Asian Outlook Spring 2014 Issue #3 by Asian Outlook

ASIAN OUTLOOK

volume XXVII, issue 5

SPECIAL EDITION

GET A TASTE OF AAAS

ASIAN

Volume XXVII, Issue 5

contents OUTLOOK

special features

ASIAN OUTLOOK

28 | The Universal Impact of the Hallyu Wave | Sophia Huang 30 | Micromanagement: The Secret Ingredient of K-pop | Tenyoung Guh

Cover image sources: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/B_Song_Dynasty_Empress_of_Gaozong.JPG

Untitled, 2014

By Claire Chang

Charcoal on Paper

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

letter from the editor...

ello all, First of all, I’d like to say I’m very excited about this final issue. Thanks to the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies (DAAAS) we have received submissions from students who have taken what they’ve learned in class and wrote articles. This is our first attempt to collaborate in this way, but I hope in the future Asian Outlook can work even closer with the department to get more students to find inspiration for articles in their course material and final paper research. We intended for this issue to showcase the interdisciplinary nature of the department and celebrate both the department and Asian Outlook. It’s hard to believe that this letter is for my last issue as Editor-in-Chief of Asian Outlook. Asian Outlook has been my home since the beginning of freshman year and the people I have met through Asian Outlook have shaped the person I am. I am really proud of our magazine and grateful to have been a part of it. Now as my college years come to a close I feel compelled to impart some wise advice to underclassmen in this final letter. First, you are three people: past you, present you and future you. Be considerate towards “future you” regardless of how confident you are that “future you” can handle pulling all nighters to get work done at the last minute and get it done well. Second, do not push that gen-ed that you don’t want to take off until senior year. “Senior you” wants to take it even less. Treasure the time you have with your friends. For four years I took them for granted and pushed plans forward as if four years was not a finite amount of time. You think you have all the time in the world until you realize you don’t and you wonder where the time went and what you have to show for it. Apply yourself fully to everything you do, but don’t waste your time doing things that don’t make you want to fully apply yourself. Do not be so afraid to fail that you become afraid to even try. I’ve dreamed of being a writer since I first encountered the written word and some say I was reading before I even left the womb (those people are probably lying). Regardless of how early this dream began, somehow along the way I shoved it aside, along with magic and fantasy and all the books that I loved so much. I did not pursue creative writing because I was afraid that I would fail. So long as the notion remained tucked away in the corners of my subconscious, it could continue to be a distant possibility, but the moment I took it seriously and gave it a try and failed, then it would no longer be possible. That dream you have tucked away will seep into your consciousness and haunt the hell out of you if you keep ignoring it. Lastly, I will relay some second-hand advice (but no worse for the wear I assure you). Professor Micklus told my Evaluating Literature class that some people will say that all books are good, but as he grows older he realizes that time is precious and he does not have the time to read everything, so he must be selective about how he spends it and not waste time reading books that he does not enjoy (well, he said something like that). I think as graduation is approaching I have really been taking that to heart. I feel time slipping away from me and I really don’t want to waste a moment of it. I went to see Neil Gaiman in Syracuse and he said to me (and the rest of the audience, I guess), “Kayla, you probably have no work, you probably have no money, but you have time and you should use that time and use it well because very, very soon you will look around and you will have a job and you will have money and time will be the thing that you cannot get back.” I hope that you all continue to apply yourselves fully to Asian Outlook and continue to create something worth reading and learning from. I truly believe that Asian Outlook is a very important outlet and publication and I hope that you all continue to feel the same way and inspire the same passion in those around you. It’s amazing how you are one minute the naïve freshman seeking guidance and then in a blink you become the “wise” upperclassman giving that advice. Finally, you probably have already heard but Toshi and I are getting married this summer, so thank you all for your love and support and thank you to the Asian Outlook members of semesters past for introducing us. We both love you all.

Kayla Natrella Co-Editor-in-Chief, Spring 2014

ASIAN OUTLOOK

letter from the editor...

ow, here we are at the final issue of the academic year! We’re wrapping it up with a special edition release that features the work of students in Asian and Asian American Studies courses. We hope you enjoy reading the work that our peers have submitted and maybe it will pique your interest in some of the courses that are taught right here in our university. We also held a symposium where the authors of the featured articles presented their work to students and AAAS faculty on May 2nd. Check out our blog for a recap on that! (woo, AO blog!) I’m glad we were able to put out a special issue like this during my term as Co-Editor-in-Chief. I think it’s important to maintain the relationship between AO and the AAAS department since we do have history together. Seeing this collaborative effort work out makes me hopeful that this can perhaps become an annual way of celebrating both the department and our magazine and if it does, for it to grow into a bigger event that would be beneficial to students. It’s a pretty nice way to end the year, innit? My time as Co-Editor-in-Chief has definitely been quite the learning experience. I never saw myself as a leader, so I never imagined holding a position like this when I first entered college. I’m more of a behind the scenes person, a veep, a hand of the king (despite how crappy the job may be), y’know? Something along those lines. I like to be involved but I’m not all about standing in front of a crowd trying to fudge my way through public speaking with some attempt at bravado and all that. Despite how I feel about my leadership capabilities, I’m really grateful to have had this opportunity to hold this position for an organization that I personally feel serves the Asian/Asian American community. Through AO, I was able to meet others who had similar interests and concerns as me, it was a space where I felt like I was able to do something for that community. Participating in student rallies and showing solidarity with other organizations on campus in light of acts of discrimination are just a few highlights of what I was a part of since joining in 2012. Creating dialogue and raising awareness about different issues that the AAPI community face through our forums was a major part of what the organization does, and I hope that our members gained something from them this past year. I’m also very grateful to the people who had faith in me and encouraged me to take on this role. Looking back on the year, I do have regrets and wish I could have done more or changed how I approached different situations, but I hope that I was able to have had some positive impact, however small it may be, somewhere whether it be within the organization or on campus. For now, I can only pass on what I’ve learned from my successes and failures to Dale and Tina, next year’s Co-Editorsin-Chief. I’m hoping that after Kayla and I leave, Asian Outlook will continue to strive to be an organization that serves to be an outlet for those whose voices are often marginalized and to stand against prejudicial and institutional injustice on campus. I’ve said this before, but it is often hard to incite a sense of activism within people. However, I’m optimistic that next year’s E-Board will continue to uphold AO’s purpose and mission to the best of their capabilities. So good luck Dale and Tina, I’ll be checking up on you two. I want to give a big thank you to the AAAS faculty members who supported us and the students who submitted their work in article format to us as well as those who submitted other articles and creative works. As always, thanks to Kayla for staying on AO for another year to do this with me despite it being senior year and all, our dedicated general body members, AO E-board members, and of course you, the reader for picking up our magazine. If this semester was the first time you’ve read a copy of Asian Outlook (and you can’t get enough), check out our blog at www. asianoutlook.wordpress.com for access to the digital copies of previous issues. We hope you enjoy reading this release, thanks for sticking with us! Good luck on your finals, papers, presentations, final portfolios and all that and congratulations to the graduating Seniors of 2014! Catch y’all on the flip side. P.S. I had major trouble coming up with a cover for this issue, so thank you Kayla, for drawing my attention to the Empress Liu piece. The woman on the cover is actually Empress Wu of the Song Dynasty. Claire Chang Co-Editor-in-Chief, Spring 2014

ASIAN OUTLOOK EXECUTIVE BOARD SPRING 2014 editors-in-chief conscience editor copy editors

layout editors

secretary business manager publicity manager historian blogger staff writers

Claire Chang Kayla Natrella Rudy Kuang Adam Mei Joe Park Tina Yu YaeJin Oh Amanda Lau Ashley Lau Cyndi Chin Jimmy Zhang Calvin Chan Dale Gao Frank Tiu Jaehoon Kang Shelley Shin Jinhua Hu Paul Chen Russell Tobias Sharon Lau

EDITORIAL POLICY Asian Outlook is the art, literary and news magazine of the Asian Student Union of SUNY’s Binghamton University. Originally conceived and created to challenge, redefine, re-imagine and revolutionize images and perceptions associated with Asians and Asian Americans, Asian Outlook also serves to protect the voice of those in the minority, whether by ethnicity, gender, and/or political orientation. All matter contained within these b`eautiful pages do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Asian Outlook reserves the right to edit submissions and publish work as deemed appropriate. Prospective contributors are encouraged to discuss their work with the editors prior to submissions. Articles may be submitted as an e-mail attachment to ao.editor@gmail.com. All artistic and literary pieces may be submitted to aoconscience@gmail.com.

CONTACT POLICY Uninvited contact with writers and contributors is forbidden under punishment of pain. Please direct all questions, comments and complaints to ao.editor@gmail.com.

interested in contributing?

E-mail us at:

ao.editor@gmail.com

Or come to our weekly meetings held in the Asian Student Union office (UUW-329) every Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

By Russell Tobias

Pollution is becoming a growing concern for Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s politicians; they are keen to forestall potential unrest as citizens now turn against the growth-at-all-costs economic model.

ASIAN OUTLOOK

apid industrialization and ever-expanding heavy industry continue to create numerous job opportunities and technological advancements worldwide. The downside to this progressive boom of prosperity is that the waste byproducts of these chemical and industrial factories, once finished serving our needs, must find a place to go. Unfortunately for big industry capitals such as Beijingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;which has undergone grand-scale urbanization with the recent construction of new houses and roadsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;such harmful byproducts are quickly infiltrating the surrounding environment. An attempt to move these heavy polluting industries out of Beijing and into neighboring locations is currently being met with resistance. For the past several years, Beijing has been on a mission to relocate heavy industry out of the capital, while fortifying its less pollutionintensive service sector. This is a response to the consistently poor air quality and resulting smog that often encompasses the Chinese capital. The effort was heavily promoted ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympics, when nearly 200 chemical, coking, and steel works moved out of Beijing, into the surrounding province of Hebei. In 2011, Shougang Group, which since 1919 had maintained a sizeable steel plant in western Beijing, completed a transfer of its operations to the large neighboring city of Tianjin. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has publicly endorsed this relocation effort, saying that the three areas, which have more than 100 million residents, needed to better integrate their development. This seems to be the masked incentive to gain popularity for the relocation, while the ulterior motive remains to force pollution out of the capital and into less noticeable regions of the country. Beijing has proposed a list of 207 chemical, metal, furniture, textile and building material manufacturers that

Smoke rising from a steel plant in Tangshan, Hebei Province.

it wants to relocate this year, according to a report in the state-run China Real Estate Business newspaper. But officials in Tianjin and Hebei have so far reacted coldly, the newspaper said. “This first wave of relocated companies are all highly polluting, high energy-consuming type businesses that will be a burden wherever they go, so at present the enthusiasm of Tianjin and Hebei to take them on isn’t high,” a district official from the Hebei city of Chengde told the newspaper. Pollution is becoming a growing concern for China's politicians; they are keen to forestall potential unrest as citizens now turn against the growth-atall-costs economic model that has tainted much of the country's air, water and soil. The mayor of Beijing promised in January to launch a 15 billion yuan ($2.4 billion) campaign focusing on air quality improvement as part of an “all-out effort” to tackle pollution, though similar pledges in the past have seldom come to fruition. Meanwhile, a viscous curtain of smog chiefly due to the volumetric expansion of transportation-related emissions has lingered ominously over Beijing’s rooftops for the past week, until it could finally be dispersed by an incoming cold front. Relocation or not, these heavy energy consuming plants will not pollute any less. They will keep

contributing to the inevitable surge of toxic waste that detriments the planet’s natural resources year after year. If a true long-term solution to Beijing’s pollution dilemma is desired, the first step to achieving it must come from realizing the immateriality of simply moving the source of the problem a couple hundred miles away. Relocation may provide a temporary reduction in Beijing’s overall pollution, but rather than passing the problem on to someone else, efforts should be focusing on such plans as consolidating production and increasing efficiency of the factory furnaces. These initiatives would be more sensible than a full-on movement of industrial giants, as they would be contributing to a longer term solution that could be implemented more globally, rather than simply seeking a moratorium on the pollution of one city.

Sources: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/25/us-chinaenvironment-pollution-idUSBREA2O0BZ20140325h http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/09/beijingsneighbors-resist-transfer-of-its-polluting-industries/ http://www.steelguru.com/international_news/Beijings_ neighbours_resist_transfer_of_its_polluting_industries/336594. html

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

: l o ? t w i e s S i n e t k l n u u a F S The Whose By Shelley Shin

Korea faces a tragedy as the ferry, Sewol, capsized off the sourthwest coast carrying 476 passengers .

n April 16, 2014, a wave of shock, anger and remorse spread

Photo of families and friends praying for their lost loved ones.

Photo of the sunken ferry, Sewol.

ASIAN OUTLOOK

throughout the South Korean peninsula in response to the sinking of the ferry Sewol. The Sewol, carrying 476 passengers, of whom 325 were Danwon High School students, capsized off the southwest coast en route to Jeju Island from Incheon. Since the incident, 174 passengers have been rescued. As of Thursday April 25, the death toll reached over 180 with 115 passengers still missing. In the weeks following the incident there has been much confusion and criticism, mostly in regard to the cause(s) of the incident and subsequent rescue missions. The tragedy has been particularly controversial due to the manner in which the capsizing of the ferry was initially handled by the Sewol captain and crewmembers. Investigators report that the initial cause of the capsizing occurred when a third mate made a sharp turn in strong waters. Immediately after, Captain Lee JunSeok attempted to re-balance the ship and at 8:55a.m. alerted Jeju Vessel Traffic Services Center that the ship was “rolling and in danger.” The captain was further advised to prepare passengers to abandon ship. However, investigation reveals that Lee took no emergency measures upon realizing that the ferry was sinking. He instructed passengers to remain where they were and abandoned ship ahead of the passengers. Lee and his crewmembers were among the first to be rescued from the sinking ship, lying to authorities that they were passengers. Under Korean maritime laws, “a ship’s captain must take necessary steps to rescue others in an emergency.” Currently, Lee and 19 crewmembers are under arrest and prosecution. The public largely points to Lee’s misconduct for the large death toll and missing passengers. Investigations also point to disregard for safety regulations as a key factor in the ferry’s capsizing. The Sewol, overloaded with cargo, carried 3,608 tons exceeding the 987 tons limit. Furthermore, the cargo was not securely fastened. Prosecutors have also found that the Sewol had been renovated to increase passenger capacity

Photo representing the ‘yellow ribbon’ campaign.

in 2012, when the ferry operator, Chonghaejin Marine, purchased the ferry second-hand. More decks were added to the ferry to expand passenger capacity from 804 to 921, raising the ferry’s center of gravity and weakening its capacity to regain stability. Though the ferry passed safety inspections earlier this year, South Korean prosecutors are skeptical. The Sewol’s sister ferry, Ohamana, had also been renovated to increase passenger capacity. Investigators found that 40 of the Ohamana’s life rafts, emergency slides, and equipment to tie down cargo were inoperable. Interrogation of the captain and crewmembers reveal that they were not trained with the basic emergency procedures for such incidents. Investigators of the Incheon District Prosecutors’ Office are looking into the Cheonghaejin Marine Co. and other affiliated organizations liable for Sewol. The Sewol’s owner, Yoo Byung-eun is the key suspect. Yonhap News Agency reports that Yoo is suspected of a breach of trust, embezzlement, foreign exchange trading and tax evasion, among other charges. Yoo’s two sons are also suspected, as they control Cheonghaejin through 40 percent holdings in I-One-I Holdings Co. , which controls the shipbuilder Chonhaiji Co. that owns Cheonghaejin. The Evangelical Baptists Church in Seoul is also suspected. Yoo leads this religious group, considered a cult, and its members consist of senior officials of Cheonghaejin’s affiliates and crewmembers of the Sewol. Prosecutors believe that because the religious group is exempt from paying taxes, it may be a breeding ground of corruption. Lastly, the Korean Register of Shipping (KR), a nonprofit organization in charge of inspecting and certifying vessels on behalf of the government, is also undergoing investigation. This same organization was responsible for the safety inspections of the Sewol earlier this year. Meanwhile, much of the public’s criticism has also been aimed at the South Korean government. In the early days of the incident, the ministries of Security and Public Administration and of Oceans and Fisheries, along with the Korean Coast Guard, repeatedly relayed false information to the public on the number of total passengers and missing passengers. In the beginning, officials had reassured families of victims that all students had been rescued, when, in fact, they had not been. According to the Choson Ilbo, the total number of passengers shifted from 477 to 459, 462 and then to 475. Many of the victims’ families also criticized the government for delayed rescue efforts. Despite the large rescue force, rescue missions were less than satisfactory. Given the hostile environment surrounding the sunken ferry, rescue divers had difficulty entering the ferry. The victims’ families were further aggravated by reports of a vast number of experienced

civilian divers on standby at the sinking site. Within the first few days following the incident, possibility of air pockets in the capsized ferry had shed a glimmer of hope for the survival of missing passengers. Now, more than a week after the initial incident, victims’ families hope for at least the retrieval of the bodies of their loved ones. Despite ongoing investigations of people and organizations responsible for the sunken Sewol, officials have reported that we will not really know the cause of the Sewol capsizing until the ferry is lifted from the ocean. Lifting the sunken ferry will also aid in the recovery of missing bodies. Sources: http: //english .yonhapnews.co.kr/graphic/1001000000. html?cid=GYH20140422000600341 http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/25/world/asia/south-korea-ship-sinking/index. html?hpt=ias_c1 http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2014/04/18/2014041800823.html http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2014/04/23/2014042300786.html http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2014/04/23/2014042301196.html http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2014/04/24/2014042401245.html http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/19/world/asia/south-korea-grieving-parents/index. html?iid=article_sidebar http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/south-korea-ferry-disaster/raising-sunken-ferrynext-major-undertaking-korean-officials-n86981 http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/south-korea-ferry-disaster/south-korea-ferry-disaster-divers-feel-bodies-dark-n87341 http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/18/world/asia/south-korea-ferry-transcript/ http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2014/04/25/34/0302000000AEN20140425 001852315F.html http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2014/04/23/42/0200000000AEN2014042300 3455315F.html http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2014/04/24/60/0200000000AEN2014042400 2051315F.html http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/18/world/asia/south-korean-ferry-accident. html?hp&_r=0

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

LIFE IN THE STEEL BAR

THE PRISON EXPERIE ASIAN AND PACIFIC IS WOMEN Let’s be honest, we all have our own preconceived notions of prisoners – from the way they behave and speak, all the way down to the color of their skin. In fact, whenever we are asked to consider the demographics of the prison population, most of us instinctively conjure the image of a male figure of white, Hispanic, or AfricanAmerican ethnic origins. Where, then, are the female Asian and Pacific Islander inmates?

magine yourself as a young woman from a

small poverty-stricken village in Asia. After years of physical and emotional abuse from your father, he sells you to an older man who has subjugated you as both his housekeeper and concubine. When you finally decide to escape this life, you have no financial means to run away so you are forced to seek the help of snakeheads that help you leave, but at the same time put you in heavy debt. You are illegally transported from country to country not knowing where your next step will lead you. You land in the United States believing that you have a chance of a new life—until airport authorities arrest you as soon as you land for immigration fraud. You are immediately detained and questioned with little to no sufficient legal aid and translation services. With no support of

ASIAN OUTLOOK

family and friends, you call local snakeheads for help, further increasing your debt. With a future faced with the threat of deportation or exploitation by debt collectors, you work either as a prostitute or in sweatshops to pay off debts that you will never be able to clear. This is the story of Mae, who, like many other immigrant women, is a victim of human trafficking that was forced to endure this cycle of abuse that many are unfortunately unable to escape from. Many Asian and Pacific Islander women fall prey to exploitative, dangerous, and coercively powerful human-trafficking and prostitution rings. Consider this: if we live in a country that prides itself on freedom and liberty, why does society marginalize and stigmatize these women? Does it make sense that our legal system continues to punish rather than help provide aid to the victims of

R WOMB:

ENCES OF SLANDER By Tammy Cheng

abuse and to the survivors looking for refuge? Some key questions that need to be addressed and considered include: Why has there been no extensive research done on the API female prisoner population? What are the offenses that API women are charged with? How are Asian and Pacific Islander women perceived and treated within the Prison Industrial Complex? What is the experience of an Asian or Pacific Islander woman in prison? What are some of the available organizations that help API women cope while in prison, and help them live healthy and secure lives outside? The population of incarcerated women in the United States, especially within the demographics of racial minorities and immigrants, continues to grow at an alarming rate yet this issue is still not being addressed and recognized. Especially with very few Asians and Pacific Islander women refusing to speak up due to either fear or language barriers, these women have essentially become invisible within the justice system. To put this population into perspective, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s break down the API prisoner population into numbers. According to the Sentencing Project, a research and advocacy organization for reform, the United States state and federal prison population reached 1,570,400 people in 2012. The Asian and Pacific Islander population exists as a mere 4 percent of the total prison population. Of this 4 percent, only about 1.5 percent of incarcerated APIs are female, which

API female prisoner

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

Islander women are often considered as the minority of the minorities, it is no wonder that they are overlooked and discriminated against. This is a population of women who are victims of exploitation and abuse. They are survivors of discrimination and injustice. They are more than a stereotype. They are the invisible population whose existence, experiences and stories we need to recognize. Sources http://www.sentencingproject.org/template/page.cfm?id=107 http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/ women/news/2013/03/08/55787/rethinking-how-to-address-the-growing-femaleprison-population/ http://www.ipsnews.net/2011/12/us-formany-women-a-prison-sentence-also-

A glimpse into the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prisoner bunks

makes the population of Asian and Pacific Islander women in prison to be approximately 942 out of a little more than 1.5 million. However, these women are more than just a statistic. They are Chinese, Korean, Japanese Vietnamese, Thai, Hawaiian, South East Asian, Samoan, and Laotian. They are political refugees and survivors of domestic abuse. They are victims of sweatshop exploitation and prostitution rings. They are the product of the convergence between immigration policy and the criminal justice system. Women of color, especially those who are immigrants, are extremely vulnerable to the exposure of sexual violence, drug abuse, and poverty. Asian immigrant women are often subjected to injustice and discriminationâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;they struggle with language and cultural barriers, racial slurs, sexual harassment and exploitation within the prison complex. Yet the legal system locks these women up rather than provide legal, medical and support services to help these women live healthy, secure and productive lives. While many Asian and Pacific Islander women are put in prison in the United States for non-violent offenses, they are often treated with discrimination and are subjected to

ASIAN OUTLOOK

harsh conditions that violate their human rights. The general aggressive climate and stressful environment often induces racial slurs that discriminate against those who are most vulnerable to backlash, most notably Muslims and South East Asians. From unwanted sexual harassment to humiliating strip searches, many API women, especially those who struggle with language barriers, often endure the violence and injustice of prison life with little to no relief or assistance. In a world where Asian and Pacific

means-abuse/

An example of solitary confinement

배우는배우다

By Amanda Colleen Pearson

Lee Joon, a member of MBLAQ, conquers the role of an impulsive and passionately crazed character in “Rough Play,” which was released by South Korean screenwriter, Ki-Duk Kim, in 2013.

eleased last year,

“Rough Play” (2013), the sequel to the 2008 film “Rough Cut” written by Ki-Duk Kim and directed by Hun Jang, is the latest film by director Yeon-Shick Shin—a South Korean director, producer and writer known for his previous works “A Romance Novel” (2012) and “Fair Play” (2009)—and screenwriter Ki-Duk Kim, another South Korean writer and director accredited with making such films as “Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring Again” (2003) and “Pieta” (2012). These two prominent auteurs came together and successfully blended their different styles together into a masterful story about the rise and fall of an unknown actor, Oh Young (Lee Joon), as he navigates the dangerous road to recognition and fame. This is Lee Joon’s second movie since starring in “Ninja Assassin” (2009) and he takes on a darker role as he plays the passionate and impulsive Oh Young, who throws himself completely into his craft but magnifies his role to the point of offending his fellow cast members. However, while his passion catapults him into stardom, it eventually brings him right back to his inglorious beginnings. This cyclical storyline falls in line with Ki-Duk Kim’s writing style. He constantly sets his characters through difficult circumstances that appear insurmountable only to find themselves stuck in a perpetual cycle of transformation.

The film allows the viewer to have an inside look into the film industry and demonstrates how naive and zealous actors can completely change to remain famous. Oh Young is first seen as a crazed individual who cannot seem to differentiate between reality and fantasy. His full immersion into acting is both a blessing and a curse due to his violent tendencies while in character, which later spill over into his world. Those around him, like his manager, enable him to continue this path of self-destruction until he finally destroys himself and all that he’s built. Lee Joon’s acting is immediately captivating at the onset of the film with his wild and crazed stare, such as when he acts out a scene in the middle of a street as Oh Young. His full immersion into the character displays a very different side that his fans haven’t seen before. As a member of the Korean boy group MBLAQ, Lee Joon usually shows a more light-hearted and funny side on various variety programs; however in this film we see a complete transformation as he sheds his boy group image and throws himself into Oh Young’s character. Overall, I would highly recommend this movie to fans of Lee Joon, as well as Ki-Duk Kim, and are interested in seeing an idol-turned-actor shine in his darkest role.

Poster from “Rough Play” at the Busan International Film Festival.

ROUGH PLAY

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

The One Year T

his

May

marks the one year

anniversary of the end of the

Left to right: Wen Ho Lee, Qian Xueso, and Bo Jiang

ASIAN OUTLOOK

Bo Jiang spy case. In March 2013, the FBI staged a daring real life enactment of the television series “24.” The scene is Dulles International Airport: Bo Jiang, the alleged spy, is about to make his escape on a one-way ticket to China with a laptop from NASA. The FBI arrives quickly on the scene and arrests him just in time to prevent him from smuggling any US secrets back to China. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) was in charge of leading the investigation against Bo Jiang and was the one who fingered him as a spy in the beginning. In what seemed like a victory for Wolf quickly turned into a political debacle once May approached. Unfortunately, like “24” in which the Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) sometimes gets the wrong man, in Jiang’s case, it turns out that not only did he not have any classified information—he didn’t even have any unclassified information which would lend some creditability to the espionage allegations. What the FBI instead found on the laptop was porn. I am not making this up; Jiang had downloaded several sexually explicit materials. Well, the trip from Virginia to China is about 15 hours—maybe the guy wanted to enjoy some of the United States’ finest products on the long flight back home and then share it with his fellow countrymen. It’s too bad he didn’t count on Rep. Wolf stopping him, heaven forbid American porn fell into Chinese intelligence’s hands; they would ruin the US economy for sure with their counterfeiting. Also, the porn in question had no secret images by stenography, otherwise the government would have charged him further and we would know about it. However, between all the laughter and jokes, let’s keep in mind that this is a story that has a deeper meaning and that Jiang now has a black mark on his record along with losing some serious face.

Anniversary of Racial Profiling On the outside it would look like a legitimate concern to the FBI, and their raid warranted, so how did this whole mess start? This whole mess started with some classic McCarthyera fear mongering that was the key during the second Red Scare. When Rep. Wolf was appointed to the Committee on Appropriations, which meant he decided how much money each government agency would get, including NASA, he began his fear mongering and fingered a number of nationals in several government agencies, such as Jiang. Jiang did bring the laptop to China in Dec. 2012, which would be cause for concern. Due to this and the fact that Wolf had the power of the purse, Jiang lost his job working on a high tech imaging project, even though he did not have access to classified material. Since Jiang was a foreign national and his student visa expired, he had to go home, which led to the events in March 2013. This incident brings light to the racial

profiling of people of Asian descent. Jiang was initially accused of being a spy because he is a Chinese national.

However, there are two other notable cases that Bo Jiang’s brings to mind. The first is the case of Qian Xuesen, a rocket scientist who made significant contributions to the United States’ space program. However, Qian was not a spy; he was accused of being one during the McCarthy era and jailed, then deported to China where he became known as the father of the Chinese Space Program for his contributions which allowed China to catch up to the West in the space race. It seems ironic that despite McCarthy’s efforts to stop Chinese intelligence efforts, he gave China the best possible source of intelligence: the scientist himself. At this point, Wolf can hope that Bo Jiang does not become the next Qian Xuesen for imaging technology. The second case is that of Wen Ho Lee, a Taiwanese-born nuclear physicist that was indicted for selling state secrets to the People’s Republic of China. In the interim before his trial, he was held in solitary confinement and denied bail. Eventually, the US government was unable prove these claims and charged him with mishandling data in the end. These two cases show the troubles of racial profiling that are still prevalent today because the Qian case happened during the late 1940s to early 1950s,

while the Wen Ho Lee case happened in the late 1990s. The Bo Jiang case happened just last year, so it shows that while America has come a long way from Qian Xuesen, because the US government awarded money and apologized to Wen Ho Lee, it still has a long way to go, especially in this era where Chinese intelligence is an issue. Bo Jiang’s case was eventually resolved by him pleading guilty to a misdemeanor on violating computer security policies. This is because the laptop he used to download porn belonged to NASA. Why NASA didn’t take back the laptop after Jiang’s employment was terminated is unknown. So when you work for a government agency, don’t download porn on their computers, or they will find you. The government did that to avoid a lawsuit and Jiang was allowed to leave the country. As for Rep. Wolf, he announced that he will not run for reelection in 2014. I cannot say that this whole incident did not factor into his decision. When this case first broke out in March 2013, there was a lot of media attention but now it is silent, even on Frank Wolf’s website. However, I felt it is important to continue to raise awareness of this case because it is necessary to remain aware of the persistence of racial profiling in the United States.

Sources: h t t p : / / w w w. d a i l y m a i l . c o . u k / n e w s / article-2319118/Bo-Jiang-Disgraced-ex-NASAcontractor-suspected-Chinese-spy-clearedrevealed-laptop-hard-drive-PORN-state-secrets. html http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/05/03/ accused-nasa-chinese-spy-_n_3207002.html http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-05-02/ chinese-spy-suspect-pleads-guilty-to-violatingnasa-rules.html http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/world/ asia/04qian.html?_r=0 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/ content/article/2006/06/02/AR2006060201060. html

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

e Plight h T

ASIAN OUTLOOK

Chinese Food

Deliverymen By Frankie Huy Chung

hinese-American takeout is commonly enjoyed by all. From pork fried rice to shrimp lo mein, Americans

all over the country love these dishes. However, many Chinese food enthusiasts overlook the welfare of their deliverymen. In New York City the image of the Chinese food deliveryman is omnipresent, yet their welfare and humanity are often disregarded. The irony of the invisibility surrounding Chinese food deliverymen is a problem that people must consider when they encounter them. The lack of respect and empathy that people have towards deliverymen has contributed significantly to the rash of crimes against Chinese food delivery workers. I recently interviewed students on campus about Chinese food deliverymen and the responses I received were interesting. I asked people, “What is your opinion about Chinese food deliverymen?” and “Do you take into account their effort making sure you get your food on time (through generous tips or benevolent manners)?” Some said they try their best to tip and always greet the deliverymen with kindness, while others said they were broke college students and they just wanted their food. Additionally, they justified their belief in not tipping by saying if these deliverymen wanted more money they should find a better job. Some college students also said they could use their tip money to buy a beer on the weekends instead. These responses have echoed the negative attitudes people have regarding Chinese food deliverymen in America.

Delivering yummy food via bike, a green way to travel, but what other underlying factors play into this?

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

My research on this topic was inspired by Ming Kuang Chen’s case in 2005. This case highlighted an important aspect of the immigrant worker. Chen was stuck in an elevator for 81 hours without food or water. While in the elevator, the police searched everywhere for him; they looked in the nearby river and cemetery, fearing the worst. They assumed he was dead due to the occasional incidences of Chinese deliverymen getting murdered over food and money. Most homicide cases of Chinese food deliverymen revolve around robbery. This presumption brought out dangerous aspects of the Chinese food delivery service. Since these Chinese food deliverymen are immigrants with poor English, they lack supportive government resources. Calling attention to themselves for assistance risks the possibility of deportation. There was a case where teenagers were beating and cruelly murdering an innocent Chinese food deliveryman with a brick only to leave with sixty dollars worth of food. Chen’s case is a very symbolic example of the cruelty these deliverymen face. His immigration status and language barrier impeded him from receiving any help. He was a Chinese immigrant with a wife and child back in China. When Chen called for help while being stuck in the elevator, he was dismissed as a drunken man because his accent was very thick. Focusing on Chen’s position, in the 81 hours trapped in an elevator alone without any food or water, he was left pondering how he had failed in supporting his wife and 10 year old son. As he contemplated on calling for help, he did not want to risk exposing his immigration status. Chen’s situation speaks of the struggles Chinese food deliverymen face. They often endure abuse and their efforts are not acknowledged. Contrary to other Chinese food deliverymen in small towns and suburbs, Chinese food deliverymen working for New York City restaurants must bike to customers. Outside of big cities, other Chinese food deliverymen have the luxury of using a car. As a Chinese food deliveryman rides his bike through city traffic, many customers forget how much labor it takes to make a delivery. In a New York Times article, “For Deliverymen, Speed, Tips and Fear on Wheels” by J David Goodman, Goodman had the opportunity to provide a testimony of the harsh labor and the reality Chinese food deliverymen experience. The Chinese food deliveryman that was interviewed talked about biking for miles through traffic in a culture where bikers are seen as a menace. The components of the job are continuous: “nasty weather and long hours for wages and tips that can fall well below the minimum wage.” The deliveryman also talked about how his experiences have left him very fatigued. The lack of acknowledgement towards these workers inspired me to look into ways these figures are represented through the humanities and arts. During my research, I have seen “Take Out” directed by Sean Baker and ShihChing Tsou. The movie entailed a Chinese immigrant, who works as a deliveryman making money to tie loose

ASIAN OUTLOOK

Take Out, directed by Sean Baker and Shih-Ching Tsou, depicts the life of a Chinese immigrant working as a deliveryman to survive in America.

ends with the snakeheads that smuggled him into America. This movie depicted the struggle of New York deliverymen through the realism and cinematography. The movie showed Chinese food deliverymen being discriminated against by their customers, often making fun of the deliveryman’s Chinese origin. There were instances when the customers assumed the deliveryman had poor intelligence and as a result chose to make fun of him. In addition, the movie focused on the deliveryman riding through treacherous conditions, such as heavy rain and busy traffic. Robbery and bicycle accidents depicted in the film also demonstrated the dangers involved in their work. Although the life of a Chinese food deliveryman has been tough, conditions have recently improved due to the Saigon Grill case. This case heavily revolved around systematic violations of minimum wage and overtime laws. Saigon Grill is a restaurant located in the Upper West Side and of Manhattan where the manager abused many of his immigrant workers. In the New York Magazine article, “The Deliverymen’s Uprising” written by Jennifer Gonnerman, Gonnerman provides testimonies of how the Saigon Grill manager would

The lack of respect and empathy that people have towards deliverymen has contributed significantly to the rash of crimes against Chinese food delivery workers. often curse at the deliverymen workers and fire them without hesitation when they choose to speak out. Saigon Grill workers were paid $1.75 an hour ($4.85 is the minimum). This abusive environment led the workers to rebel. Advocate groups such as Sweatshop Free UWS Campaign, National Mobilization Against Sweatshops (NMASS), Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), and Chinese Staff and Workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association (CSWA) organized many campaigns to make sure these workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; voices were heard. They successfully organized many pickets in front of the store and got many Upper West Side businesses to sign a petition declaring their business be sweatshop free. With the support of representatives from these groups, the Chinese deliverymen were able to get their voices heard and won the lawsuit against Saigon Grill. A Manhattan federal court awarded over $4.6 million back in wages and damages to 36 Chinese immigrant delivery

workers at Saigon Grill. This Saigon Grill case was a victory for the deliverymen. Restaurant owners are now wary of how they treat their workers because of this. Although this is a win, Chinese food deliverymen are still fighting for their rights. Currently, they are fighting for their right to ride electric bikes. Using an electric bike is ideal for deliverymen, as they do not require putting in as much work. This problem is currently being fought with the Coalition Urging Responsible Biking (CURB) campaign. The issue of the Chinese food deliveryman is important and should be acknowledged by all customers and bystanders. The Chinese food deliveryman would appreciate simple things such as generous tipping and courtesy. So next time you order Chinese food, instead of thinking about that beer you would have from not giving a tip, think about how you could benefit the lives of these hard workers.

Protesters stand outside Saigon Grill as they fight against violations of minimum wage and overtime laws.

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

Emp

Por

GENDE

Under Th

Sima Guang, a conservativ lavicious woman. However

also NOT Empress Liu, but a model by the name of Liu Xu. OUTLOOK 20This isASIAN

mpress liu (r. 1022- 1032 c.e.) was the first regent empress in Song China (960 - 1279 C.E.). She was also the first woman to wield dominant and enduring political power since the notorious Empress Wu (r. 690- 705) of Tang Dynasty (617-907 C.E.). In early Confucian narrative tradition, the attribution of dynastic declines or downfalls to womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s participation in court politics is a common spectacle. Women were discriminated against for their involvement in politics. Empress Wu, in her merciless pursuit of emperorship, eliminated many of her patriarchal threats, materializing the fear of the political she-wolf embedded in Chinese history. Empress Liuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relatively peaceful rise, because of this precedent, brought similar concerns. Hence, Empress Liu is depicted in a way that would evoke many negative historical images regarding powerful women. I have found five records regarding Empress Liu's birth and her rise in the court. Out of these five accounts, three were written centuries after her death, two were rather contemporary, and hence those two are most reliable and representative of Empress Liu. Both versions were written by Sima Guang (1019-1086),

press Liu:

rtrayal of ER And SEXUALITY

he Confucian Historical Narrative

By Eric Lee

ve scholar -official, attacks Empress Liu by suggesting that she is an evil r, he follows Song Confucian ideology, which historically stereotypes and degrades women’s gender and sexuality. the famous conservative scholar-official of his time. In terms of basic facts, both versions recounted that the Empress Liu was a married woman, coming from a poor upbringing, and was a skilled hand-drum entertainer. After she was admitted into the Zhenzong's harem, she became an instant sensation to the emperor, who was a prince at the time. However, what made these two accounts interesting and subtly revealing about Confucian attitude towards powerful women stemmed from their depictions of Empress Liu's sexuality. In the first version, Sima Guang conspicuously described Empress Liu’s heightened sexual attraction, in that Zhenzong (Empress Liu's husband) upon seeing her became ecstatic, and “only visited her chambers” (chongxing zhuanfang 寵幸專房). This depiction, although in original Chinese was written in four characters (thus, sometimes overlooked by historians), evokes a deeply negative historical implication in Chinese history. Often in the most official historiographies, emperors and kings paying visit to one consort’s chamber is ominous, portending dynastic decline and political corruption. According to the Book of Documents, one of the earliest Confucian historical records, the destruction and subsequent replacement of the august Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 B.C.E.) was understood as the result of the last Shang king favoring only one woman, Daji. Moreover, within the Confucian narrative tradition, Daji's alleged meddling in politics and persecutions of her political opponents became the archetype of powerful and beautiful women ruining the state. Ironically, the virtuous Zhou Dynasty (c. 1046-256 BC), which overthrew the Shang, also fell into decline for a similar cause. King You (795-771 BC), the twelfth king of the dynasty, was infatuated with a court consort, Baosi 褒姒. In an attempt to amuse the unhappy Baosi, King You lit the important warning beacons and fooled his nobles into thinking that nomads were about to attack the capital. The nobles hastily arrived at the court only to find themselves laughed at by Baosi. Even after King You had impressed Baosi, he continued to abuse his use of warning beacons and lost the trust of the nobles. Later when nomads did indeed attack, King You called for his nobles using the previously abused beacons, but none came. In the end, King You was killed, and Baosi was captured. Although his son succeeded him as the king, the Zhou

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

dynasty gradually became merely the nominal ruler of China proper, until it was overthrown by the Qin state in 256 BC. This type of “women ruining the country” (nühuo 女禍) narrative was consistently and frequently recorded throughout imperial history as a convenient pretext to legitimize dynastic transition. The most recent occurrence of such a case for Song contemporaries happened 200 years prior to the founding of Song Dynasty. The Tang dynasty experienced its peak imperial achievements in both culture and economy during the 8th century. Sadly the downfall of this prosperous empire also occurred at the same time and was traditionally attributed to Xuanzong Emperor’s famous consort, Yang Guifei. Since Xuanzong Emperor concentrated all his energies in reveling with Yang Guifei at the court everyday, her relatives were able to dominate the political stage. Eventually, such corrupt nepotism led to a civil war. It is this civil war that marked the decline of the great Tang. Thus, although both versions depicted Zhenzong’s overly fondness for Empress Liu, Sima Guang accentuated Empress Liu’s ominous role in Song Dynastic history in the first version. He further underscored her heightened sexuality as he recorded Taizong Emperor’s inquiry, “the Crown Prince recently seems lean and languid, who’s accompanying him?” Sima Guang’s implication is that Empress Liu essentially was a lascivious woman. Traditional Chinese medical theory posits that the essence of bodily energy of a man is preserved in his semen; by having excessive sexual intercourses,

ASIAN OUTLOOK

a man could lose his essence through ejaculation. Hence, frequent sexual intercourse is understood as detrimental to a man’s health. Sima Guang, by recording Taizong’s question in the first version but omitting it in the second, is casually making a serious accusation. He subtly suggests the Empress’ true evil personality, but he also seeks to avoid any responsibility by not recording it in another version. Sima Guang’s tacit attack on Empress Liu’s sexuality has to be contextualized in a society where attacks on women in high power were sanctioned by the state ideology, Confucianism. In turn, the Song Confucian ideology justified its exclusion of women from political power using the earlier precedent of Empress Wu and many other court women. Of course, today, none of these Confucian stereotype regarding powerful women holds in truth. However, this kind of historical and cultural degradations of women's gender and sexuality are still current in some East Asian societies. I hope this paper demonstrates that such stereotypes are culturally constructed and one should always question the validity of such claim whenever one encounters it.

Sources: Sima Guang 司馬光Sushui jiwen 涑水記聞 (Reprinted ed. Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1997). 5:100-101. I am solely responsible for the errors I made in my translation. Giles, Herbert A. The Civilization of China. London: T. Butterworth Ltd., 1912. Chapter 1. Sima Guang 司馬光Sushui jiwen 涑水記聞 (Reprinted ed. Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1997). 5:100-101. I am solely responsible for the errors I made in my translation.

Built on Migrant Sweat, Tears and Blood Q

By Dain Yoo and Zachary Silverman

atar, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s richest country, has attained

The design of the Doha Port Stadium, one of the twelve stadiums Qatar plans to build and use for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

the honor of hosting the FIFA World Cup in the year of 2022 and the entire country now sits under construction in order to accommodate thousands and millions of tourists from all around the world. Approximately $220 billion is to be put into this extraordinary makeover in Qatar, not exclusive to the soccer stadium, but also luxurious hotels, roads, and mass transportation. A huge number of soccer fans and tourists will soon gather up in Qatar, savoring the exciting and festive atmosphere created at the cost of migrant laborers whose sweat, tears and blood are shed on the foreign land. Out of the total population of 2 million, only 13 percent of them are native Qatari and the rest of the 87 percent consists of Indian, Nepali and other people mainly from South Asian countries, leaving Qatar with the highest ratio of non-citizens to citizens in the world. In order to escape the economic poverty in their homeland, the workers contact agencies and borrow up to $3,000 in order to prepare legal working documents and settle in a foreign land. The debt snowballs to the extent that they often can never save enough to pay it and such financial inability results in structural violence. These migrant workers arrive in Qatar as contract laborers under the â&#x20AC;&#x153;kafalaâ&#x20AC;? (sponsorship) system, which ties each migrant worker to a sponsor who also functions as the employer. Not long after, workers find themselves as illegal immigrants as their passports and documents are either confiscated or destroyed in front of their eyes. This illustrates the irony of undocumented workers enslaved to serve the most documented and publicized event, the FIFA World Cup. After harsh hazing, the workers naturally encounter hazardous and unsanitary working conditions and extreme policies that they were not previously informed of in the contract.

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

It clearly is stated in the Qatari Labor Law that all workers should be paid at least once a month and that regular working should not exceed eight hours daily. According to the interviews conducted by The Guardian, however, many of the workers are not getting paid for months and are even physically abused by the employers, even though it is an obvious violation against the domestic Labor Laws. International laws and treaties do not have much influence over what is going on since Qatar has not ratified any treaties, such as the United Nations Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, which may bind the state to abide by international law. Even though international legal frameworks may pressure Qatar in different ways, it is important to realize that what will really change the tragic reality and protect the workers from the vicious system of modern slavery is the enforcement of domestic laws. A documentary filmed by The Guardian explicitly illustrates the sufferings of the workers under the “kafala” system. The sight of the terrible living conditions where over 600 men share only two unsanitary kitchens and few bathrooms is shocking. The workers confess with tears about how they are mistreated and live with fear and stress. An excerpt from an interview states as such: “For two months we had to beg for food. Until now I haven’t even sent one rupee home to my son. We were suffering a lot. But still the manager came and beat me at 2 o’clock in the morning. We went to the police but they wouldn’t do anything.” Ever since this issue of human rights violation has grabbed the global attention through the media, many actors have voiced their opinion. The FIFA organization, being the major target of scathing criticism, expressed their position by stating that they are well aware of the inhumane treatment of the migrant workers and that they are currently doing their best to resolve the problems. However, one of the FIFA executive board members carefully stated that it would be “counterproductive” to change the location for it would remove the sizzling “spotlight” off of Qatar. FIFA’s medical chief Michel D’Hooghe even lamented, “There will be

ASIAN OUTLOOK

People protesting against the inhumane treatment of the migrant workers of the FIFA World Cup stadiums.

absolutely no re-vote.” With almost no possibility of the World Cup being removed from Qatar, one may then expect an optimistic response from the Qatari government, but that situation is even more hopeless. When the global community assailed government officials in Qatar with questioned, they gave responses that were riddled with empty promises and denial. According to a report constructed by the International Trade Union Confederation, over twelve hundred workers have died so far and it is estimated that there will be an additional casualty of two thousand

workers if no changes are made in government policy. In reaction, the government of Qatar released a statement that the report is incorrect and misleading. What is most attractive and urgent to them is the prospect of economic benefit from the World Cup in 2022, not the welfare and dignity of the migrant workers. Individuals have raised their voices as well and Zaha Hadid, the renowned architect of the stadium, was asked to deliver her insight on the matter. She took a definitive stance that it is not her duty as an architect to speak on the matter and merely

Note: Zachary Silverman (Freshman) and Dain Yoo (Senior) have decided to participate in the awareness campaign against the kafala system in Qatar that has victimized many migrant laborers. A petition has been created in “Change. org” and presentations are to be made in different groups of Student Organization, such as the Amnesty International. Please visit our blog, asianoutlook.wordpress.com, for the link to sign the petition.

stated that she had no power over the situation. Contrastingly, there is one soccer player who stood for the rights of workers, Zahir Belounis, who was once a victim of the “kafala” system. Referring back to his painful experiences, he called for change in the labor system of Qatar. One can see from these different stances of various actors that it may be easy to overlook what is going on in the international backyard but one needs courage and strong motivation to speak up and call for action. The FIFA world cup should be a celebratory event where countries

gather and compete in the most civil and equitable manner. In that sense, it should not be the pain and suffering of the migrant workers that make this international festival happen. Awareness is number one. Active and continuous support is number two. The source of hope for these modern day slaves in Qatar is awareness and support from the international community to contribute to the protection of their human rights under the life-threatening kafala.

Sources: Collaboration with Georgetown University’s Center for International and Regional Studies, School of Foreign Service in Qatar. Migrant Worker in the Persian Gulf. New York: Columbia UP, 2012. Print. ITUC. THE CASE AGAINST QATAR Host of the FIFA 2022 World Cup | ITUC Special Report | March 2014. Rep. Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, Mar. 2014. Web. Manfred, Tony. “The Qatar World Cup Is A Disaster: 1,200 Workers Dead, New Bribery Investigation.” Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 18 Mar. 2014. Web. 19 Mar. 2014. Newell, Claire. “Qatar World Cup 2022 Investigation: Former Fifa Vice-president Jack Warner and Family Paid Millions.” The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 28 Sept. 0017. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. Pattisson, Pete. “Revealed: Qatar’s World Cup ‘slaves’” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 26 Sept. 2013. Web. 19 Mar. 2014. Press Association. “Fifa Chief Medical Officer: No Re-vote over Qatar 2022 World Cup.” Theguardian.com. Guardian News and Media, 01 Apr. 2014. Web. 09 Apr. 2014. Qatar. “Qatar Economic Outlook 2013-2014.” Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics, June 2013. Web. Qatar. Qatar. Labour Act No. 3 of 1962. National Laws on Labour, Social Security and Related Human Rights, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2014. Qatar. Qatar Statistics Authority. Qatar Statistics Authority, 2012, Labor Force Sample Survey: Annual Report: 2011 Doha – Qatar. Doha: n.p. , 2011. Web. Sambidge, Andy. “Qatar Sets out Plan to Protect World Cup 2022 Workers.” Arabian Business. Arabian Business Magazine, 11 Feb. 2014. Web. 19 Mar. 2014. Smith, Ben. “Trapped Zahir Belounis Planned to Escape from Qatar before Release.”BBC Sport. BBC, 11 Feb. 2014. Web. 19 Mar. 2014. Snoj, Jure. “Population of Qatar.” BQ Magazine. N.p. , 18 Dec. 2013. Web. 19 Mar. 2014. Thomas, Beatrice. “”It’s Not My Duty” to Push Qatar Labour Rights Says Zaha Hadid.”Arabian Business. Arabian Business Magazine, 5 Mar. 2014. Web. 19 Mar. 2014. “II. Qatari Law and International Legal Obligations.” Building a Better World Cup. Human Rights Watch, 12 June 2012. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

THE BROOME COUNTY IMMIGRANT

AN INSIDE LOOK ON THE FOUR By Marcol Rodriguez, Joshua Yoo, Natasha Afranie, and Stephanie Ochoa

of the Spring 2014 semester we joined the Community Engagement Program (CEP) led by professor Lisa Yun. From the first day of class we were asked to think about a community service project that would address issues affecting the community, with special attention to the Asian and Asian American community. To help us with the brainstorming process, Professor Yun invited a few CEP alumni and asked them to deliver presentations on the projects they had put together throughout their time in CEP. Each project that was presented showed a great deal of effort and dedication. However, there was one project in particular that automatically caught our attention; this project was presented by David Wang and is titled "The Broome County Immigrant Guide." We were impressed to the point of speechlessness by this project and could not believe that a group of students in the course of one semester had developed and executed this remarkable idea. While the guide wasn't created in one single semester, the improvements done to it semester after semester display the importance the CEP students believe this guide holds. When we came across the guide it was in its third generation and it had already reached the digital stage. The Broome County Immigrant Guide was brought forth on the grounds of providing all the necessary information on how to get the best out of your experience in Broome County for the cost of the click of a button. This guide was created to facilitate the smooth transition of foreigners into the Broome County area. In it, one can find information ranging from all of the contact information for all Asian, Latin American and French restaurants in the Broome County area to the location of government agencies where documents like green card and social service can be obtained. Initially, the guide was geared towards the international immigrant community, but it has evolved into a center of information for anyone who is curious about the wonders of Broome County. t the beginning

ASIAN OUTLOOK

We each fell in love with the guide individually and were ready to contribute to this project even if we had to do so as individuals. Thankfully, we were brought together by professor Yun to take this project to the next level as a united force. When we first came across the guide, we noticed a couple of flaws in its current state. The main flaw was that it was only available in one language: English. With the concern in mind that a large number of those coming to the United States for the first time are not fluent in English, we decided that the best contribution we can offer to this project would be to translate it into languages commonly spoken by new immigrants. Luckily, our group members all come from different cultural backgrounds, which made it easy to find three languages we were confident we could translate the guide into. After a lot of thought, we decided to translate the guide into Spanish, French, and Korean. We were ecstatic about our project, so after the second day of class we began working on the translations. The services this guide provides for the community is the driving force behind our motivation to make this guide the best it can be. We became so passionate about this project that aside from the translations, we also decided to add a section for worship centers in the Broome County area as well as more personalized pictures. Another one of our goals for the guide was to get the word out to the public about its existence. To make sure all of the work that has been put into this project is actually worth it, we created trifold brochures that will be distributed to university programs as well as off campus offices that recent immigrants frequent. The online version of the guide can be found by visiting this web address: www. broomeimmigrantguide.org. The digital version is still under construction and is expected to be ready for release by the end of April 2014.

T GUIDE

2014 GUIDE

RTH GENERATION

www.broomeimmigrantguide.org â&#x20AC;&#x153;The guide contains information on careers, dining, entertainment, education, among other services offered in the Broome County area.â&#x20AC;?

Phelps Mansion Museum, non-profit historic house museum,that serves as a national historic landmark

The guide contains information on careers, dining, entertainment, education, among other services offered in the Broome County area. So the next time you are asking yourself the question, "What is there to do in Broome County?" just go online and look through the guide for the easiest way to find a hangout spot. Since the digital version of the guide is still in the works, we are open to hearing any feedback from the public about how to make the guide more efficient. So, if you have any questions or comments for us please feel free to email us at: broomeimmigrantguide@gmail.com.

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

The Universal Impact of the T

Korean wave, otherwise known as Hallyu, originated from the Korean success in film marketing. The wave began in East Asia around the 1990s and spread globally to parts of Europe, the United States, and even Latin America. This phenomenon has led thousands of non-Koreans to question how the Korean wave originated. Authors like Shim Dooboo, Shin Solee, and Kim Lanu revisit the possible causes of the success of the Korean wave. While Dooboo argues that the government promotion and funding was the driving force behind the Korean wave, Solee and Lanu argue that it is the success of the Korean entertainment houses that accounts for the boom of the Korean wave. The Korean wave, an occurrence that has lasted for many years now, is currently at its greatest impact. Although the Korean culture has assimilated into the American culture for some people, it has recently “died down.” The success of the Korean wave came mainly from the “hybridization” of American music (perceived as soul, hiphop, rap and rock) and Korean music, originally consisting of mainly ballads. However, recently the combination of two seemingly different cultures has led to some backlash against Korean artists, such as Rain, who was named, “a copycat of Justin Timberlake.” Korean pop singers and entertainment industries need to change the way they perceive Americans. Popular solo singers and groups, like the famous 2NE1 and Big Bang, tend to incorporate the “thuggish” and “ghetto” side of Americans, consistently using non-Asian background dancers and filming their music videos in “shady” neighborhoods. In 2NE1 member, CL’s music video for her song “The Baddest Female,” she portrays a “tough” woman, with chains and golden teeth. When this music video was uploaded onto YouTube, many of CL’s fans loved the song, however the music video did receive some negative comments such as, “…do they even know what he

ASIAN OUTLOOK

sneakers hanging from a telephone line means,” “the level of cultural appropriation was way too high,” and “the words “misguided” and “inauthentic” go hand in hand here.” These dissatisfied commentators are mainly non-Asian and are of a European or African descent. Like Ravina mentions, “the comments on K-pop focus largely on questions of racial authenticity.” Korea was once only known for its technological inputs in society. However, recently it has been seen that Korea is not only known for its “semiconductors, automobiles, and more sophisticated versions of goods,” but also for, “its popular culture.” This is arguably correct and can be confirmed through the success of many Korean artists, including but not limited to, Big Bang, TVXQ, EXO, Girls Generation, and Super Junior. These Korean artists along with the constant output of new dramas reflecting “family values,” “themes of morality,” and, not to mention, the popular instances of love

“The Korean wave, an occurrence that has lasted for many years now, is currently at its greatest impact.” triangles, significantly contributed to the Korean wave. Many would agree that these Korean artists and dramas are the foundation of the Korean wave. On the other hand, people have failed to recognize one more factor in the success of the Korean wave, good looks. Artists are constantly being recognized for their angelic and seemingly “natural” looks, but barely enough artists are actually recognized for their singing or acting. For example, Yoona, a member of Girls Generation, is known for her profound beauty, but she is

Hallyu Wave Left to right: Park Bom, CL, Minzy and Sandara Park of YG’s 2NE1

never mentioned when the topic of talent comes up. Her face is seen everywhere around Korea, especially on commercial advertisements for products such as Innisfree, Sunkist, and many technology companies like LG and Samsung. So why is it that she is so recognized when she sings, distinctly, ONE line in Girls Generation’s new single “Mr. Mr.” Korea’s superficial tendencies can also be seen clearly in the entertainment industry through the increasing numbers of people turning to plastic surgery. Thousands of Koreans, not only limited to Korean artists, are willingly getting plastic surgery to achieve double eyelids or a sharper jawline. In a survey conducted by the Seoul city government, “31.5 percent of residents 15 or older were willing to undergo surgery to improve their looks. In 2007 the percentage was 21.5.” Many Koreans undergo surgery to look like their favorite actress, actor or artist, but a majority of the “models” are not natural at all. To sum it up, instead of focusing on trying to become an American, and misinterpreting the American culture while doing so, Korean artists should learn to embrace and broadcast their own unique culture, returning back to their ballad roots. Because Korean artists tend to “hybridize” their culture with the American culture, their culture is sometimes deemed as not authentically Korean. Furthermore, not only is misinterpreting the American culture a main issue for Korean singers, but also failing to reach out to non-Korean speakers. Because of their failure to sing in a more universal language, Korean artists lost their connection with Americans. Therefore, the Korean government should intervene with its globalization matters and contribute more into the spread of Korean culture. Instead of spending money on the production of LG and Samsung products, two very successful companies in the U.S. , the government should contribute more of its money to the Korean entertainment industry.

With this help, Korean music can become more authentic and understandable, through the production of innovative and unique music and the usage of English. In addition to these matters, the many fans of Korean artists that have accumulated throughout these past years are only fans because of the artists’ good looks, which can clearly be seen with many popular male groups like 2PM, Big Bang or Super Junior. Although great personality also seems to come into play, their attractive physiques in addition to their striking looks play a bigger role in the accumulation of fans. Certain “less-attractive” Korean artists, with exceptional talent, are not well known and do not have as many fans, like 4Men’s member Shin Young-Jae. Overall, even though Shin Solee and Lanu Kim have pinpointed a significant, general reason for the success of the Korean wave, they have missed a specific aspect, the importance of looks. Finally, with the renovation of the Korean tactics in gaining more fans, including incorporating a more universal language into the Korean media, and the addition of astonishing looks of these Korean actors, actresses, and artists, the Korean wave will be able to establish its significance in international countries throughout, making the Hallyu wave extremely successful.

Sources: Sang-Hun, Choe. “In South Korea, Plastic Surgery Comes Out of the Closet.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 03 Nov. 2011. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. Ravina, Mark. “Introduction: Conceptualizing the Korean Wave.” Southeast Review of Asian Studies 31 (2009): 3-9. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. Shim, Dooboo. “Hybridity and the Rise of Korean Popular Culture in Asia.” Media, Culture & Society 28.25 (2006): 25-44. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. Shin, Solee I. , and Lanu Kim. “Organizing K-Pop: Emergence and Market Making of Large Korean Entertainment Houses, 1980–2010.” East Asia (2013): Web. 13 Apr. 2014.

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

Micromanagement: The

Secret Ingredient

of K-pop

rom a purely musical standpoint, K-pop's current international popularity is perplexing. It borrows heavily from Western pop and constantly reuses the same structure: a large boy/girl group (or occasionally a solo act like Rain or BoA) alternating between singing and rapping. Beyond the music itself, these idol groups consistently exemplify a pretty-people hip-hop aesthetic powered by precise, intense choreography. This almost robotic consistency is a defining feature of K-pop, but this begs the question of how this feature came to be. The answer lies within the modern K-pop industry's intense micromanagement. To keep in sync with its customers' wants, the K-pop industry conducts borderline surveillance. For example, Lee Soo Man, the founder of SM Entertainment, hired a casting manager to survey teenage girls from local schools about what they wanted in idols before producing boy band HOT in 1996. With the Internet's massive presence today, the K-pop industry can analyze YouTube, iTunes and Twitter to survey customers instantly without waiting for album sales or having to experiment with the market. This surveillance grows the feedback loop between the industry and customers, so the products get more predictable yet remain consistently profitable. Apparently the predictability is not enough to

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By Tenyoung Guh deter customersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;instead it provides an attractive backbone to keep fans hooked. In addition, the K-pop industry keeps a tight leash on its stars through what are called "slave contracts." For a while, trainees often started with at least 7-year contracts then debuted with at least 10-year contracts. For example, the average training time for a member of Girls' Generation was 5.5 years. Once Girls' Generation debuted, SM Entertainment signed a 10-year contract with the girl group, shortened to 7 years by the Fair Trade Commission's request. The FTC's request was sparked by a lawsuit in 2009, in which Hero Jaejoong, Micky Yoochun and Xiah Junsu of boy band TVXQ sued SM over a 13 year contract that was allegedly too long and restrictive, depriving TVXQ of most of the profits. TVXQ won, leading the FTC to enforce a "model contract." TVXQ is now a duo; Jaejoong, Yoochun and Junsu left to form boy band JYJ under C-JeS Entertainment, a record label created solely for these three. Several years after TVXQ's lawsuit, K-pop companies have still used these slave contracts. In Jan. 2011, Han Seung-yeon, Nicole Jung and Kan Ji-young of girl group Kara sued DSP Media for embezzling profits. The lawsuit was resolved in April, but in Jan. 2014, Nicole and Ji-young left. Singaporean model Elaine Yuki Wong trained with girl

group Skarf, but dropped out by Oct. 2011. In a blog post published in Feb. 2012, Elaine said she dropped out "due to medical reasons and there being too tough," having "broke[n] down lots of times." She described the "superstar life" as "totally being controlled like as though I'm leading my life how they want it to be." This life was "without friends and family," especially wherever she didn't know the language. Despite concluding, "Life's not about fame. It's about being happy," she did not regret the experience. In fact, she said, "If I were given a chance again, I'll still go for it. I'll still go thru everything again." In an interview with Al-Jazeera published in Jan. 2012, Joy of girl group RaNia said, “Before we debut, we don’t have phones. We cannot call or hang out with friends. Of course no boyfriends.” Because her family was injured by the 2011 Thailand floods, Joy did not star in the music video for “Pop Pop Pop,” released in Nov. 2011. Before deleting her Twitter in April 2012, she had sent tweets apologizing to her fans for “letting them down so many times;” she said she was sick and couldn’t “go back anymore.” By June 2012, Joy had officially left RaNia. Especially with Elaine and Joy—

Elaine still grateful for being “totally controlled,” Joy apologetic over the same—K-pop artists appear almost brainwashed by their companies, even when they leave due to mistreatment. No better indication of this “brainwashing” culture exists than the fact that star trainees start as early as 5 or 6. The only reason to seek them

so young is so that the entertainment house can influence them however it wants without outside influence. By maximizing control of stars, the K-pop corporations try to get exactly what they want out of their stars, and given K-pop’s sustained popularity, such micromanagement has been mostly successful. The damage caused by using such young trainees, who do not even necessarily ever debut, has yet to be substantiated in K-pop. This is still a relatively recent phenomenon in

South Korea, but the tragic child-star is an all too common a trope in the United States. One of the more relevant cases is Michael Jackson, starting in the Jackson 5. Joseph Jackson, his father and manager, physically and emotionally abused Michael in various ways, such as whipping him and shaming his “fat nose.” As a child, Michael Jackson often cried of loneliness and felt sick upon seeing his father. Infamously, Jackson ended up doing various operations on his “fat nose.” The abuse along with the child sexual abuse allegations arguably led to Jackson’s drug addiction; Jackson died due to a propofol overdose. Despite this, Joseph Jackson’s over-controlling environment ultimately “succeeded.” After all, it produced the “King of Pop” and made the Jackson 5 one of the bestselling artists ever. Although the effect on an individual K-pop trainee is probably not this extreme, it would be surprising if the human toll of this environment turned out to be minimal. The K-pop industry essentially operates on mass surveillance—on customers, and especially on artists, brainwashed to accept whatever is thrown upon them. It is quite ironic that North Korea is the authoritarian Korea, but South Korea’s pop industry resembles an authoritarian state.

Xiah Junsu, Hero Jaejoong, and Micky Yoochun left SM Entertainment to form JYJ under C-Jes

ASIAN

the influence in

AMERICAN television By Siu Lam Koo

hen I was growing up, my spare time

largely consisted of drowning in television. Reality shows and cartoons during the day, then sneaking in muted CSI episodes during the night. For me, and probably many others, TV was a big part of my life. While I personally didn’t think about the appearances of Asian Americans in shows back then, because come on—Pokémon was everything—I do wonder about the necessity and effect of representation in media today. Traditionally, Asian Americans have been severely under- and mis- represented in mainstream media, which communicates “Asian” to the public by packaging it into certain stereotypes. One common stereotype is the “model minority,” in which Asian Americans are consistently perceived as intelligent individuals who are socially awkward and quiet, the term “nerd” is most applicable here. Most Asian American portrayals, if not all, have pronounced accents that characterize them. A few examples that come to mind: Dr. Cristina Yang in “Grey’s Anatomy,” Rajesh in “The Big Bang Theory,” even Toshi in “American Dad.” This plays into the idea of the foreigner who speaks relatively little English and ends up following the protagonist’s clique in all sorts of adventures. As a result, the media twists and

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“I’M JUST PLAYING SOMEBODY WHO REPRESENTS ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD BE LIVING IN AMERICA OR OUTSIDE OF IT, WHO IS JUST A REGULAR PERSON.” LUCY LIU

Lucy Liu portraying Joan Watson in CBS’s “Elementary.”

restricts not only the way the public view Asian Americans, but also how Asian Americans view themselves. Recently, however, Asian Americans are increasing their presence in mainstream media, and are beginning to take on roles of unique characters that contribute to the plot. A notable example is actress Lucy Liu’s character Joan Watson in “Elementary,” the CBS adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “Sherlock Holmes.” The character took a departure, quite literally, from the stereotypical Asian surgeon trope when she resigned from the hospital to join Sherlock Holmes as his sober companion in the pilot episode. Watson gradually develops into a versatile character, acquiring reasoning skills on top of her medical expertise, which she uses to help solve cases throughout the episodes. She is brazen and outspoken, often challenging Holmes’ opinions when she has arrived at her own conclusions. It is admirable of a prominent American TV station to include different ethnicities in major roles, but not reduce them to a stereotype. Another example is actor Steven Yeun’s iconic role as Glenn Rhee in AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” where he does not adhere to any stereotype. He is valued because of his resourcefulness and efficiency as the supply runner, not because he is “exotic.” To further defeat the stereotype, Rhee fosters a romantic relationship with a white character, Maggie Greene. However, the interracial aspect of the relationship was not exploited in the show as they already had enough problems dealing with zombies.

Asian American success in mainstream media can then be attributed to the fact that they are not reduced to just “being the Asian.” Liu commented for The Wall Street Journal on her role as Watson, “Changing it up is a good thing … it’s nice to be able to portray an Asian American on camera without having an accent, or without having to be spoofy. And I think that’s a big step forward, because there are still representations of people that are more comedic. And that’s not what I’m playing. I’m just playing somebody who represents anyone else who would be living in America or outside of it, who is just a regular person.” Yeun said in an interview, “It's been great to be able to play a character that doesn't really have anything to do with being Asian except what he looks like. I also love the fact that they don't shy away from addressing that as well.” Regarding his onscreen interracial relationship, he says, “It was just two people, who happen to look a little different, passionately being together.” There should be nothing wrong with Asian Americans on TV or in movies because we are a normal part of society, just like everybody else. We are not all foreigners who don’t understand American culture; we are capable of leading our own lives and storylines. A proper representation of this in media makes it much more relatable and not only contributes to the success of the show and the actors/actresses, but also builds upon the idea that there is a place for Asian Americans in media. Asian Americans are a diverse group of individuals and express themselves in many different ways, not just through humor. It is important for the performer not to conform into a role, but to portray different characters that can present a well rounded view of Asian Americans to the public. Steven Yeun portraying Glenn Rhee in AMC’s “The Walking Dead.”

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

Conscience Photo by Farhan Hussain

ASIAN OUTLOOK

The Sleeping Beauty Effect By Angela Wu My impatient fingers viciously attack the button, Waiting for the elevator doors to open. Suddenly, overwhelmed by a soothing tune Flowing from the left ear into my right. Entranced by a spell, Like Sleeping Beauty to a spinning wheel. The voice in my head tells me to get in the elevator But under a magicianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s control, I find myself in a daze. The voice of reason is lost and powerless Carried away by a cloud of invisible mist I glide towards the room with the piano. The thick glass windows skew my vision, Keeping the master mind of the piano incognito I move closer Closer. I spot the silhouette of the top of his head from the corner of my eye Behind the large wooden piano further obstructing my view My ears jump at the abrupt disruption of musical flow. Why did he stop? Was it my presence? Or is he watching me? I cannot see his face. Never once lifting his head up to catch my eyes, He continues to glide his fingers across the black and white keys. I return to my conscious state Forgetting the elevator, I take the stairs Walking Up Up Further away from the piano man And released from his musical spell As if awoken from a deep slumber The image of his face was non existent, But the sound still permeates throughout my dreams. The essence of his music has captured my soul Temporarily Belonging to the faceless piano man I wonder how many others are trapped in his musical box. He has our figurative faces, but we never see his. A stranger I snap out of it, and I am free again. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be Sleeping Beauty anymore. Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

The House That Shook By Max Lin

There’s a low rumble beneath Howard Quigley’s feet as the dishes begin to rattle in the cupboard. Going by the schedule, he guesses it must be ten past eight. The cracked clock on the coffee table reads 5:47 and this causes him some confusion. At one point, he decided he would mount the clock back on the wall, along with the shattered picture frame resting on his hardwood floor. Then the house started to shake and he decided it would be absurd to try. Yesterday, Howard promised himself he would clean up the glass around the photo of Elena. Instead, he walked around it like it was a crime scene, taking care not to cross the invisible police tape. Today, Howard promises himself he will clean up the glass around the photo of Elena – when his show is over. Howard Quigley rests in the living room on his floral print futon, covering his entire body with a matching floral print comforter to shield himself from the chill of dusk. A quick glance at this lumpy floral print mass

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reveals a bearded face and two wrinkled hands emerging from the comforter. His left hand holds half a mug of bourbon – only half because when the house shakes, liquids tend to spill. He hates when the house shakes with every inch of his being. His right hand holds the remote. He is watching some sitcom about newlyweds. The name of the program doesn’t matter. The general premise is this: an unlikely couple learns, through hijinks and tribulations, that marriage is both love and sacrifice. The charmingly overweight man on the screen turns to his beautiful wife and says, “Alright, Karen. I’ll go to the party. But I’m not talking to anyone and I’m not going to dance.” Cue laughter from the studio audience. Marriage is both love and sacrifice. This was the reason he was willing to move to the house that shook. Elena loved the quake and the rumble of the nearby freight trains

passing along the tracks. She loved the blare of the horn. Howard tolerated it. Elena said she used to live next to a train station when she was a girl. Ever since then, she couldn’t fall asleep without hearing some kind of sound. So Howard Quigley ignored the realtor’s caveats about structural integrity and kissed Elena and packed their things and settled in. Every night, the house that shook rocked them both to sleep.

Back to the show. The couple mingles at the party. The charmingly overweight half of the pair looks noticeably uncomfortable. Cue laughter from the studio audience. Howard hones in on one of the extras in the background and wonders how the man was ever hired. The extra has an odd habit of not knowing where to look. He stares at the camera for a good four seconds. Perhaps, Howard thinks, the man is seeing something he isn’t. The floorboards quiver and begin to Over the commercial break, Howard stares rupture. at the bright colors on the screen, not quite focusing on the shapes they form. The house There’s a song Howard liked to sing to Elena: shakes. He wonders if he’s being watched, “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash. Every like the sitcom couple. If God is watching time the freight train would pass by, he would him, what is He thinking? Howard is not a sing, “If that railroad train was mine/ I bet very religious man, but sometimes he tries to I’d move it on a little further down the line.” pray. He says the words “Dear God” out loud Elena laughed every time Howard teased her and lets them take flight, but they always fall about the house’s location. He loved and to the hardwood floor before he makes it to hated the house that shook but these days, “Amen.” For this same reason, Howard hates he mostly hates it. leaving a message at the tone – the words feel meaningless, his voice is weak and cracks, he’s A bright light engulfs the four cramped not sure if anyone is listening. “Hi God, uh… walls of Howard’s living room. A 14-foot tall how’ve you been? Me, I’m good. Ok. Call me mechanical force tears through his wall and back.” Cold bourbon splashes his hands. The continues chugging along for a few meters. rumbling heightens to a roar. The television smacks the ground and the plaster from the wall zooms past Howard. He wonders if Elena is there, watching him. He doubts she can see him. Sometimes he The front page of tomorrow’s paper will tell says “Elena” out loud. Her name takes flight the story of a drunken station cleaning lady and then crashes against one of his four living who decided to go for a joyride. A train leaves room walls. He immediately feels silly every the station at 5:43 A.M., traveling west at 93 time. She used to ask him where he thought miles an hour. It crashes into the house of the trains were going. A cursory glance at Howard Quigley, 51. He emerges from the the train schedule would have given him the three remaining walls of his living room answer but she liked having him guess. unscathed and looks out into the distance, finally seeing what the extra saw.

Vol. XXVII, Issue 3

Sperm Whale, 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

ASIAN OUTLOOK

By SoYeon Lee

If you ever felt like you, shy quiet child, never got enough attention from me, it’s probably true. I was too busy running after your loud, high-energy classmate when he threw a fit inciting his friend to throw a fit, over whose Pokemon card this or that was before two hands, stubborn in their righteousness, ripped the god-forsaken thing in a climax that proved there actually was a snickering goddess of justice somewhere above, and I found myself with two howling hooligans to console, but you eased insanity when you stayed quiet.

A Teacher’s Letter By Grace Li

In the hushed spaces of relief when I reminded myself to bend over you to ask if you need any help, you hunch your shoulders over the two digit addition problems, and shake your head in sharp, quick motions that were answers enough. Still, I knew that if your twisting thoughts ever couldn’t find the right jabs to bypass a scholarly obstacle, your rosebud mouth would flatten anyway, your slippery eyes wouldn’t meet mine anyway, to maintain that you didn’t need a hand, no, not you. When I run my eyes across the classroom and you feel as if my glance skips over you like a pebble on the glasslike pane of a calm lake, know that it isn’t that I don’t see your clasped hands, fingers woven atop each other, fused through moral clarity, or your cardboard-stiff posture a scolding mother taught you. It’s not that I can’t hear your telepathic pleas to reward a rule-follower, crowd-blender, a teacher’s salvation, or your fervent promises to never do the same when you become an adult. I know, I understand, because the childish echoes of my past self saying, “Look at me”, still ripple through my conscience when I look at you.

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