Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Korean movie The King's Warden (왕과 사는 남자) stays in Pittsburgh through March 23.


The 2026 Korean movie The King's Warden (왕과 사는 남자), which opened in Pittsburgh on March 13, will stay here through March 23.
In a remote mountain village of 15th-century Joseon, a humble headman, Heung-do, hears a rumor that any village hosting an exiled nobleman will be blessed with abundance and fortune. Hoping to bring prosperity to his impoverished community, he eagerly submits a petition to host one—unaware that his guest is none other than the fallen monarch, the deposed boy-king Danjong. While an unlikely bond begins to form between the dethroned ruler and the man assigned to watch over him, the quiet village finds itself drawn into the perilous undercurrents of royal intrigue—where loyalty and survival collide.
It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.

Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Krunchy Bird Korean Fried Chicken opens in Mt. Lebanon.


Krunchy Bird Korean Fried Chicken, offering Korean-style chicken sandwiches, wings, and tenders, has opened in Mt. Lebanon. It is located at 325 Mt. Lebanon Blvd. (map), in the former Oya Sushi location.

4K restoration of 1989 Japanese animated movie Kiki's Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便) stays in Pittsburgh through March 25.


A 4K restoration of 1989 Japanese animated movie Kiki's Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便), which opened in the Pittsburgh area from March 12, will stay here through (at least) March 25.
It is a tradition for all young witches to leave their families on the night of a full moon and fly off into the wide world to learn their craft. When that night comes for Kiki, she embarks on her new journey with her sarcastic black cat, Jiji, landing the next morning in a seaside village, where her unique skills make her an instant sensation. Don’t miss this delightfully imaginative and timeless story of a young girl finding her way in the world[.]
It is scheduled to play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, and tickets are available online.

2026 Chinese movie Pegasus 3 (飞驰人生3) remains in Pittsburgh through March 25.


The 2026 Chinese movie Pegasus 3 (飞驰人生3), which opened in Pittsburgh on February 27, will remain here through at least March 25. It is the highest-grossing film in China in 2026 thus far, and is the 11th-highest-grossing film in China of all time.
After the final stage at Bayanbulak, Zhang Chi (played by Shen Teng) is invited to compete in a brand-new event, the “Muchen 100 Rally,” as the head coach of the team. The once “wild” racer now steps onto the international stage. Facing a completely new course filled with top-tier competitors, Sun Yuqiang (played by Yin Zheng) and Ji Xing (played by Zhang Benyu) once again fight side by side with Zhang Chi. Powerful drivers such as Lin Zhendong (played by Huang Jingyu) are also invited to join, and a team built on top-level speed and shared belief is formed. However, Zhang Chi soon realizes that the true challenge does not seem to come from the race itself. Beneath the surface, tensions are rising beyond the track, casting uncertainty over their high-speed journey ahead.
It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.

Self-Chef Mongolian Stir-Fry and Sushi to open in Castle Shannon on March 18 now open in Castle Shannon.


Self-Chef Mongolian Stir-Fry and Sushi will open in Castle Shannon on March 18 is now open in Castle Shannon, in the former Linden Grove spot. Signage went up in the fall at 1100 Grove Road (map).

The menu, posted on their official site, features primarily sushi, sashimi, rolls, and Japanese appetizers and desserts at this point:  

2025 Amy Wang film Slanted stays in Pittsburgh through March 25.


The 2025 Amy Wang film Slanted, which opened in Pittsburgh on March 12, will remain here through March 25.
As a senior in high school, Joan Huang idolizes winning Prom Queen as the embodiment of popularity, beauty and the ultimate form of acceptance into American life. In her relentless pursuit for the crown, she undergoes an experimental racial transformation to become White and win Prom Queen. However, what she thought was a dream come true soon reveals itself to be an emotional and physical nightmare. "Slanted" offers a searing and unapologetically satirical view on race and the uncomfortable journey of learning to love.
It plays locally now at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theater in Robinson through the 19th, and the AMC Loews Waterfront after that, and tickets are available online.

Bong Joon Ho film Okja (옥자), Hayao Miyazaki film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (風の谷のナウシカ) at Row House Cinema, from April 17.


The 2017 Bong Joon Ho film Okja (옥자) and the 1984 Hayao Miyazaki film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (風の谷のナウシカ) will play at the Row House Lawrenceville from April 17, part of its "Touch Grass" series focused on "eco-conscious, sustainable, renewable, biodegradable, nature-friendly cinema."

Okja's last theatrical run here was in 2017, part of a Bong Joon Ho film fest at the Row House Lawrenceville.
Bong Joon Ho’s magical film follows a young girl named Mija who risks everything to prevent a powerful, multi-national company from kidnapping her best friend – a massive animal named Okja.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Windhas a theatrical run around once a year in Pittsburgh.
After a global war, the seaside kingdom known as the Valley of the Wind remains one of the last strongholds on Earth untouched by a poisonous jungle and the powerful insects that guard it. Led by the courageous Princess Nausicaä, the people of the Valley engage in an epic struggle to restore the bond between humanity and Earth.

Note: Shows marked as English have audio dubbed in English. All other shows have audio in Japanese and subtitles in English.
The movies play through April 23, and tickets are available online. The Row House Cinema is a single-screen theater located at 4115 Butler St. in Lawrenceville (map).

Monday, March 16, 2026

Work progresses on second KuJiRa location in Bridgeville, after briefly taking "Nami" name.


Work progresses on a second KuJiRa restaurant, coming soon to Chartiers Valley Shopping Center in Bridgeville. KuJiRa is an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant in Shadyside.

This was first teased in an October 2025 social media post by Legacy Realty, but when I visited the spot in December signage was up for Nami Japanese Kitchen & Bar. However, maybe the Nami signage was a ruse to keep the location partially hidden until more permanent signage could go up; the banner features a whale--kujira is Japanese for whale--and the same font as the temporary Kujira signage from 2023.

A huge local restaurant trend in 2023 and 2024 was planning---and sometimes opening---all-you-can-eat hotpot and Korean-style BBQ places, while a trend for 2025 was opening all-you-can-eat sushi places: 8 Star in Gibsonia, Let's Sushi in Wexford, and Koi Steakhouse and Sushi Bar in Monroeville opened over the past year, and Oyoshi in East Liberty is still under construction. KuJiRa will be located in the former Vocelli's Pizza (map).

Chinese Culture Summer Camp with Yanlai Dance Academy, August 3 - 7 and August 17 - 21.


Yanlai Dance Academy in the North Hills will host two sessions of Chinese Culture Summer Camp for kids ages 5 - 11. One session will span from August 3 through 7, another from August 17 through 21, and both run 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. The camps "include Chinese folk dance, paper crafts, art and more!"

Those interested in registering should contact PACCL.edu at gmail.com. Yanlai Dance Academy is a dance school in the North Hills that has long specialized in traditional and contemporary Chinese dances for all ages, as well hosting as Kpop sessions and adult dance troupes. It is located at 2260 Babcock Blvd. (map).

Saturday, March 14, 2026

Bombing Pot coming soon to The Waterfront.


Bombing Pot, an all-you-can-eat sush, Chinese-style hot pot, and Korean-style BBQ place, is coming pretty soon to the Waterfront, according to the shopping center's social media. When it was announced for the area in September 2024 it was known as Running Dish, a concept with a Sterling, VA location from the team behind Sushi Bomb in Robinson. It is listed in the directory in the spot across from Starbucks formerly occupied by Versona, Charming Charlie, and American Eagle.