweath-er Jr., a Black professional boxer, tweeted that Lin’s hype was based purely on the media’s fascination of his race and that Black athletes in similar situations never receive the same level of recognition despite being as equally skilled as Lin.

While Mayweather later apologized for the remark, Korean American songwriter Jenny Hyun retaliated in-kind to him and tweeted a series of racist tweets decrying Blacks, even calling for the “eradication” of the race. In typical offender reaction, Hyun quickly tweeted an apol-ogy after her backlash started, and subsequently privatized her Twitter account.

This is one of those pathetic cases that show that Asians, too, are capable of public racism. Please don’t ever speak on behalf of Asians again, Jenny.

6. John ChoDespite my earlier gripes about seeing John Cho with

bleached hair in “Total Recall,” this year has arguably been a good one for the actor. In addition to the science-fiction action flick, Cho also starred in “American Reunion,” the fourth film in the “American Pie” comedy film franchise. Cho also started appearing regularly on television with his role in the NBC dramedy “Go On.”

With his role in the inevitable blockbuster film “Star Trek into Darkness” coming up in 2013, everything will only continue to surge for Cho well into the New Year!

5. Ann CurryVery few Asians are quite as visible in the media as news

journalist and personality Ann Curry when she co-hosted the “Today” show, a position that half-Japanese Curry once coveted as her dream job. Unfortunately, her lack of chem-istry with co-host Matt Lauer and her cold news anchoring personality led to a slip in the show’s ratings — an issue that made NBC network executives push for her demotion and replacement on the show.

The unceremonious manner in how the network handled her firing led to an eruption of controversy with many blaming Lauer for her dismissal. Curry still remains with NBC, and now reports as a “Today” Anchor at Large, as well as serving as an international correspondent for NBC.

4. Cecil Chao Sez-tsung and Gigi ChaoIn one of the more interesting news stories to hit Asian

pop culture this year, Hong Kong real estate tycoon Cecil Chao Sze-tsung annouced a HK$500 million (USD $65 million) “dowry” to any male suitor who would be able to woo his lesbian daughter, Gigi Chao, away from her long-term girlfriend.

Although this news was met with disbelief from the pub-lic, Gigi Chao stepped up to her father’s defense, claiming that his “dowry” was meant to protect her from the social stigma that still exists against same-sex couples in Hong Kong. Instead, she actually views his actions as born out of genuine paternal concern, instead of intolerance.

This story drew so much public fascination that a movie based on the situation is actually in development! Cur-rently titled “The Lesbian,” the movie will star actor and funnyman Sacha Baron Cohen, who will allegedly play the father figure in the film. If this movie actually comes to fruition, I’m not going to lie — I would actually see this.

3. “K-Town”Love it or hate it, reality web series “K-Town” offered

one of the most novel ways Asian Americans had yet to be represented in the media space. The show featured an all Asian cast and focused specifically on the Asian American experience. Yes, there is a ton of petty drama — sometimes with an air of forced fabrication — but it’s still a fun, guilty

indulgence.Most importantly, the show is breaking ground by actu-

ally showcasing Asians in a less than flattering light. Crit-ics may decry this, but I love it. It gives Asians a more complex and multi-faceted identity in American media, and one that exists beyond the “bookish” model minority stereotype.

2. Mindy KalingIf there is any Asian who has seen their popularity sky-

rocket this year, it’s actress and comedienne Mindy Kaling. Kaling, who is Indian American, debuted in “The Mindy Project” this past fall, a quirky sitcom that she created and produced, and now writes and stars in as well. Television enthusiasts may best remember her writing and acting on the mockumentary sitcom “The Office.”

Kaling’s accomplishments this past year are significant as “The Mindy Project” is the first U.S. television show to star a South Asian American lead. Congrats, Mindy. You are seriously killing it!

1. PsyThis will come as no surprise to anyone, but Korean rap-

per Psy (real name Park Jae-sang) steals the title of top pop culture story of the year — not just among Asians, but also in mainstream American pop culture as well (truly a testa-ment to his world domination).

Psy’s music video “Gangnam Style,” an all-Korean rap song that parodies the trendy elite in the Gangnam district in Seoul, broke records for most-watched YouTube video of all time. Charmed by the iconic horse-riding dance that Psy performs in the video, fans created their own parodies of the video. The collective exposure swept Psy to inter-national attention, allowing the rap star to sing and gallop onto talk, variety, and award shows all around the world.

Psy has also faced backlash in his surge to fame, particu-larly among Americans. A controversy arose when Ameri-cans got wind of Psy’s rap interlude in the Korean rock song “Dear American,” which includes explicit and conten-tious anti-American lyrics in regards to the Iraq War. Psy has since profusely apologized for the song.

Despite the ebb and flow of Psy’s popularity in both American and international pop culture, he is without a doubt the biggest Asian star to rise in recent years, and his stardom doesn’t show any sign of slowing down. With sev-eral public appearances still booked and a new album on the way later this year, Psy will definitely continue to be a major player in the pop culture scene this coming year.

Vivian Nguyen can be reached at [email protected].


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{KOREA cont’d from page 4}

operates a tourism company that specializes in North Korea, the reports said.

The North Korean dispatch said officials from the Swedish

Embassy met with the American on Friday, but there were no other details about the meeting.

Karl-Olof Andersson, Sweden’s ambassador to North Ko-rea, told The Associated Press he could not comment on the case and referred the matter to the U.S. State Department. Sweden represents the United States in diplomatic affairs in

North Korea, since Washington and Pyongyang do not have diplomatic relations.

The detained American is undergoing “legal treatment,” according to North Korea’s criminal law, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said.

{BLOG cont’d from page 11}

and some of them were back-to-back with our event. Guests flew from as far as Washington D. C. and Montana for one of our honorees. The quality of our honorees was impressive.

Privately, Inslee made an interesting but golden comment, “I think we’ve got a Super Bowl team (referring to the Se-ahawks).” Even the bystanders didn’t believe what they had heard. Then, the Seahawks beat the 49ers just two weeks ago and are heading to the playoffs.

China Harbor owner, Hsiao Ling Sun, praised our Dec. 7 event. “Great atmosphere,” she said.

I had never seen folks mingling so much at one event. When the program ended at 8:30 p.m., many refused to leave. They hung around passing the hour.

From the program to guests’ interaction, everything clicked amazingly well. What a way for the Asian Weekly to wrap the year of 2012, a memorable night for our honorees and guests!

1. Fearless

On Dec. 31, before the bells chime into 2013, I suddenly realized that everything I wished to accomplish in 2012, we aced.

If anyone told me at the beginning of 2012 that we would

be organizing 12 events, more than any other year before, I would be hesitant to commit. As opportunities landed on our plate, my people learned to be fearless and captured them one by one. Never before have I felt so gutsy and confident that we could do it all.

Aside from the events, there were many remarkable stories and issues I am proud of, and our writers had worked tireless-ly. There were also rare advertising accounts, which knocked on our doors, and our staff served them diligently.

We are so grateful to all of you who support us and see us grow over the decades! May our fighting spirit of “Yes, we can!” lead us all the way to 2013!

Have a story idea that you think would fit

perfectly in Northwest Asian Weekly?

We want to know about it.

Send it to us at [email protected].


“Secret Asian Man” comic books are now available at the Kinokuniya bookstore in Seattle.

{SONGS cont’d from page 9}

8. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu - “CANDY CANDY”19-year-old Kyary Pamyu Pamyu burst onto the J-pop scene in

2011 with her first promotional single “PonPonPon.” The song’s colorful music video, featuring psychedelic giant eyeballs and floating slices of bread, went viral and fashion blogger-turned-pop star Pamyu became Japan’s resident pop princess. The re-petitive, sugary sweet lyrics of “CANDY CANDY” are guaran-teed to stick in your brain after your first listen. Definitely look out for more from Kyary in 2013 — she recently announced her first world tour that includes stops in Los Angeles and New York.

7. SHINee - “Sherlock”The moment Sherlock’s intro reverberates out of the speak-

ers, you know it’s time to report to the dance floor. Lifted from the mini-album of the same name and released as their Korean comeback single after a lengthy absence, “Sherlock” stormed the charts. The video features choreography from Tony Testa, who has previously worked with Michael Jackson and Kylie Minogue. Promoted by their record label as a “Hybrid Remix,” Sherlock is the fusing of the songs “Clue” and “Note” that ulti-mately creates a club stomper of a song. Sherlock proves that the band has perfected a flawless approach to all its performances and overall presentation.

6. 4Minute - “Volume Up”Don’t let the saxophone-heavy intro fool you — Volume Up is

one of the most modern, addictive K-pop tracks in recent mem-ory. The club anthem, with its bouncy dance-pop beat and a fist-pumping chorus, makes the room completely shake. The most recognizable member of 4Minute, HyunA, has already achieved

chart success for her solo songs “Bubble Pop!” and “Ice Cream,” not to mention her cameo appearance in Psy’s “Gangnam Style” and its sister-song “Oppa Is Just My Style.”

5. Perfume - “Spending All My Time”The members of Perfume are living legends of J-pop. From

humble beginnings to major label stars, Perfume has released three album and over 20 singles, all to commercial and critical acclaim. A departure from their previous work, while keeping with their signature style, “Spending All My Time” is the first Perfume song to be performed entirely in English. The result is a David Guetta-style dance song that would sound right at home on American charts, featuring some of the strangest and coolest choreography in recent memory. “Spending All My Time” is an experimental single for Perfume, and with rumors of a potential world tour on the horizon, 2013 will no doubt be another exciting year for Perfume fans.

4. T-ara - “Lovey-Dovey”T-ara is perhaps K-pop’s best singles group. They’ve released

some truly iconic K-pop singles since their debut in 2009 (see “Bo Peep Bo Peep,” “Roly-Poly,” and “Sexy Love,” among oth-ers), but it was January’s “Lovey-Dovey” that cemented the group as a serious contender for the title of K-pop’s leading girl group. K-pop has a knack for fusing infectious sounds with ir-resistible choreography. The “Lovey-Dovey” shuffle dance put fans in awe, as did the three music videos to promote the song.

3. TVXQ! - “Android”South Korean duo TVXQ! (formally a five-piece group) re-

leased this Japanese single, which was their 34th, in July. “An-droid” instantly became the group’s 11th Oricon Weekly chart

topper (breaking their own record). It’s easy to see why this song was such a smash — the hook is catchy and singable, and the synths and percussion give the song a unique kick, especially when married to the smooth, im-maculate production. TXVQ! has just announced plans for a 2013 world tour, with rumored dates in the United States, UK, France, Australia, Russia, and China, as well as confirmed plans for a dome tour in Japan, held in the five major concert venues of Sapporo, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka. TVXQ is only the fourth foreign artist to have a five-dome tour after Bon Jovi, the Eagles, and Billy Joel.

2. Girls’ Generation - “Paparazzi”Releasing songs in Korean, English, and, like this

track, Japanese, Girls’ Generation is a force to be reck-oned with in the worldwide pop game. Perhaps their big-gest career highlight was in early 2012 when the girls performed on The Late Show with David Letterman and Live with Kelly!, becoming the first Korean musical act to do so. Girls’ Generation-TTS, a trio of Girls’ Generation’s otherwise nine members, also released the Twinkle EP in April 2012, which currently holds the U.S. Billboard record for the highest charting Korean album. Paparazzi is an electro-pop jam whose “life is a party!” chorus cre-ated the biggest hands-in-the-air moment of any J/K-pop song of 2012. Look for more Girls’ Generation in 2013, as the girls are scheduled to release a new Korean album, embark on their second Japanese arena tour, and begin promoting an album of all English-language material.

1. Big Bang – “Fantastic Baby”Besides “Gangnam Style,” this is the song that will

hands down fill the dance floor at every JKPOP! night. Taken from the wildly successful Alive EP, South Ko-rean five-member boy group Big Bang has seen their fandom go worldwide, playing sold-out arena concerts in the United States, England, Peru, and multiple countries across Asia. Big Bang and “Fantastic Baby” encompasses all that there is so love about K-pop — heavy beats, futur-istic style, colorful visuals, aggressive swag, and wraps it all up into the best dance song of the year. The members’ solo material is equally as infectious. G-Dragon’s “One of a Kind” album and its stand-out single “Crayon” is abso-lutely worth your time.

Reese Umbaugh a.k.a DJ Bishie is the curator/DJ of JK-POP!, Seattle’s monthly Japanese & Korean pop music dance night. More on JKPOP! at JKPOPNIGHT.com.

Reese Umbaugh can be reached at [email protected].

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{ACHIEVEMENTS cont’d from page 5}

the second World Bank president to be born outside of the United States.

7. In other November 2012 election news, Grace Meng became New York’s first Asian American in Congress. At 37, she defeated Republican City Councilman Dan Halloran in her historic win to become New York’s 6th congressional district Con-gresswoman. According to unofficial re-sults, Meng received 68 percent of the vote. Her father Jimmy Meng became the first Asian American to be elected to the leg-islature in New York state history in 2004.

8. Last November, Tri Ta became the first Vietnamese American mayor of West-minster, the largest Vietnamese district outside of Vietnam. Westminster also is the first city in the nation to have a Vietnamese American majority on the City Council. Ta was born in Saigon, Vietnam, and moved to the United States with his family in 1992 when he was 19.

9. Miranda Du became a U.S. District Judge for the District Court for the District of Nevada a few months after President Obama submitted his nomination. Du re-placed Roger L. Hunt to become the first Asian American to serve as an Article III judge in Nevada and the second Vietnam-ese American to become a federal judge. According to the Democrats website, al-most 6 percent of President Obama’s con-

firmed judges have been AAPI, compared to just 1 percent for Presidents Bush and Clinton.

10. Snigdha Nandipati, a 15-year-old eighth-grader at Francis Parker School in La Jolla, Calif., won the 85th Scripps National Spelling Bee. Nandipati correctly spelled “guetapens,” a French-derived word that means an ambush, snare, or trap. Her grand-

parents flew all the way from Hyderabad in southeastern India to witness her prized moment. Nandipati took home the trophy and more than $40,000 in cash and prizes.

Nina Huang can be reached at [email protected].


pearl leungCommunity Relations Manager

vulcan

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Bellevue College

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valley Medical Center

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Wing luke Asian Museum

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Washington Women in need

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women of power: building bridgesReaching out beyond their own community bringing people together

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{SPORTS cont’d from page 10}

Olympics, the city of Bremerton declared August 27, 2012, “Nathan Adrian Day” to celebrate its native son’s achievement.

1. Jeremy Lin — For a stretch in February, Jeremy Lin was the NBA. SportsCenter (and fans) went nuts over the story of an undrafted Asian American kid that slept on his brother’s couch because he did not know if he’d stick with the New York Knicks.

Lin’s romance with the media and New York came to an abrupt end when a knee injury kept Lin out of the playoffs. As a free agent, Lin had the opportunity to sign with any other team or stay with New York. An unreal offer from the Houston Rockets gave Lin financial security and the opportunity for change.

Despite Lin leaving the Big Apple, the New York Knicks appear to be better than it was last year and Lin’s new team is struggling. This season, Lin is still trying to find his shot, although he had a 38-point game against the San Antonio Spurs, which made everyone remember Linsanity. Poor play cannot keep Lin down, though, as he is close to making this year’s NBA All Star game, which will be in Houston.

Jeremy Lin created much more off the court than on the court. He was a worldwide sensation and cultural phenomenon. Lin made Time’s list of the “100 Most Influential People in the World” for 2012. He even had a musical produced in honor of his ascension from benchwarmer to superstar, and the NBA produced Jeremy Lin dolls sporting his likeness. Lin admirably handled the pressure and scrutiny of his celebrity status. While there has been some backlash upon receiving a three-year contract for $25 million, Lin is still a hero to many Asian American kids with a dream of playing in the NBA.

Jason Cruz can be reached at [email protected].

{INDIA cont’d from page 4}

to report the rapes, and the rare prosecutions that reach courts drag on for years.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he was aware of the emotions the attack has stirred, adding it was up to all Indians to ensure that the young woman’s death will not have been in vain.

The victim “passed away peacefully” early Saturday at Mount Elizabeth hospital in Singa-pore, with her family and officials of the Indian Embassy by her side, Dr. Kevin Loh, the chief executive of the hospital, said in a statement.

After 10 days at a hospital in New Delhi, the Indian capital, the woman was brought Thursday to Mount Elizabeth, which special-izes in multi-organ transplants. Loh said the woman had been in extremely critical condi-tion since Thursday, and by late Friday, her condition had taken a turn for the worse, with her vital signs deteriorating.

“Despite all efforts by a team of eight spe-cialists in Mount Elizabeth hospital to keep her stable, her condition continued to deterio-rate over these two days,” Loh said.

The woman and a male friend, who have not been identified, were on a bus in New Delhi after watching a film on the evening of Dec. 16 when they were attacked by six men who raped her. The men beat the couple and inserted an iron rod into the woman’s body, resulting in severe organ damage. Both were then stripped and thrown off the bus, accord-ing to police.

As news of the victim’s death reached New Delhi, hundreds of policemen sealed off the high-security India Gate area, where the seat of India’s government is located, in anticipa-tion of more protests.

The area is home to the president’s palace, the prime minister’s office and key defense, external affairs and home ministries, and has been the scene of battles between protesters and police for days after the attack.

Police were allowing people to assemble at the Jantar Mantar and Ramlila grounds, the main areas allotted for protests in New Delhi,

Bhagat said.Mourners gathered at Jantar Mantar to ex-

press their grief and demand stronger protec-tion for women and the death penalty for rape, which is now punishable by a maximum of life imprisonment. Women face daily harass-ment across India, ranging from catcalls on the streets, to groping and touching in public transport, to rape.

They put a wreath studded with white flow-ers on the road, lit a candle, and sat around it in a silent tribute to the young woman. Mem-bers of a theatre group nearby played small tambourine and sang songs urging the society to wake up and end discrimination against women.

Dipali, a working woman who uses one name, said the rape victim deserved justice. “I hope it never happens again to any girl,” she said.

Dozens of students of Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi marched silently to the bus stop from where the rape victim and her friend had boarded the bus on Dec. 16. They carried placards reading “She is not with us but her story must awaken us.”

Sonia Gandhi, the governing Congress party chief, assured the protesters in a state-ment that the rape victim’s death “deepens our determination to battle the pervasive, the shameful social attitudes, and mindset that al-low men to rape and molest women and girls with such an impunity.”

The protesters heckled Sheila Dikshit, the top elected leader of New Delhi state, when she came to express her sympathy with them and forced her to leave the protest venue. They blamed her for the deteriorating law and order situation in the Indian capital.

Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said the woman’s death was a sobering reminder of the widespread sexual violence in India.

“The outrage now should lead to law re-form that criminalizes all forms of sexual assault, [and] strengthens mechanisms for implementation and accountability, so that the victims are not blamed and humiliated,”

Ganguly said.Prime Minister Singh said he understood

the angry reaction to the attack and that he hoped all Indians would work together to make appropriate changes.

“These are perfectly understandable reac-tions from a young India and an India that genuinely desires change,” Singh said in a statement Saturday. “It would be a true hom-age to her memory if we are able to channel these emotions and energies into a construc-tive course of action.”

Mamta Sharma, head of the state-run Na-tional Commission for Women, said the “time has come for strict laws” to stop violence against women. “The society has to change its mindset to end crimes against women,” she said.

Indian attitudes toward rape are so en-trenched that even politicians and opinion makers have often suggested that women should not go out at night or wear clothes that might be seen as provocative.

Separately, authorities in Punjab state took action Thursday when an 18-year-old woman killed herself by drinking poison a month af-ter she told police she was gang-raped.

State authorities suspended one police of-ficer and fired two others on accusations that they delayed investigating and taking action in the case. The three accused in the rape were arrested only on Thursday night, a month af-ter the crime was reported.

“This is a very sensitive crime, I have taken it very seriously,” said Paramjit Singh Gill, a top police officer in the city of Patiala.

The Press Trust of India reported that the woman was raped on Nov. 13 and reported the attack to police on Nov. 27. But police ha-rassed the girl, asked her embarrassing ques-tions, and took no action against the accused, PTI reported, citing police sources.

Associated Press writers Heather Tan and Faris Mokhtar in Singapore and Ravi Nessman in New Delhi contributed to this report.

vol 32 no 2 | january 5 – january 11, 2013

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