John Cho Won’t Call Himself Sexy, So We Will

Special: Ten Thousand Things

Today, we’re sharing a special episode from "Ten Thousand Things," produced by our friends at KUOW (Seattle’s NPR station). Think of "Ten Thousand Things" as "This (Asian) American Life," with sound-rich stories exploring commonplace objects and the incredible Asian American guests who transform them into something remarkable. In this episode, host and award-winning poet Shin Yu Pai discusses the power of names with transgender and non-binary poet/educator Ebo Barton, who shares their journey to change their name and reclaim their true identity. Listen to more episodes of "Ten Thousand Things" and follow the podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/WhiP9eul?sid=WBEZDrop.

Special: K-Pop Dreaming

Our friends at the LAist have a cool podcast called "K-Pop Dreaming," and we think you should check it out. The eight-episode, limited-run series talks about the rise and history of K-Pop in the United States, as told from the point-of-view of the Korean diaspora in Los Angeles. In this episode, host Vivian Yoon takes listeners on a journey of how three LA kids embraced R&B, went to South Korea and revolutionized K-Pop.

John Cho Won’t Call Himself Sexy, So We Will

The veteran actor says there were stereotypical bit parts — but very few substantial roles — for Asians when he was coming up. He chats about taking a stand in the jobs he accepted, what it was like to write a young adult novel, and about that one time he got arrested.

Sameer Gadhia Could’ve Been Your Hot Doctor

Indie rock is often associated with white musicians. That’s why many fans of Young the Giant assumed the band’s lead singer was white at first. The talented Indian American talks about changing the narrative of indie rock and incorporating his South Asian culture into his music. He also dishes about dropping out of school, an encounter with respectful paparazzi and funny interactions with fans.

Alexander Hodge Is Our Bae

Growing up, the actor thought it was cool when people called him Jackie Chan — until he realized they meant it as a slur. Years later, when he got his breakout role on HBO’s Insecure, he didn't know how to handle people swooning over him or all the thirsty tweets and DMs. Alexander Hodge talks about getting into fights as a kid, learning to embrace his biracial identity, and warning his mom about his nude scenes.