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ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
LISA LING & RICK YUNE
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 06:06:51 PM)
he's the most watched Asian woman on American TV. He's the year's hottest Asian American movie hunk. She's 26. He's 29. She's 5-5. He's 6-1. She's Chinese. He's Corean. Both are unquestionably American. She's daringly bubbly. He's recklessly intense. What makes them special to many AA minds is that they defied the odds and the unwritten laws of the American media to become the lone bona fide Asian American star couple.
Rick Yune was barely one when his family left his native Seoul, Corea for Silver Springs, Maryland. His education has been enviably ivy-covered -- private schools topped off by a Wharton MBA. Then came a stint as a Wall Street stock trader and modeling for Versace and Polo. He made a memorable film debut in December 1999 as a young Japanese American husband accused of murder in Snow Falling on Cedars. Yune's character walks and gets the girl. A breathless Newsweek profile didn't hurt his career. His intense and classic Asian features add sizzle to The Fast and the Furious (2001) and will undoubtedly do the same for The Fence (2001).
Lisa Ling is a Sacramento native who got her start in TV at the age of 15 as a reporter for a syndicated teen magazine show called Scratch. Just as she was about to leave for Boston University, Channel One asked her to become one of its peripatetic on-air reporters. She attended USC while working full-time at Channel One's Hollywood studio. All her dates at USC were white, it's rumored. Soon after graduating she joined the panel of The View, ABC's popular daytime talkshow and began spending time with a Disney exec named Morgan Wandell. The fact that Disney is ABC's parent company led to resentment and innuendo. What really raised AA eyebrows was an Old Navy commercial showing Ling cavorting with a group of men and uttering the line "I like my men strong and good-looking". The beef? None of the five men are Asian.
Little wonder that many were skeptical of rumors that surfaced in early 2000 that Ling and Yune had become a couple. Some speculate that it's a sign that Asian men are ascendant. Others suspect it's just Ling's effort at rehabilitating her image with her Asian American viewership. Still others are just glad to see an Asian-Asian star couple at long last.
What do you think?
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
if either rick yune or lisa ling were white, we wouldn't be having this conversation.
people blame lisa ling for sleeping her way to the top. first of all, we don't know if she did, and if she did, so what? sometimes, women (of all races) sleep with their bosses to gain power, and unfortunately most of the people on top are white males. if the way to the top involves kissing up to certain people, is there really a choice?
it's sad but it's real...it's called politics. and more power to lisa for knowing how to play the game!
KoreanGirl
Monday, January 14, 2002 at 07:41:44 (PST)
All you asian guys and gals who are bashing either Lisa Ling, Lucy Liu or Rick are idiots!
Lisa and Rick help make asians look good. They are some of the few asian groundbreakers in a brutally competitive and prejudiced industry. Their success no matter how they achieved it will make it easier of other asians to make it.
They also help BREAK the white stereotype that asians are ugly or have no showbiz talent, or aren't marketable.
Lisa Ling is gorgeous and this is coming from an AM who usually likes WF. I think a guy of any race would be attracted to her and this helps break down the race barriers.
We should be supporting any asian actor/actress that is successful in the media not bashing them.
Tan Man
Saturday, January 12, 2002 at 18:29:32 (PST)
How is Lisa a sell-out? She's the only one who ever discusses issues pertaining to the Asia community. She publically condemned TIME magazine for putting Asian eyes on the cover and has repeatedly talked about discrimination and tolerance. Yune played a really bad guy in the Fast and Furious and is a villian in the James Bond. Who's perpetuating stereotypes. Lisa is outspoken, which is rare for any Asian in the media and because of it she draws critics. i can't think of one Asian who puts herself out there like that. All the others are just stupid actors who just recite someone else's sterotypical lines. Lisa is beautiful and classy.
Tom KAng
Thursday, January 10, 2002 at 09:42:19 (PST)
i think lisa ling is a bit too fake and a little high and mighty, albeit, bourgeouis, to keep rick yune's attention for the long term. everyone's a trippin cause he went to wharton and has got an mba and you think he's all ivy league..which is cool, don't get me wrong....but,dude grew up in maryland/dc, in a black neighborhood, across the way... only asian family for miles. i am sure the guy has got some sort of realness to him. i'm surprised he didn't hook up with a beautiful black actress, with some clout and substance down there in hollywood, not sell-out lisa. i mean, yea, she's a great journalist ( someone else wrote, not me ) but, what does that mean? so, she the smartest on the view? she's the only damn asian on there. she's gotta perpetuate the stereotype, right. that's her way.
and yes, i really don't like lisa ling.
DC Koreanguy
Tuesday, January 08, 2002 at 01:01:29 (PST)
Russell Wong is way better looking. He should hook up with Lisa...no, Lisa should hook up with me. I love her, especially when she wears a skirt. I'm late to work everyday because I have to check her out.
Richie Rich
Monday, January 07, 2002 at 13:24:30 (PST)
It's funny, all you Asian women who player hate Lisa. That's why Asian women have the reputation that they do. That they can't be happy for one other, they all have the "Lucy Liu," I'm the hottest Asian women in the room complex. Get over it.
Jim Villarealo
Monday, January 07, 2002 at 09:32:15 (PST)
Rick Yune does not look as good as Russ Wong.
Rick's features look good on females, but on Asian guys I don't know?
just an opinion
Sunday, January 06, 2002 at 15:03:35 (PST)
>>>If you are a hot Asian male, why would you date Asian?<<<
I date for love, not status. If a white, Arab or Latina girl is beautiful, I date her for her beauty not her race.
Have some pride. We as Asians really need it.
Asian with high self esteem
Sunday, January 06, 2002 at 15:01:10 (PST)
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