Fangirling Over Piano and MORE SHORT STORIES!! (ZAN! #7)
five cool things by creators from across the Asian diaspora
Happy Friday, all! 🕺🏻
Before we get into this week’s recommendations, I need to make a quick OFFICIAL ENDORSEMENT for Shortcomings, which I thoroughly enjoyed last weekend. Justin H. Min is an absolute star in this film, and it honestly BUMS ME OUT that this movie didn’t kill it at the box office.
So GO! GO! And drag your friends along with you (like I did)!
🌟 FIVE ZÀN THINGS
🎵 Hayato Sumino (Cateen)
Recommended by reader Michelle C., Hayato Sumino is a Japanese pianist who is currently based in New York.
While he first gained popularity on YouTube (where he goes by the moniker Cateen), he received worldwide recognition due to his participation in the International Chopin Piano Competition in 2021.
Despite having no formal training in a music conservatory (!!!!!?!?!?!), he advanced to the semifinal, powered by his beautiful expression and tone.
The videos on his YouTube channel are an absolute joy to sift through — I’m totally obsessed with this gorgeous, short improvisation below.
📖 Ye Chun - Hao
One of my “good-book-o-meters” is if I read the digital version of a book and am immediately compelled to buy the physical version. This collection of short stories did just that!
Hao by Ye Chun focuses primarily on the stories of Chinese women across the ages — from San Francisco in the 1800s, to the Cultural Revolution, and more.
While the stories have common threads in terms of themes (such as motherhood, pain, and oppression), Ye also offers a unique focus on the power of language.
The word 好 (hǎo) features heavily in the first short story about a woman who experiences a stroke (ALSO, THIS FIRST LINE THO: “It’s a swirling, crackling kind of pain, as if an electric eel is twisting inside her skull.” 😵💫😵💫😵💫). In another story, words become a crucial point of connection between a mother and her child as they struggle to endure the pain of the Cultural Revolution.
These short stories are not easy subjects to read about, but they are incredibly moving and beautifully written.
📺 Moving
While I haven’t personally watched this highly anticipated series yet, I have a GREAT excuse — it was released just two days ago!
Moving is an adaptation of Kang Full’s wildly popular webtoon, which portrays the lives of modern Korean teenagers with supernatural powers. (Oh, and their parents have powers too. Genetics!)
The series is packed with star power (Jo In Sung!!!) and clearly boasts a high production value. I am confident that this is going to be a hit!
I’ve read some conflicting information about what platform this series is streaming on (many articles say Disney+, but I personally see it on Hulu instead), so it might take some extra effort for you to track down. In the meantime, check out the trailer below.
🎵 Ginger Root
Huntington Beach-based Ginger Root, aka Cameron Lew, self-categorizes his music as “Aggressive Elevator Soul™.” And what an accurate characterization this is!
An incredibly talented multi-instrumentalist, Ginger Root’s music is overflowing with relentlessly funky energy. My chores get done at a rapid rate when I’m blasting “Loretta” in my ears. Give it a try!
🌆 The Golden Guide
This feature is a bit different, but I’m excited to share it!
I stumbled across The Golden Guide on Instagram, and they have been an incredibly helpful resource for me. They are basically a giant database for AANHPI businesses, community organizations, restaurants, events, and more. (And their Instagram is great for keeping up-to-date with local events and ways to support the community.)
They also run their own newsletter, called 8x8, which is a fantastic bi-weekly resource for anyone interested in AANHPI happenings — including community events, new releases, history, and more. (You can subscribe to it by clicking here.)
🙇🏻♀️ Now, it’s your turn!
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Until next time,
Rebecca
That Ginger Root song is a bop!