2023 Japanese animated movie Blue Giant in Pittsburgh, October 8 and 9.

The 2023 Japanese animated movie Blue Giant will play in Pittsburgh on October 8 and 9. A synopsis, from the distributor:

Dai Miyamoto's life is turned upside down the day he discovers jazz. A former high school basketball player, Dai picks up a saxophone and begins practicing day and night, determined to become one of the greatest of all time. He leaves his sleepy hometown for the bustling nightclubs of Tokyo, but soon finds the life of a professional musician is not for the faint of heart. His passion eventually wins over the cocky but talented pianist Yukinori, and after Dai convinces his friend Shunji to learn the drums, they launch a new jazz trio whose rough sound contains a raw energy that quickly wins attention from local audiences. But what does it take to truly be great?

From director Yuzuru Tachikawa (Mob Psycho 100) and based on the award-winning manga, Blue Giant is a moving ode to the power of music and the artist, featuring electric performances and a stunning jazz soundtrack.

It will play locally, in Japanese with English subtitles, at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark in Robinson, and tickets are available online.

"We Learn" Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Korean classes resume at Carnegie Library in Oakland, Saturdays from October 14.

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 October 14. The beginner classes run from 12:45 to 1:30 pm in Classroom A of the Oakland (Main) branch; a summary:

In this beginner-level class, we will use the textbook published by the Korean government for foreigners who learn Korean as a secondary language.

To get the most out of the class, it is recommended that you have a basic understanding of how to read and write Korean characters, known as 'Hangul'. Throughout the course, you will have the opportunity to expand your vocabulary and gain a deeper understanding of how to effectively organize sentence structures.

The Intermediate classes start at 12:00 pm, and the Advanced class runs from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm:

In our advanced-level Korean class, we will delve into the official textbook sanctioned by the Korean government for non-native Korean learners. Prior to enrolling, we expect you to possess a foundational grasp of conversational Korean. Throughout this course, we will explore intricate aspects of Korean grammar and expand your vocabulary, enabling you to engage in more sophisticated oral and written communication based on the topics covered in each lesson.

Registration is required to participate and can be completed at the links above. The classes run six Saturdays in October and November: 14, 21, 28, November 4, 11, 18. The Oakland branch of the Carneige Library of Pittsburgh is located at 4400 Forbes Ave. (map), accessible by numerous city bus lines.

IU Concert: The Golden Hour in Pittsburgh, September 28 and 30.

The acclaimed concert film IU Concert: The Golden Hour will play in Pittsburgh on September 28 and 30.

Celebrating the 15th anniversary of the artist’s debut, IU CONCERT : The Golden Hour comes to the big screen in this special Cinematic Cut. Experience IU’s first ever global cinema release, as the first Korean female singer to perform at the iconic Olympic Main Stadium in Seoul, the largest stadium in South Korea and the dream venue for music artists. Starting with a thrilling acap lla opening, the setlist is filled with beloved songs from across IU’s career. From the floating strawberry moon balloon, to fireworks and a stunning drone show, the enchanting stage production is a must-see in cinemas. Embrace the happiness of the unforgettable 'Golden Hour' through IU’s legendary performances and a fully-charged live show. In September 2023, join Uaena all over the world to enjoy this heartwarming experience together in cinemas!

Wikipedia also has a lengthy page on it. It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark in Robinson, and tickets are available online.

Eric Nam performing in Pittsburgh, October 6.

Korean-American singer Eric Nam will perform in Pittsburgh on October 6, as part of his "House on the Hill" tour.

Eric Nam is a multifaceted entertainer, singer, songwriter, and TV personality fluent in English, Korean, Spanish, and conversational in Mandarin. Named GQ Korea’s Man of the Year, Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, Eric is a household name and one of the most extensively touring and best-selling artists out of Korea. He is currently headlining a sold-out world tour playing 59 headline shows across 54 cities.

Eric released his first album as an independent artist, titled “There And Back Again”, in January 2022, which debuted at #3 and #7 on the US and UK Spotify Charts and peaked at the #22 spot for albums sold on Billboard.

In addition to music, Eric hosts the #1 K-Pop podcast, “Daebak Show”, which earned Apple Podcasts’ Best Listens of 2019.

He last performed in Pittsburgh in February 2022. This time he's at the Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks (map) at 7:00 pm, and tickets are available onilne.

Mongolian folk-fusion band Tuvergen in Pittsburgh, September 21.

Tuvergen, a Chicago-based trio performing Mongolian folk-fusion, will perform in Pittsburgh on September 21.

An emerging act at world music festivals across the U.S., Tuvergen Band (“galloping” in Mongolian) is a Chicago-based folk-fusion trio founded by Tamir Hargana (lead vocals, folk lutes, morin khuur), Naizal Hargana (morin khuur, vocals), and Brent Roman (percussion, didgeridoo, vocals) in 2020. Hailing from Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia, Tamir and Naizal bring some of the country’s most distinctive sounds to Tuvergen Band, including the cello-like horsehead fiddle (morin khuur), various folk lutes (the Tuvan doshpuluur and West Mongolian tovshuur), and khoomii throat singing. An ethnomusicologist and Asian percussion specialist, Roman augments these sounds with a custom hybrid drum kit of twenty global percussion instruments and didgeridoo. The trio use this rich instrumental palette to perform what they call “modern nomadic music,” incorporating bluegrass, blues, rock, and more into its repertoire of Mongolian and Tuvan folk songs and originals.

Tuvergen will perform at the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh in Shadyside (map) from 7:30 to 9:30 pm.

Japanese-English Language Social Hour at Pitt, September 27.

Interior of Pitt's Cathedral of Learning, from the 2019 Yasuda Women's University promotional catalog.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center and the English Language Institute will present an Japanese-English Language Social Hour on September 27.

A language and cultural exchange between Pitt language learners and international speakers..

The event rns from 12:00 to 1:00 pm in the Global Hub on the first floor of Posvar Hall, and is open to members of the Pitt community. Registration is required.

Hit Chinese movie No More Bets (孤注一掷) stays in Pittsburgh through (at least) September 13.

The 2023 Chinese movie No More Bets (孤注一掷), which opened in Pittsburgh on August 31, will stay here through at least September 13.

The film is about a Chinese programmer and a model who, enticed by the promise of high-paying jobs, find themselves trapped in a foreign country as prisoners of a ruthless gang, and forced into online gambling fraud.

No More Bets has just finished its fourth week as the highest-grossing film in China. It plays locally at AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.

2023 SCREENSHOT: Asia film festival includes selections from China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, from October 4 - 8.

The 2023 SCREENSHOT: Asia film festival will run from October 4 through 8 and will include movies from China, Japan, Korean, and Taiwan in its lineup. 

• Coo Coo 043 ( 一家子兒咕咕叫 / Taiwan) - October 8, 3:30 pm, Frick Fine Arts Building
• Hail to Hell (지옥만세 / Korea) - October 6, 6:00 pm, Harris Theater
• In My Mother's Skin (Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan) - October 5, 8:00 pm, Harris Theater
• Plan 75 (Japan) - October 7, 5:30 pm, Harris Theater (includes Director Q&A)
• Return to Dust (隐入尘烟 / China) - TBD
• Tiger Stripes (Malaysia) - October 8, 7:00 pm, Alumni Hall Room 323 (includes Director Q&A)

The movies will play at the Harris Theater in downtown's Cultural District and in spots around the University of Pittsburgh campus. 

1995 film Ghost in the Shell (攻殻機動隊) in Pittsburgh as next installment of Satoshi Kon Fest, November 8 - 12.

The 1995 Japanese film Ghost in the Shell (攻殻機動隊) will play in Pittsburgh November 8 - 12 as the next installment of a Satoshi Kon Fest playing nationally.

Anime Expo Cinema Nights invites you to return to the visually stunning and poignant classic GHOST IN THE SHELL. 2029: A female cybernetic government agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi, and the Internal Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of "The Puppet Master," a mysterious and threatening computer virus capable of infiltrating human hosts. Together with her fellow agents from Section 9, Kusanagi embarks on a high-tech race against time to capture the omnipresent entity. Director Mamoru Oshii's award-winning cyber-tech thriller, based on the comic book by Shirow Masamune, is lauded as one of the leading Japanese animation films of all time.

The first installment, Perfect Blue, plays locally September 6 - 10. Ghost in the Shell will play at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark in Robinson, and tickets are available online.

Signage up for all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ in Oakland, possibly coming soon to Semple St.

Signage is up for all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ in Oakland, located at the old Korea Garden at 414 Semple St. (map). Korea Garden closed a while back in preparation of opening a kiosk at the long-planned Novo Asian Cuisine Food Hall in the Strip District. The building was bought by Jiyan An of Dormont in March. If true---and Pittsburgh has been duped before by promises of BBQ---this would be the fourth Korean BBQ place coming soon to the Pittsburgh area, behind Kpot in Squirrel Hill, Hong BBQ and Hot Pot on McKnight Rd., and Shabu Shabu Hot Pot and Grill in the North Hills.