Harmony in Tradition: The 27th Greater Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Fair and Show, February 4 at Carnegie Museum of Art.

"Harmony in Tradition: The 27th Greater Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Fair and Show" will take place on February 4 at the Carnegie Museum of Art.

Join us for a mesmerizing Lunar New Year celebration where ancient Chinese traditions meet Pittsburgh’s vibrant performing arts landscape creating a world where cultural diversity shines! Spend the afternoon immersed in an experience that brings together ancient traditions and contemporary aesthetics, fostering the collective and collaborative spirit in our community. The event is divided into two segments: the Fair and the Show, each presenting an exciting array of movement, music, and tradition.

The 27th Greater Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Celebration is presented by the Chinese Association of Science and Technology Pittsburgh Chapter with collaboration and support by Carnegie Museum of Art, a partnership that reinforces both organizations’ commitment to cultural exchange and mutual understanding.

Tickets are available online, with discounted prices for museum members. The event runs from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Carnegie Museum of Art, located at 4400 Forbes Ave. in Oakkland (map) and accessible by a number of city buses.

"Robo-Sexism: Designing and Programming Gender in Robots and AI with Perspectives from Japan" at Carnegie Mellon University, February 16.

The Department of Modern Languages at Carnegie Mellon University will host Dr. Jennifer Robertson and her talk "Robo-Sexism: Designing and Programming Gender in Robots and AI with Perspectives from Japan" on February 16.

Roboticists are designing gendered robots based on simplified sex and gender stereotypes of human female and male bodies. Some of these gendered robots are programmed with algorithms – or A.I. (“artificial intelligence”) – similarly based on their presumption of inherent human female and male behavioral differences. For this talk, guest lecturer Jennifer Robertson, Ph.D., will focus primarily on what she and others find problematic and even troubling about the construction of gender in robot design and A.I. algorithms. Robertson acknowledges that sex-gender bias exists not just among hardware and software designers, who take for granted the binary division of sex and gender. She notes that this bias is also prevalent among users and consumers, which, Robertson argues, is an underlying problem in the emerging field of kansei kōgaku, or “affective engineering,” based on applying user preferences in industrial design. In this talk, she will also consider the concept and possibilities of “queering” robots and A.I.

The Japanese Studies program is pleased to welcome Jennifer Robertson to campus for this talk. Robertson is a Professor Emerita of Anthropology and on the faculty of the Robotics Institute at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

The talk runs from 12:00 to 2:00 pm in Posner Hall room 340 (map).

The Peking Acrobats performing at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, February 27.

The Peking Acrobats will perform at IUP, roughly 60 miles east of Pittsburgh, on February 27.

For the last thirty two years, The Peking Acrobats® have redefined audience perceptions of Chinese acrobatics. They perform daring maneuvers atop a precarious pagoda of chairs and display their technical prowess at such arts as trick-cycling, precision tumbling, juggling, somersaulting, and gymnastics. They push the limits of human ability, defying gravity with amazing displays of contortion, flexibility, and control.

The show takes place in the Fisher Auditorium (map) and tickets ranging from $10 to $20 are available online.

Lunar New Year Celebration, February 10 at Cooper-Siegel Community Library in Fox Chapel.

The Cooper-Siegel Community Library will host a Lunar New Year Celebration on February 10.

Celebrate and learn about the Lunar New Year! This annual celebration with a wide variety of different festival activities is organized by the Asian community of the Fox Chapel area. Enjoy traditional Chinese music performed by Dorseyville Middle School students, taekwondo performed by the Young Brothers Taekwondo School students, a dragon parade, storytelling, crafts, as well as treats and gifts.

All ages are welcome.

The event runs from 2:00 to 3:30 pm. Registration is required and can be completed online. The Cooper-Siegel Community Library is located at 403 Fox Chapel Rd. (map).

"Characters across Asia: Using "Kanji" to write Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese," February 1 at University of Pittsburgh.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures will host Dr. Zev Handel and his talk "Characters across Asia: Using "Kanji" to write Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese" on February 1.

Chinese characters originated in China over 3,000 years ago. Prior to their creation, East Asia was completely devoid of writing. By the time of the Han Dynasty (202 BCE - 220 CE), China already had a long literary tradition, a flourishing culture, and a sophisticated government bureaucracy. In this talk, Professor Handel will explain how the building blocks of the Chinese script were adapted to represent the words and sounds of Japanese, Vietnamese, and Korean - and why today, only Japanese still use kanji in their writing.

Zev Handel is a professor of Chinese and chair of the Department of Asian Languages and Literature at the University of Washington, Seattle.

The talk runs from 11:00 to 12:00 in 4127 Sennott Square (map).

Mochi donuts hit the menu at Bubble Bee Shadyside.

Bubble Bee Shadyside, which opened on Centre Ave. in the fall, announced on social media last week that it has added mochi donuts to the menu.

🎉 Welcome to Bubble Bee @ Shadyside! 🎉

We are thrilled to invite you to join our vibrant community of bubble tea enthusiasts right here on Facebook! 🥤

🌟 What sets us apart? 🌟

🍩 Exciting News! Introducing our NEW Mochi Donuts 🍩
Indulge in the delightful fusion of chewy mochi and delectable donuts. These sweet treats are the perfect match for our signature bubble teas.

Ecology, Society, and Imagination in Oyamada Hiroki's The Factory and the Hole, February 14 at Pitt. [Rescheduled]

University of Pittsburgh Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures Master's student Hayley Gerlach will present Ecology, Society, and Imagination in Oyamada Hiroki's The Factory and the Hole on February 14.

Two of Oyamada Hiroko's best-known works are her proletariat debut novella The Factory and her Akutagawa-prize winning novella The Hole. Scholars are only beginning ot shift their focus to Oyamada, and as of yet, litte scholarsly work has been dedicated to analyzing the animals that are characteristic of her writing. In my thesis, I examine the liminal space between human and nonhuman wolrds in Oyamada's speculative fiction and what these spaces say about societal and environmental responsibility. First, I examine The Factory from an ecocritical perspective. I discuss how Oyamada's factory functions as a capitalsist 'ecosystem,' and how the animals on its periphery contribute to and disrupt this ecosystem. I argue that the animals illuminate the human and nonhuman costs of capitalism, while also offering opportunities for resistance. Next, I discuss animals in The Hole. Reminiscent of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the protagonist falls into a hole before encountering a cast of strange characters that lead her to question her own existence. I argue that the wild animals and insects in the rural ecosystem present a fluid and chaotic form of existence that offer an alternative to Asahi's static domestic life and the rigid expectations of womanhood.

The talk runs from 12:00 to 1:00 pm in 1219 Cathedral of Learning.

2024 Spring Japanese Film Series at Maridon Museum begins February 23, with After Life (ワンダフルライフ) , Hula Girls (フラガール), Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫), and Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓).

The Maridon Museum, a museum of Asian art in Butler, will present a 2024 Spring Japanese Film Series from February 23, featuring four Japanese films over the course of two months.

After Life (ワンダフルライフ) - February 23. Presented by Dr. William Covey.
A mid-20th Century social service structure serves as a way station between life and death. Every Monday, deceased individuals check in and social workers prompt them to select a single memory to carry into the afterlife. They have only a few days to choose their happiest memory, which is then designed, staged, and filmed by the workers. This allows souls to relive this moment for eternity, forgetting the rest of their lives and residing within their happiest memory.

Hula Girls (フラガール) - March 21. Presented by Yukako Ishimaru.
In an effort to reverse their economic fortunes, the elders of a small Japanese coal-mining town hire Madoka to create a Hawaiian center tourist attraction. Madoka recruits and trains hula dancers, including Sayuri and Kimiko. With encouragement from Kimiko’s brother Yojiro, Madoka redoubles her efforts to make things work.

Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫) - April 12. Presnted by Misaki Okita.
In the 14th Century, the harmony among humans, animals, and gods started to crumble. Infected by an animal attack, the protagonist, young Ashitaka, seeks a cure from the deer-like god Shishigami. During his journey, he witnesses humans ravaging the Earth, angering the wolf god Moro and Princess Mononoke, his human companion. Ashitaka’s efforts to mediate peace among them resulted in conflict.

Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓) - April 26. Presented by Misaki Okita.
A poignant reflection on the human toll of war, this animated story tracks Seita (Tsutomu Tatsumi), a teen responsible for his younger sister, Setsuko (Ayano Shiraishi), following an American firebombing in WWII that separates them from their parents. Their survival story is both heartbreaking and realistic, as they depend on each other and fight against all odds to remain united and alive.

The movies are free and open to the public, but registration is required and can be made by calling 724.282.0123. The Maridon Museum is located at 322 North Mckean St. in Butler (map).

2006 Satoshi Kon film Paprika (パプリカ) in Pittsburgh, February 7, 8, 11.

The 2006 Japanese animated film Paprika (パプリカ) will play in PIttsburgh from February 7, 8, and 11, the final installment of the Satoshi Kon Fest that's been running the last few months.

Anime Expo Cinema Nights presents the last film ever made by visionary director Satoshi Kon with his mind-bending thriller PAPRIKA, which has been restored in 4K for the first ever. When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patients’ dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist, Paprika, can stop it.

It plays locally at the AMc Lowes Waterfront and the Cinemark Robinson, and tickets are available online.

Teen Time: Jasmine Cho Artivism, at 10 different Carnegie Libraries of Pittsburgh throughout May.

via @jasminemcho 

Teen Time sessions inspired by the work of Local artist, author, and cookie activist Jasmine Cho will run at 10 Carnegie Libraries of Pittsburgh throughout May.

This Teen Time program, centered on local artist Jasmine Cho’s book “Role Models Who Look Like Me: Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders Who Made History” will increase teens’ awareness of notable Asian American and Pacific Islander role models. Teens will then create a portrait based on her style.

The "Teen Time: Jasmine Cho Artivism" events are listed below; participation is reserved for teenagers, and no registration is required. 

• Lawrenceville - May 2, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
• Beechview - May 7, 4:30 - 5:30
• Brookline - May 8, 3:30 - 4:30
• Allegheny - May 8, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
• Homewood - May 8, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
• Hazelwood - May 8, 4:30 - 5:30 pm
• Woods Run - May 14, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
• Southside - May 14, 5:30 - 6:30 pm
• Carrick - May 15, 3:30 - 4:30 pm
• Squirrel Hill - May 21, 3:30 - 4:30 pm

While the event is inspired by the book and Cho's cookie artwork, she is not scheduled to lead the sessions.

Chinese & English Storytime, at Cooper-Siegel Community Library, February 10.

The next Chinese & English Storytime at Cooper-Siegel Community Library is February 10.

Explore the Chinese language through bilingual songs, books, and playful experiences. This program is designed for kids in grades preschool - 2nd grade with their caregivers. 

Registration is required and can be completed online. There is a Chinese & English Storytime scheduled for March 9, April 3, and May 11 as well. The Cooper-Siegel Community Library is located at 403 Fox Chapel Rd. (map).

Wei Lai coming soon to North Hills in old Ting's Kitchen spot, serving dim sum, bubble tea, and other Chinese dishes.

A new Chinese restaurant and bubble tea place, Wei Lai, will open soon in McIntyre Square in the North Hills, in the spot formerly occupied by Ting's Kitchen (map). Translating to "future" in Chinese, menu includes dim sum, bubble tea, and other Chinese dishes, and ownership is aiming for a March opening. 

 Exciting News for Foodies!  WEI LAI is coming soon to the North side near Ross Park Mall! 

At WEI LAI, where Cantonese dim sum meets Taiwanese noodles and boba milk tea. Opening in early March, we'll have dine-in and take-out options for everyone around Pittsburgh!

Stay tuned for delicious updates! 

2023 Celine Song film Past Lives returns to Pittsburgh, from January 26.

The 2023 Celine Song film Past Lives will play in Pittsburgh from January 26 through January 31. From the distributor:

Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, are wrest apart after Nora’s family emigrates from South Korea. Two decades later, they are reunited in New York for one fateful week as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life, in this heartrending modern romance.

The movie opened here in June 2023 and had multiple runs throughout the last half of the year, and it is scheduled to play at the Row House Lawrenceville in February. Past Lives plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and AMC Westmoreland in Greensburg, and tickets are available online.

Miyazaki film The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか) remains in Pittsburgh-area theaters through (at least) January 31.

The 2023 Hayao Miyazaki film The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか), which opened across Pittsburgh-area theaters on December 7, will remain here through (at least) January 31. A synopsis of the movie, from the distributor:

Hayao Miyazaki's first feature film in 10 years, The Boy and the Heron is a hand-drawn, original story written and directed by the Academy Award®-winning director. Produced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki, the film features a musical score from Miyazaki's long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi. The theme song for the film "Spinning Globe" was penned and performed by global J-pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu.

. . .

A young boy named Mahito
yearning for his mother
ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead.
There, death comes to an end,
and life finds a new beginning.


A semi-autobiographical fantasy
about life, death, and creation,
 in tribute to friendship,
from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki.

Tickets are available online for shows at the the AMC Loews Waterfront. Please note, some shows are in Japanese with English subtitles while others are dubbed in English.

Atomic Cinema: GODZILLA (1954) with Alternate Histories, January 23 at Bottlerocket Social Hall.

Bottlerocket Social Hall and Alternate Histories will present Atomic Cinema: GODZILLA (1954) on January 23.

ATOMIC CINEMA brings a screening of the original GODZILLA to Bottlerocket! A free night with games and drinks hosted by ALTERNATE HISTORIES and Pittsburgh's own YINZILLA!

The event starts at 7:30 pm and is free, but online registration is required. Bottlerocket Social Hall is located at 1226 Arlington Ave. in Allentown (map).

Ecology, Society, and Imagination in Oyamada Hiroki's The Factory and the Hole, February 7 14 at Pitt.

University of Pittsburgh Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures Master's student Hayley Gerlach will present Ecology, Society, and Imagination in Oyamada Hiroki's The Factory and the Hole on February 7 14 (the talk has been rescheduled).

Two of Oyamada Hiroko's best-known works are her proletariat debut novella The Factory and her Akutagawa-prize winning novella The Hole. Scholars are only beginning ot shift their focus to Oyamada, and as of yet, litte scholarsly work has been dedicated to analyzing the animals that are characteristic of her writing. In my thesis, I examine the liminal space between human and nonhuman wolrds in Oyamada's speculative fiction and what these spaces say about societal and environmental responsibility. First, I examine The Factory from an ecocritical perspective. I discuss how Oyamada's factory functions as a capitalsist 'ecosystem,' and how the animals on its periphery contribute to and disrupt this ecosystem. I argue that the animals illuminate the human and nonhuman costs of capitalism, while also offering opportunities for resistance. Next, I discuss animals in The Hole. Reminiscent of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the protagonist falls into a hole before encountering a cast of strange characters that lead her to question her own existence. I argue that the wild animals and insects in the rural ecosystem present a fluid and chaotic form of existence that offer an alternative to Asahi's static domestic life and the rigid expectations of womanhood.

The talk runs from 12:00 to 1:00 pm in 1219 Cathedral of Learning.

Black-and-white version Godzilla Minus One Minus Color in Pittsburgh, from January 25.

Godzilla Minus One Minus Color, the black-and-white version of the latest Godzilla film Godzilla Minus One (ゴジラ-1.0), will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters for one week starting January 25. The official Godzilla site writes:

"Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color is not just a simple black and white version," [Director, Screenwriter, and Visual Effects Supervisor Takahashi] Yamazki said, "The colorist took the care and the time to go through a careful and very complex process. The black-and-white images make Godzilla look very realistic and documentary-like, which leads to even more fear. Even we have seen Godzilla many times, but we felt that something completely different appeared there. It is very scary. So this is not only for those who liked Godzilla Minus One but also those who are seeing it for the first time. They should definitely see this black-and-white version. Especially the scene at the beginning where Godzilla appears in the night - it is so terrifying that it made my knees shake!"

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, AMC CLassic South Hills, AMC Westmoreland in Greensburg, AMC Classic South Pike in Sarver, and the Cinemark in Robinson. Tickets are available online.

Godzilla Minus One (ゴジラ-1.0) to remain in Pittsburgh-area theaters through (at least) January 24.

The latest Godzilla movie, Godzilla Minus One (ゴジラ-1.0), which opened in Pittsburgh on November 30, will remain in local theaters through at least January 24.

Japan, devastated after the war, faces a new threat in the form of Godzilla. How will the country confront this impossible situation?

It plays locally in Japanese with English subtitles at the AMC Loews Waterfront, and tickets are available online.

Identity, Inclusion, and Information: THE AANHPI Experience Conference, January 30 and 31 at the University of Pittsburgh.

PittBusiness and the University of Pittsburgh's Screenshot Asian Film Festival will present Identity, Inclusion, and Information: THE AANHPI Experience Conference on January 30 and 31, featuring lectures, a performance by Mai Khoi, and a documentary screening of Out of State. 

• January 30, 4:00 pm - Keynote by Yun-Oh Whang
• January 30, 5:00 pm - "The Importance of Cultivating Belonging for the AAPI Community in Higher Education" panel
• January 30, 6:30 pm - "Bad Activist" performance by Mai Khôi
• January 31, 6:30 pm - Out of State documentary screening

The events are free and open to the public.

"We Learn" Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Korean classes resume at Carnegie Library in Oakland, Saturdays from January 20.

via the Republic of Korea's Flickr page.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh branch in Oakland will resume its free "We Learn" Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Korean classes Saturdays from January 20. 

Pitt Lunar New Year Celebration, February 9.

The University of Pittsburgh's Chinese Program and Chinese Language and Culture Club will host a Lunar Year Year Celebration on February 9.

Come join the Pitt Chinese Program and the Chinese Language and Culture Club to celebrate the Spring Festival with calligraphy (Spring couplets), games, papercutting, snacks, milk tea, and prizes.

The event runs from 3:00 to 5:00 pm in the Kurtzmann Room of the William Pitt Union, and is open to the public.

API Month Conversation with Professor Xiang - "Last Night at the Telegraph Club", January 24 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's University Library System will present API Month Conversation with Professor Xiang - "Last Night at the Telegraph Club" on January 24.

Join the University Library System for a conversation with Professor Lidong Xiang from the English Department to talk about "Last Night at the Telegraph Club" as part of API month at Pitt. The book received National Book Award for Young People's Literature in 2021, but is currently banned from the K-12 schools and libraries in many states. 

The novel tells the story of Lily Hu, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, as she explores her sexuality and the struggles and threats her family faces in 1950's San Francisco during the Red Scare and the McCarthyism investigations. 

Professor Xiang is assistant professor at the English Department in the University of Pittsburgh. She received the Doctoral Degree in Childhood Studies from Rutgers University; and is committed to critically engaging with social justice issues regarding girls and other marginalized children and youth.

It runs from 12:30 to 1:15 pm in the 1st Floor Cafe of Hillman Library (map), and is free and open to the public. Registration is recommended and can be completed online.

Miyazaki film The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか) remains in Pittsburgh-area theaters through (at least) January 25.

The 2023 Hayao Miyazaki film The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか), which opened across Pittsburgh-area theaters on December 7, will remain here through (at least) January 25. A synopsis of the movie, from the distributor:

Hayao Miyazaki's first feature film in 10 years, The Boy and the Heron is a hand-drawn, original story written and directed by the Academy Award®-winning director. Produced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki, the film features a musical score from Miyazaki's long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi. The theme song for the film "Spinning Globe" was penned and performed by global J-pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu.

. . .

A young boy named Mahito
yearning for his mother
ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead.
There, death comes to an end,
and life finds a new beginning.


A semi-autobiographical fantasy
about life, death, and creation,
 in tribute to friendship,
from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki.

Tickets are available online for shows at the Chartiers Valley Luxury 14 (the AMC Loews Waterfront is temporarily closed). Please note, some shows are in Japanese with English subtitles while others are dubbed in English.

Book Launch! Diana Khoi Nguyen "Root Fractures," January 30 at White Whale Bookstore.

White Whale Bookstore will host a book launch for Diana Khoi Nguyen's Root Fractures on January 30.

Our poetry-loving staff are big fans of National Book Award finalist and Pitt prof Diana Khoi Nguyen’s work, and we are so excited to host her in-store for the release of her second poetry collection, Root Fractures, a haunting of a family’s past upon its present, and a frank reckoning with how loss and displacement transform mothers and daughters across generations. Diana will be joined by poets S. Brook Corfman, Trish Le, and Chet'la Sebree, who will be reading their own work on the topic of family.

In Root Fractures, Diana Khoi Nguyen excavates the moments of rupture in a family: a mother who was forced underground after the Fall of Saigon, a father who engineered a new life in California as an immigrant, a brother who cut himself out of every family picture before cutting himself out of their lives entirely. And as new generations of the family come of age, opportunities to begin anew blend with visitations from the past. Through poems of disarming honesty and personal risk, Nguyen examines what takes root after a disaster and how we can make a story out of the broken pieces of our lives.

In the Mood for Love (花樣年華), Past Lives at Row House Lawrenceville, February 9 through 15.

The 2000 Wong Kar-wai film In the Mood for Love (花樣年華) and the 2023 Celine Song movie Past Lives will play at the Row House Lawrenceville from February 9 through 15, part of the Love Languages film series.

A summary of the former:

Wong Kar-wai’s vibrant romantic drama starring Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu-wai explores the limits of morality, the passing of time, and courage as it follows neighbors drawn together by their spouses’ extramarital affairs in overcrowded 1960s Hong Kong.

And the latter:

Subtle and moving, Greta Lee stars in Celine Song’s deeply human story of two childhood friends who are reunited in New York for one fateful week as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life.

Tickets are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

2009 Japanese animated movie GURREN LAGANN THE MOVIE: The Lights in the Sky are Stars- in Pittsburgh, January 23 and 24.

The 2009 Japanese animated movie GURREN LAGANN THE MOVIE: The Lights in the Sky are Stars will play in Pittsburgh on January 23 and 24, a week after the first installment of the Gurren Lagann series played here.

Seven Years have passed since the battle of Teepelin…

Humans have successfully rebuilt civilization under Simon’s leadership and enjoyed an unprecedented period of peace and prosperity. However, humanity’s increasing population triggers the emergence of a powerful enemy. This fearsome Anti-Spiral proves too overwhelming for humanity to fight back. In these desperate times, the members of Team Dai-Gurren reunite to fight once again. In this high-stakes battle, can Simon and his team pierce the heavens with the Gurren Lagann to save mankind one last time?

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in Monaca, Monroeville, North Hills, and Robinson, and tickets are available online.

Caroline Yoo Solo Show Alice & Alice: in Free Fall, January 19 - February 16.

Caroline Yoo's Solo Show "Alice & Alice: in Free Fall" will run from January 19 through February 16 at Bunker Projects in Bloomfield.

Inspired by the life of double agent Alice Hyun (1903- 1956??), A l i c e & A l i c e: in Free Fall, pays tribute to the first Korean American born in Hawaii and the first Korean American to gain US citizenship through birth. This new body of work is the first solo exhibition of artist and performer Caroline Yoo, who continues her research practice of amplifying stories of forgotten women, the women who rebelled, the women who were too loud for history.

Born while Korea was under Japanese colonization, Hyun believed in an independent one-nation Korea. The radical pioneer devoted her life to independence, enrolled in the USA military working partially as a linguist during World War II, and was stationed in Tokyo and Seoul until 1945-1946. However, in a turn of events, Alice was uncovered as a communist and was named as a double agent for North Korea. Despite her incredibly complicated and high stakes life, the independence fighter’s legacy is absent from Korean American and feminist histories in both mainland South Korea and the United States.

A multimedia and multi-sensory installation, Alice & Alice includes a 3-channel video work, an interactive tea performance, and prints of translated archival documentation. The exhibition’s centerpiece, a 3-channel video made completely through thermal technology, weaves text from Alice Hyun’s archives and Lewis Carroll’s Alice's Adventures in Wonderland to pose questions about the role of nationalism in the diaspora. Alice Hyun was labeled a communist, a devil, a spy, both an enemy and ally. A l i c e & A l i c e: in Free Fall positions Alice as a metaphor for bodies that simultaneously house multiple cultures and multiple truths while asking what is the past, present, and future of diaspora politics tethered to motherland and birthland nationalism.

The show starts with a soft opening on the 19th from 5:00 to 8:00 pm, and punctuated by We're all made here, 35-minute sound, vocal, movement performances on February 8 and 15th. Bunker Projects is located at 5106 Penn Ave. in Bloomfield (map).

Freshworks: Caroline Yoo and Davine Byon, April 5-6 at Kelly Strayhorn Theater.

The Kelly Strayhorn Theater will host "Freshworks: Caroline Yoo and Davine Byon" on April 5 and 6.

Prophecies & Soy Sauce Shots is an experimental performance with artists Caroline Yoo and Davine Byon. They dance together, rejecting the permanently aspirational future and reflecting on the consequences of ancestral dreamwork. The performance asks, are we dreaming in resistance of or within the confines of colonized standards of success? They move through three vignettes, using projections, sculpture, music, and the exchange of dreams. This new performance in process pieces together a messy, precious home in the diaspora, and asks whose dreams – past, present, and future – we are living for.

Freshworks is KST’s creative residency for Pittsburgh-based artists and collaborators. It supports playful exploration in performance through interdisciplinary work in contemporary dance, theater, music, and multimedia. The program provides artists with financial resources, studio space, production staff, lighting and sound design, professional development, and encouragement for creative risk-taking.

The shows run from 7:30 to 9:00 pm each night and include a post-show discussion. Tickets are available at "pay what moves you prices" online. The Kelly Strayhorn Theater is located at 5941 Penn Ave. in East Liberty (map).

Taiwanese chain Wushiland Boba's first Pittsburgh location now open.

Wushiland Boba is now open in Pittsburgh, on S. Craig St. near the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon campuses. During this soft opening period it is open from 12 to 7 pm.  

Where It All Began

In 1994, Wu-Shih-Lan started its first “Hand-Shaken Tea” store in Tainan, one of the major cities in Southern Taiwan. The commitment of using the best and authentic ingredients led to an exponential popularity growth. Wu- Shih-Land soon successfully expanded its brand and became a leading beverage company in Taiwan. Across the Pacific Ocean- A Taste from Taiwan.

 

Across the Pacific Ocean- A Taste from Taiwan 

With the desire to share our classic Taiwanese taste to the world, we started our journey in North America. Today, we proudly serve our customers fresh hand-made tea everyday in five locations in Southern California. Our first store OO Tea opened in San Diego, California in 2016, followed by the second store, Wushiland Boba opened in San Gabriel, California in 2017. Recently, three stores were launched in Westfield shopping centers. Come visit us and enjoy a taste of Taiwan without needing to travel thousands of miles away. 

Signage first went up for the new bubble tea place in October. It is located at 300 S. Craig St. (map), where Fuku Tea opened its second location in July 2020. The operator of this Wushiland is the Director of Operations of Fuku Tea and Atarashi Sushi, the latter an offshoot of the Sushi Fuku that had a few locations in Oakland and that opened Fuku Tea in 2015.

via @WushilandBobaUSA

1973 Japanese film Lady Snowblood (修羅雪姫) at Row House Lawrenceville, from January 19.

The 1973 Japanese film Lady Snowblood (修羅雪姫) at Row House Lawrenceville as part of its Snow Week series, January 19 - 25.

One of the most influential action films of all time, this 1970s Japanese cult classic follows Yuki — who has been raised as an assassin since birth to avenge her family. It served as inspiration for countless revenge thriller films, including Tarantino’s Kill Bill series.

Tickets are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler St. (map).

University of Pittsburgh East Asian Library Open House, February 7.

The University of Pittsburgh University Library System will host an East Asian Library Open House on February 7.

Come join the University Library System's East Asian Library for an open house featuring a selection of rare and unique East Asian materials from Library's Archives & Special Collections.

Librarians from the East Asian Library will also be onsite to share information and resources available to the Pitt community and beyond.

. . .

Alash Ensemble in Pittsburgh, February 10.

Alash returns to Pittsburgh on February 10, 2024.

Alash are masters of Tuvan throat singing, a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. Masters of traditional Tuvan instruments as well as the art of throat singing, Alash are deeply committed to traditional Tuvan music and culture. At the same time, they are fans of western music. Believing that traditional music must constantly evolve, the musicians subtly infuse their songs with western elements, creating their own unique style that is fresh and new, yet true to their Tuvan musical heritage.

The group will perform at the First Unitarian Church in Shadyside (map) from 7:00 to 10:00 pm. Tickets are available for purchase at Jerry's Records, Vinyl Remains, Long Play Cafe, Government Center for $25, or for $30 at the door.

2001 film Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉) in Pittsburgh, January 21 - 23 as part of Satoshi Kon Fest.

The 2001 film Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉) will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters from January 21 through 23 as part of the Satoshi Kon Fest spanning a few months in 2023-2024.

Anime Expo Cinema Nights presents COWBOY BEBOP: THE MOVIE. Caught up in a world of dreams, lost in the cruelty of reality. What should have been an easy bounty turns into biological war after a terrorist gets hold of a deadly virus. Drawn in by the pretty price on the mastermind's head, Spike and the Bebop crew are ready to collect a much-needed reward. Unfortunately, the gang's about to find themselves in more trouble than money when the terrorist threatens to unleash the virus on Halloween--effectively killing everyone on Mars. With little time and leads that seem more dreamy than helpful, they'll have to use their own bag of tricks to stop a dangerous plot.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark in Robinson (January 21-22 only) and tickets are available online.

New Miyazaki film The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか) remains in Pittsburgh-area theaters through (at least) January 17.

The 2023 Hayao Miyazaki film The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか), which opened across Pittsburgh-area theaters on December 7, will remain here through (at least) January 17. A synopsis of the movie, from the distributor:

Hayao Miyazaki's first feature film in 10 years, The Boy and the Heron is a hand-drawn, original story written and directed by the Academy Award®-winning director. Produced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki, the film features a musical score from Miyazaki's long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi. The theme song for the film "Spinning Globe" was penned and performed by global J-pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu.

. . .

A young boy named Mahito
yearning for his mother
ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead.
There, death comes to an end,
and life finds a new beginning.


A semi-autobiographical fantasy
about life, death, and creation,
 in tribute to friendship,
from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki.

Tickets are available online for shows at the AMC Loews Waterfront. Please note, some shows are in Japanese with English subtitles while others are dubbed in English.

Asian Granite & Cabinet in the North Hills hiring bilingual (preferred) Mandarin-English office assistant.

Asian Granite & Cabinet in the North Hills is hiring a bilingual Mandarin-English office assistant.

Our Granite & Cabinet shop needs an additional sales associate.

We are looking for vibrant, energetic friendly people to join our team!

Sales/customer service experience preferred, but we are willing to train.

Skill: Basic excel, typing.

Education: High school diploma or GED.

Language skills: Bilingual , Mandarin speaking is ideal but not necessary.

Godzilla Minus One (ゴジラ-1.0) to remain in Pittsburgh-area theaters through (at least) January 17.

The latest Godzilla movie, Godzilla Minus One (ゴジラ-1.0), which opened in Pittsburgh on November 30, will remain in local theaters through at least January 17.

Japan, devastated after the war, faces a new threat in the form of Godzilla. How will the country confront this impossible situation?

It plays locally in Japanese with English subtitles at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.

2009 Gurren Lagann movies in Pittsburgh, January 16-17 and 23-24.

Two Japanese animated movies, Gurren Lagann the Movie: Childhood's End (劇場版 天元突破グレンラガン 紅蓮篇) and Gurren Lagann The Movie: The Lights in the Sky are Stars (劇場版 天元突破グレンラガン 螺巌篇) will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters in January. A synopsis of Childhood's End, playing January 16 and 17, from the distributor:

In the distant future, Simon, a shy boy, and Kamina, a man who dreams of another life up on the surface live a quiet and restless life deep underground in Giha Village. One day, their destinies are forever changed when a gigantic “Gunmen” along with a beautiful girl named Yoko come falling through their village ceiling! Kamina, Simon, and Yoko break through to the surface riding the mysterious “Lagann” but the surface is nothing like Kamina imagined. Now, Kamina and Simon along with their comrades must challenge the evil Spiral King with the Gurren Lagann to bring hope to this desperate world

And The Lights in the Sky are Stars, playing here on January 23 and 24:

Seven Years have passed since the battle of Teepelin…

Humans have successfully rebuilt civilization under Simon’s leadership and enjoyed an unprecedented period of peace and prosperity. However, humanity’s increasing population triggers the emergence of a powerful enemy. This fearsome Anti-Spiral proves too overwhelming for humanity to fight back. In these desperate times, the members of Team Dai-Gurren reunite to fight once again. In this high-stakes battle, can Simon and his team pierce the heavens with the Gurren Lagann to save mankind one last time?

The movis are scheduled to play at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemarks in McCandless, Monaca, Monroeville, and Robinson, and tickets for the first weekend and the second are available onilne.

Harmony in Tradition: The 27th Greater Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Fair and Show, February 4 at Carnegie Museum of Art.

"Harmony in Tradition: The 27th Greater Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Fair and Show" will take place on February 4 at the Carnegie Museum of Art.

Join us for a mesmerizing Lunar New Year celebration where ancient Chinese traditions meet Pittsburgh’s vibrant performing arts landscape creating a world where cultural diversity shines! Spend the afternoon immersed in an experience that brings together ancient traditions and contemporary aesthetics, fostering the collective and collaborative spirit in our community. The event is divided into two segments: the Fair and the Show, each presenting an exciting array of movement, music, and tradition.

The 27th Greater Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Celebration is presented by the Chinese Association of Science and Technology Pittsburgh Chapter with collaboration and support by Carnegie Museum of Art, a partnership that reinforces both organizations’ commitment to cultural exchange and mutual understanding.

Tickets are available online, with discounted prices for museum members. The event runs from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Carnegie Museum of Art, located at 4400 Forbes Ave. in Oakkland (map) and accessible by a number of city buses.

Paris Baguette to open in Shadyside.

via @parisbaguetteus 

Paris Baguette, a Korean bakery chain with locations around the world, has announced plans to open a second Pittsburgh location in Shadyside. It will be located at 5514 Walnut St. (map), according to a Pittsburgh Business Times article, in what was William Sonoma until January 2022. The area's first Paris Baguette will open in Block Northway in the North Hills; since not much work has progressed on that location, it is undecided, really, which will be Pittsburgh's first to open.

Street View, via Google Maps

New film adaptation of Chinese TV series Shining for One Thing (一闪一闪亮星星) in Pittsburgh, from January 5.

A new film adaptation of Chinese TV series Shining for One Thing (一闪一闪亮星星) will play in Pittsburgh from January 5.

A young man plans to confess his love to the girl he has a crush on, but a sudden tragedy changes everything. He unexpectedly finds himself restarting the summer before the accident.

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

New Miyazaki film The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか) remains in Pittsburgh-area theaters through (at least) January 11.

The 2023 Hayao Miyazaki film The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか), which opened across Pittsburgh-area theaters on December 7, will remain here through (at least) January 11. A synopsis of the movie, from the distributor:

Hayao Miyazaki's first feature film in 10 years, The Boy and the Heron is a hand-drawn, original story written and directed by the Academy Award®-winning director. Produced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki, the film features a musical score from Miyazaki's long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi. The theme song for the film "Spinning Globe" was penned and performed by global J-pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu.

. . .

A young boy named Mahito
yearning for his mother
ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead.
There, death comes to an end,
and life finds a new beginning.


A semi-autobiographical fantasy
about life, death, and creation,
 in tribute to friendship,
from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki.

Tickets are available online for shows at the AMC Loews Waterfront, AMC Classic Westmoreland, and Chartiers Valley Luxury 14. Please note, some shows are in Japanese with English subtitles while others are dubbed in English.