Published inThe Writing Cooperative·PinnedMember-onlyThe Two Kind of Wants Your Character NeedsAn overarching want and a specific want — You hear it all the time as a writer: what does your character want? Try writing it out. Pick your favorite story and think about what the main character wants. If you think about it deeply enough, the question is actually quite confusing. What exactly is a want? In Breaking…7 min read7 min read
Published inThe Writing Cooperative·PinnedMember-only3 Reasons to Use a FlashbackLogos, pathos, ethos — they’re not just for debates — Have you ever watched a movie or show and wondered, “Huh? What are we doing in this random flashback?” Flashbacks are a useful tool to introduce backstory. But just like every other part of the story, flashbacks need to serve a purpose towards character and plot. They shouldn’t be decorative…Screenwriting7 min readScreenwriting7 min read
Published inA Thousand Lives·Aug 31Member-onlyHow to Write Like the Best — Writing Tips from the 2023 National Book FestivalPlus, why old catalogs are good for research — The Walter E. Washington Convention Center was bustling with book enthusiasts August 12th, 2023, at the annual National Book Festival (NBF). With at least four different rooms set up for different topics, there was something for everyone: young adult, horror, fiction, economics. …Writing Tips7 min readWriting Tips7 min read
Published inDigestif·Aug 9Member-only“Ken is Me!” — Why Even My Dad Liked “Barbie”Let your audience enjoy the ride — For someone who gave up his dream of becoming a singer to become an engineer, it wasn’t lost on my Dad that Ryan Gosling sang. “He’s so smooth in La La Land, but here he’s rugged,” he practically tittered. My dad gave Gosling’s abs an A+, too. …Film7 min readFilm7 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·Jul 27Member-onlyWhy Are Asians So Quiet? Watch “The Glory”Cultural differences in confidence — If you watched Netflix’s revenge thriller, The Glory, you might have noticed something: the people who are most expressive — with their body, faces, voices, and words — are the bullies. This explains why Asians are so “quiet.” Note: from an American viewpoint, “Asia” usually refers to East Asia, namely…Culture4 min readCulture4 min read
Published inDigestif·Jul 22Member-onlyAre Korean Americans condescending towards Koreans?K-Pop Confidential is a young adult novel about a Korean American girl who shakes up the K-Pop industry. Candace Park travels from New Jersey to Seoul to enlist in a grueling training program for S.A.Y. Entertainment. She only has weeks to impress the CEO and claim one of five coveted…Literature11 min readLiterature11 min read
Published inDigestif·Jun 13Member-only“Past Lives” is a Love Letter to Ordinary LivesA woman finds herself at a bar with her childhood love and her husband. The former flew fourteen hours from Seoul, South Korea, where they’d fallen in love two decades ago, to visit her. The latter has created a home with her in New York City. The woman, playwright Celine…Film5 min readFilm5 min read
Published inDigestif·Jun 9Member-onlyNoah’s Ark in “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3”A story of salvation — The latest Marvel movie made my cry, laugh, wince, and yell at the screen, along with fellow moviegoers packing the theater. The 2.5-hour screentime felt long at times but never dragged. …Marvel7 min readMarvel7 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·May 26Member-onlyThe One Bookstore to OBSESS Over for APAHMAnd every other month of the year! — Apahm4 min readApahm4 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·May 24Member-onlyHow Accurate Was “XO, Kitty?”From an alumni of K.I.S. (Korea International School) — “XO, Kitty” is the long-awaited spinoff from Jenny Han’s “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.” The spunky, effervescent Kitty Song Covey flies off to Seoul, South Korea, for — definitely not a boy. But kinda. Equal parts K-drama and Disney-esque high school comedy, “XO, Kitty”, is reminiscent of K-drama…Netflix13 min readNetflix13 min read
