"We Learn" Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Korean classes resume at Carnegie Library in Oakland, Saturdays from December 6.

Photo via the Korea Tourism Organization.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh branch in Oakland will resume its free "We Learn" Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Korean classes Saturdays from December 6 through February 28, after finishing its most recent session on November 15. From the class Facebook group:

We’re excited to kick off the winter cycle starting December 6th! 
Here is the full class schedule:

Class Dates

December: 6th, 13th
January: 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st
February: 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th

All classes will be held at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in Oakland – Classroom A.

Class Levels & Times

Advanced: 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Intermediate: 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
Beginner: 12:45 PM – 1:30 PM

Looking forward to seeing you all in the winter session! 

Registration links might be available on the library's website ahead of the first weekend. The Oakland branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is located at 4400 Forbes Ave. (map), accessible by numerous city bus lines.

 

Concert film MONSTA X : CONNECT X IN CINEMAS in Pittsburgh, December 3 and 7.

The concert film MONSTA X : CONNECT X IN CINEMAS, with Korean pop group Monsta X, will play in Pittsburgh on December 3 and 7.

In July 2025, MONSTA X set the KSPO DOME ablaze over three unforgettable days with their show 2025 MONSTA X CONNECT X. From the powerful live band session and a setlist packed with spectacular performances, to never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage of the preparation process, and exclusive, heartfelt interviews where the members reflect on their intense 10-year journey — this film captures it all. A chronicle of a decade-long story written together by MONSTA X and MONBEBE.

It is scheduled to play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville and Robinson, and tickets are available online.

2025 compilation film JUJUTSU KAISEN: Execution (劇場版 呪術廻戦「渋谷事変 特別編集版」×「死滅回游 先行上映」) in Pittsburgh, from December 4.

The 2025 compilation film JUJUTSU KAISEN: Execution (劇場版 呪術廻戦「渋谷事変 特別編集版」×「死滅回游 先行上映」) will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters from December 4.

A veil abruptly descends over the busy Shibuya area amid the bustling Halloween crowds, trapping countless civilians inside. Satoru Gojo, the strongest jujutsu sorcerer, steps into the chaos. But lying in wait are curse users and spirits scheming to seal him away. Yuji Itadori, accompanied by his classmates and other top-tier jujutsu sorcerers, enters the fray in an unprecedented clash of curses — the Shibuya Incident. In the aftermath, ten colonies across Japan are transformed into dens of curses in a plan orchestrated by Noritoshi Kamo, the most wicked sorcerer in history. As the deadly Culling Game starts, Special Grade sorcerer Yuta Okkotsu is assigned to carry out Yuji’s execution for his perceived crimes. The desperate confrontation between Satoru Gojo’s two beloved students comes to the big screen with an early preview. Be the first to experience Yuji and Yuta’s fateful battle with the hotly anticipated kickoff to Season 3 in theatres nationwide.

It is scheduled to play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, AMC Loews Westmoreland in Greensburg, and the Cinemark theaters in McCandless, Monaca, Monroeville, and Robinson, and tickets are available online.

Paris Baguette coming pretty soon to Shadyside after two years of work, now eyes mid-December opening.

Work is rapidly progressing on the Shadyside Paris Baguette, and it's now aiming for a mid-December opening. Some background, back when it was aiming for this month, from the Tribune Review:

[Owner] Zafar said customers can can expect larger menu from the new Shadyside location.

”Whether it be some personal favorites from the community … anything the community wants from us will actually happily make for them we just need to test that on the market,” he said.

Some of the special items Zafar has on the menu include: Asian sweet rice doughnuts, mango coconut cake and potato bread. Zafar aims to have eight bakers on his staff, who will make this items fresh each morning.

The inside of the building will have a glass dome display case to show off the baked goods, penny tile and an exposed wooden ceiling, he said.

It was first announced for Walnut Street in January 2024, back before the region's first Paris Baguette opened in the Norh Hills. The Shadyside location will be located at 5514 Walnut St., in what was William Sonoma until January 2022. In 2024, the year both locations were set to open in Pittsburgh, the franchisee announced plans to open five Paris Baguette cafes in the area.

Ting Tong Chang (張碩尹) The Hidden Shift on exhibit at Mattress Factory through January 3, 2027.

Ting Tong Chang's The Hidden Shift, which opened at the Mattress Factory on November 22, will remain on exhibit at the Mattress Factory through January 3, 2027.

In the summer of 2024, Ting Tong Chang spent the better part of a week exploring Pittsburgh, during which time he learned of the pivotal role the region played in the history of organized labor. He was particularly struck by the 1892 Homestead Strike — a violent confrontation between workers and Henry Clay Frick’s Pinkerton agents – and the extreme power imbalances it highlighted. Drawing inspiration from these events, as well as from the Mattress Factory’s own layered history of industrial and cultural production, the Taiwanese-born artist worked alongside local filmmakers Alex Abrahams and Benny Shaffer to create a story that would weave these threads together. The resulting work is a murder mystery film set in a fictional macaroni factory, where the factory owner is found dead and each character carries their own potential motives and suspicions.

This film noir–inspired work began as a three-act play. Here it becomes juxtaposed with a documentary style “making of” film. It is both a film and a film about the making of that film.

This cinematic device is further complicated by the casting of museum staff as the film’s actors. What emerges is not just a behind-the-scenes look into the creative process but an intimate portrait of daily museum life. Alongside cast rehearsals and set building, we see staff using the copy machine, greeting visitors, and cracking jokes at a morning meeting. The result is a twisting metanarrative that dissolves the boundaries between art and labor, performance and production. Through its structure and story, The Hidden Shift invites viewers to grapple with complex questions surrounding capitalism, the meaning of work, and the precarity of the so-called ‘creative class.’

This blending of reality and fiction extends beyond the screen, unfolding further within the exhibition space. Here, visitors encounter remnants of the film set – hand painted backdrops, leftover props, and dramatic lighting. By positioning the audience within the physical traces of the film’s production, Chang creates a bodily experience that unsettles our sense of what is real and what is constructed. We find ourselves unwittingly stepping onto a stage that slowly reveals itself.

At the climax of the film, the two juxtaposed narratives begin collapsing into each other. Staff are shown in costume walking through the museum. Fictional characters break the fourth wall. A boom mic operator slips into frame. This self-awareness and subtle humor is common in Chang’s work, where drama and satire merge, offering a lens to help us understand our complex past as we confront an uncertain future.

The museum is located at at 500 Sampsonia Way, in the Mexican War Streets neighborhood of the North Side (map).

2025 Park Chan-wook film No Other Choice (어쩔수가없다) in Pittsburgh, December 8.

The 2025 Park Chan-wook film No Other Choice (어쩔수가없다) will play in Pittsburgh on December 8, part of an IMAX Early Access Screening.

From director Park Chan-wook and based on Donald E. Westlake's novel THE AX, the story follows Man-su on his desperate hunt for a new job after his abrupt layoff from the paper company he served for 25 years.

It is scheduled to play at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.

2025 Japanese animated movie Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc (劇場版 チェンソーマン レゼ篇) stays in Pittsburgh through (at least) December 3.

The 2025 Japanese animated movie Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc (劇場版 チェンソーマン レゼ篇) which opened in Pittsburgh on October 23, will remain here through (at least) December 3.

For the first time, Chainsaw Man slashes his way onto the big screen in an epic, action-fueled adventure that continues the hugely popular anime series. Denji worked as a Devil Hunter for the yakuza, trying to pay off the debt he inherited from his parents, until the yakuza betrayed him and had him killed. As he was losing consciousness, Denji’s beloved chainsaw-powered devil-dog, Pochita, made a deal with Denji and saved his life. This fused the two together, creating the unstoppable Chainsaw Man. Now, in a brutal war between devils, hunters, and secret enemies, a mysterious girl named Reze has stepped into his world, and Denji faces his deadliest battle yet, fueled by love in a world where survival knows no rules.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, and tickets are available online.

Concert film SEVENTEEN WORLD TOUR [NEW_] IN JAPAN: LIVE VIEWING in Pittsburgh, November 29.

The upcoming concert film SEVENTEEN WORLD TOUR [NEW_] IN JAPAN: LIVE VIEWING will play in Pittsburgh on November 29.

Celebrating their 10th anniversary, SEVENTEEN embarks on a monumental new journey with their world tour [NEW_], symbolizing a fresh start and endless possibilities ahead. Known as a performance powerhouse, SEVENTEEN delivers dynamic stages, reimagined choreography, and solo performances that spotlight each member’s growth and artistry. From Incheon to North America and across Asia, the journey culminates in the Nagoya concert, broadcast live to cinemas worldwide on November 29. Experience SEVENTEEN’s passion, unity, and energy; on the big screen, together with fans around the world.

It is scheduled to play locally, so far, at the Cinemark theater in Robinson, and tickets for the two shows that day are available online.

2026 Greater Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Gala (大匹兹堡地区马年春节晚会), February 7 at Pittsburgh Playhouse.

The 2026 Greater Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Gala (大匹兹堡地区马年春节晚会) will be held February 7 at Pittsburgh Playhouse.

The 2026 Greater Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Gala, presented by the Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Center (PCCC), will take place on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, PNC Theater. Free cultural activities open to the public will begin at 4:00 PM, followed by the main performances at 6:00 PM.

As the largest and most influential Lunar New Year celebration in the Greater Pittsburgh region, the Gala brings together leaders and audiences from government, universities, corporations, and communities, serving as a key platform for cultural celebration and cross-cultural connection.

Ebara Elliott Energy in Jeannette hiring HR Representative (Fluent in Japanese).

Ebara Elliott Energy is hiring an HR Representative bilingual in English and Japanese. The job ad, via the Japan America Society of Pennsylvania newsletter:

Overview & Responsibilities

HR Professional with 3-5 years of prior human resources experience to drive cross-border HR initiatives between our US and Japan teams. This role combines full-cycle HR generalist support, project management, cross-border project leadership, confidential data handling, and cultural/policy advocacy in a fast-paced, global environment.

Key Responsibilities

Bilingual Communication & Collaboration

• Serve as the primary HR liaison between US headquarters and the Japan HR team.

• Conduct meetings, draft correspondence, and translate HR policies, announcements, training materials, executive communications, and other documents in fluent English and Japanese, ensuring cultural nuance.

• Ensure US practices align with Tokyo HQ governance, ethics codes, and reporting calendars.

• Partner with Japan HR on employment matters (onboarding, performance management, terminations, benefits alignment).