Korean-Americans in the Media

BRUCE AND JU-CHAN FULTON BRING KOREAN LITERATURE TO THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING WORLD

This article, from the Seattle Times, is about a married couple who translate Korean literature into English. I think this piece is the perfect example of how journalists should write about immigrants. Not until the fourth paragraph does the author identify the wife as Korean, which forces the reader to rely on the author’s description of the couple, that they are translators, which is the subject of the story.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2011868432_litlife17.html


KOREAN AMERICANS UNITE TO KEEP UW PROGRAM ALIVE

This article describes how the effort of the Korean community in Washington State raised enough money to continue the Korean Studies program at the University of Washington. The author writes in a way that makes you believe the program is valuable and would be a significant loss for the University, however, I think more could have been said about the specific ways that the Korean community came together to raise the money. Also, when the author uses the word “unusual” to describe the communities efforts, it gives the impression that the community isn’t normally very unified. This would be ok if the author supported this impression.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2002169062_korean03m.html


KOREAN AMERICANS / FEELING FOREIGN IN THEIR NEW HOMELAND -- A STRUGGLE TO FIT IN

This article, in the Seattle Times, does an excellent job summing up the situation and struggles of the Korean immigrant population in the Puget Sound city of Federal Way. The article leads with the story of the first non-white to be near election the city council. The story keeps a graceful tone, describing the difficulties Koreans face learning English and integrating into society, and highlighting the progress being made. I liked how the author also focused on advent of Korean churches in the area, pointing to the nine that now exist in the city as a sign of progress.


JAPANESE AND KOREANS LEARN TO LIVE TOGETHER IN HARMONY IN L.A.'S LITTLE TOKYO

I really this article from the LA Times. It tells the story of how an influx of Koreans into Little Tokyo has been handled by the local Japanese there. The lead outlines the conflict, touching on racial stereotypes from both sides and the conflicts they create. But what follows is a very positive account of how the two ethnic groups have been able to put aside their differences, which stretch back to each of their respective homelands, and live in social harmony.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-korjapan23-2009feb23,0,2634061.story



YOUR BRIGHT FUTURE' SPOTLIGHTS KOREAN ARTISTS AT LACMA

This is an interesting article from the LA Times that profiles a Korean art exhibition at LACMA. The story focuses first on a Korean artist, featured in the picture, who is acknowledged to be the leader of the Korean Pop art movement in South Korea. The fact that he is the only artist at the show who is Korean educated is noted; I would have liked to hear more about why this is significant. The article goes on to discuss several other artists and their influence in the art “scene.” The article is certainly positive, especially because it highlights an area of Korean culture not known in America, at least not to me.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-ca-korea21-2009jun21,0,1919054.story


COUPLE AT HELM OF IRVINE FIRM ARRESTED IN $8-MILLION PONZI SCHEME TARGETING KOREAN AMERICANS

This article in the LA Times gives details about a couple arrested for running a Ponzi scheme that targeting Korean American investors, costing them over 80 million dollars. The article mostly just consists of the facts, though one thing I noticed about the way it was written concerned the motive for the crime, which the article describes by quoting the Attorney General involved in the case. He says “They were doing it in large part just to have the aura about them of being successful.” This desire for success by Koreans has popped up in several of the articles I reviewed, and seems to be a commonality between Korean immigrants in LA and Seattle.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/03/couple-at-helm-of-irvine-firm-arrested-in-8million-scheme.html