National ramen chain KYURAMEN (九汤拉面) also coming soon to Cranberry township.

Work began in July 2023 on what was aiming to be the first Pittsburgh-area KYURAMEN location, but one is also coming soon to Cranberry. The national ramen chain with 39 spots already open around the country has a location coming soon to the Cranberry Mall, 20111 Route 19 Suite 302C (map), in a storefront near the movie theater in what was most recently Rajbhog Market Cafe. As for the East Liberty location, the joint KYURAMEN-TBaar spot was most recently aiming for a Fall 2024 opening.

More dates announced for 2024 Thai film How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (หลานม่า), now playing in Pittsburgh, September 20 through 25.

The 2024 Thai film How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (หลานม่า) will play in Pittsburgh from September 20 through 25.

After his grandmother is diagnosed with cancer, a scheming young man moves in to care for her, motivated by a desire to secure her fortune for himself. Unfortunately for him, it turns out that winning Grandma’s favor is no easy feat.

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

2024 Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival, September 28.

The 2024 Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival will be held on September 28 at North Park. From its press release:

Get ready to paddle with a purpose and join the splash of excitement at North Park Lake! Pittsburgh Hearts of Steel Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Team invites you to a day of thrilling races, vibrant entertainment, delicious food, and family fun at our Sixth Annual Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival. The event runs from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm. REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! 

Mark your calendars for a spectacular day where community spirit meets fierce competition on the beautiful waters of North Park Lake. This year’s festival features spirited races with community teams, sport teams, youth teams, para-paddlers, all cancer survivors, and dedicated breast cancer survivor teams battling it out for glory. Whether you’re a seasoned paddler or a curious newbie, everyone is welcome to join in the fun. 

2022 film Everything Everywhere All at Once at Row House Lawrenceville, from September 27.

The 2022 film Everything Everywhere All at Once will play at the Row House Lawrenceville from September 27 through October 3, part of the MTV Generation film series.

We are still not fully over this amazing and wholey unique movie. Plus it looks and sounds SO good in theaters. Michelle Yeoh as an aging Chinese immigrant who can’t seem to finish her taxes… until she is swept up in an insane adventure.

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

2023 Philippine film Asog in Pittsburgh, October 6, part of Reel Q Pittsburgh International LGBT Film Festival.

The 2023 Philippine film Asog will play in Pittsburgh on October 6, part of Reel Q Pittsburgh International LGBT Film Festival.

This unique narrative incorporating documentary elements follows Rey, a 40-year-old non-binary teacher and typhoon survivor, on a roadtrip to fame. With surreal comedy and social portrait realism, filmmaker Seán‌ Devlin explores climate change, LGBTQ+ issues, and the impact of colonialism on contemporary Philippines.

It plays at the Row House Cinema in Lawrenceville (map) and tickets are available online.

2024 CMU Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration, September 25.

The Carnegie Mellon University Department of Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics will present a Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration on September 25.

Join Us for a Celebration of Chinese Culture!

Hosted by the LCAL Chinese Studies program, this event offers a unique opportunity to experience traditional Chinese performances, including Taichi and Gongfu demonstrations. Enjoy a selection of delicious snacks, including mooncakes, while immersing yourself in the rich cultural heritage of China. This event is free and open to the public—everyone is welcome!

It runs from 6:30 to 8:30 pm in the Cohon University Center, McConomy Auditorium (map).

Art Beyond Borders: The Global Networks of Satellite Art (1984–1988), September 26 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Humanities Center will present "Art Beyond Borders: The Global Networks of Satellite Art (1984–1988)" on September 26.

Hosted by the Humanities Center and graduate fellow, Vuk Vuković. Respondents include Mark Collins from the Geology and Environmental Science department and Joshua Ellenbogen from the History of Art and Architecture department. This event will be hybrid, so you can attend it either in person in 602 CL or via Zoom as you prefer.

In 1988, as Cold War tensions diminished and the digital revolution began, Korean-born artist Nam June Paik orchestrated a global collaboration with eleven broadcasting stations, including those in the Soviet Union and China, to create his final satellite work, Wrap Around the World (1988). Inspired by architect Buckminster Fuller's 1969 global electric grid concept, Paik aimed to transcend nationalism, merging architecture, design, and video to foster global interconnectedness. This colloquium will argue that Paik's satellite trilogy—Good Morning, Mr. Orwell (1984), Bye Bye Kipling (1986), and Wrap Around the World—employed simultaneous art broadcasts to connect nations across borders, fulfilling Fuller's unrealized vision.

Precirculated material for this colloquium will be available here about two weeks prior and up to the event.

The event will be held from 12:30 to 2:00 pm in 602 Cathedral of Learning or online via Zoom.

2024 film Extremely Unique Dynamic, from Harrison Xu and Ivan Leung, in Pittsburgh October 12, part of Reel Q Pittsburgh International LGBT Film Festival.

The 2024 film Extremely Unique Dynamic, from Harrison Xu and Ivan Leung, will play in Pittsburgh on October 12 as part of Reel Q Pittsburgh International LGBT Film Festival.

Ryan and Daniel, two childhood best friends and aspiring actors, spend one final weekend together before RYAN has to move to Canada with his fiancé. Wanting to create one lasting memory, they decide to make a movie... about two guys making a movie.. about two guys making a movie. Along the way, they unpack their decades-long friendship and prepare for the next chapters of their respective lives.

It plays at 9:00 pm at the Harris Theater in downtown's Cultural District (map), and tickets are available online.

eaJ concert postponed: Korean-American singer originally scheduled to perform in Pittsburgh, November 7.

The Argentinia-born Korean-American singer-songwriter eaJ was originally scheduled to perform in Pittsburgh on November 7, but the show has recently been postponed. A make-up date has not yet been announced.

Work continues on Korean BBQ (코리안 바베큐), planned for Semple St. in Oakland.

One of the biggest food developments in Pittsburgh this year was the arrival, or at least the announcement, of several all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ and hot pot restaurants. There have been seven announced for the area: Hong BBQ and Hot Pot in the North Hills, Korean BBQ in Oakland, KPot in Squirrel Hill, Shabu Shabu Hot Pot and Grill in McCandless and Robinson, Top Pot Hotpot & Korean BBQ for the Southside, and most recently Running Dish at the Waterfront. Though work has continued on most, only one has actually opened this year (Hong BBQ).

Work continues at 414 Semple St. (map) on Korean BBQ, which now aims to open later this year. Recently signage advertising the restaurant's hours and website went up---the website is no longer online---but ownership says an opening is not set for the immediate future. Signage for the new restaurant went up in September 2023, in the spot formerly occupied by Korea Garden, which moved to the Novo Asian Food Hall in the Strip District. This small strip of Semple St. is an interesting enclave of dining options in a neighborhood increasingly dominated by chains and university-owned property.