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ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
LISA LING & RICK YUNE
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 06:06:50 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.]
It's funny how ppl complain that Lisa Ling is white washed. If people took the time to notice, Asian Americans make up only about 5% of the population. In order for a minority to succeed they need to immerse themselves into the dominant majority, which are the white people. Media is very centered around mainstream views, and the mainstream view is white. Lisa is not being a sell-out, she is merely adapting and succeeding -- so should she be accused of turning herself away from her culture? How many Asian Americans out there have been to their country for extended periods of time or even know their history? I doubt many Asian Americans know Asian history as well as American history. I grew up in a dominantly Asian environment and went to a dominantly Asian school (UC Berkeley), and now that I'm working in a very white, professional environment (Investment banking), I know firsthand how hard it is to assimilate into another culture. But that is why a lot of Asians don't succeed because they keep to themselves!! Succeeding in America means bringing exposure and pride to the Asian community and in the white person's eyes, if there's an Asian person for them to admire and appreciate, it sure has hell beats the prejudice of the past.
K-girl from SF
Tuesday, February 05, 2002 at 00:14:15 (PST)
Lisa Ling is HOT!!! She is one of the fionest women on TV. She's also very bright.
Bad John
Monday, February 04, 2002 at 12:16:04 (PST)
its refreshing for once to see an asian "power couple". However, they are young & it wont last. LL will go back to dating wm & RY will date some blonde chick...
truthbetold
Monday, February 04, 2002 at 09:40:04 (PST)
With so few Asian public figures like actors out there, we really shouldn't bash them so brutally. They worked hard to get to where they are and show the public that there are intelligent, articulate Asians. They give visibility to the Asian community and we should support them.
aa female
Monday, February 04, 2002 at 08:07:24 (PST)
I am gonna have to agree with 'my $0.02' As a Corean, I'd like to defend him but it is an undeniable fact that he really is a bad actor. I'd say he should go to good acting schools in NYC like Actors' Studio and Stelladler and get wicked trained.
True Corean
Sunday, February 03, 2002 at 23:41:04 (PST)
Omg....Rick Yune is SOOOOOO hot - I dun think he should be dating anyone - he should be dating me!!!! =) Btw, to the person who commented that he's a terrible actor - if he were such a bad actor then why was he chosen to be one of the lead roles in the upcoming Bond movie then?!! He's one of the hottest upcoming actors on the Hollywood scene!
;-)
Saturday, February 02, 2002 at 20:41:31 (PST)
I was one of Lisa Ling's classmates at USC, and it is true, all she ever did was hang around with white guys. Not "white people" (she never hung around with white girls), only white guys. If she is involved with Rick Yune, it is more likely because she is trying to pass herself off as "Miss Asian America."
R.T. Rincon rrincon10@earthlink.net
Saturday, February 02, 2002 at 14:14:57 (PST)
i think it's a total lie!!!!! i think they should break up!!! i want him!!
quarterrican
Friday, February 01, 2002 at 18:20:04 (PST)
You've got to be kidding me! Lisa Ling hot? Rick Yune hot? Rick Yune is a vain, greasy, stuck up mo fo who won't do a damn thing for the Corean community. Lisa Ling is a BFUGLY, whitewashed, twit who want's to give out the image that she is intelligent about her culture. Go back to Old Navy Ling!
Khaeman
Thursday, January 31, 2002 at 20:47:18 (PST)
I think Rick Yune would be better off dating Ellen Cho from the most recent edition of Road Rules--SHE'S HOT!!!
Ellen Cho Fan!!!
Wednesday, January 30, 2002 at 07:50:03 (PST)
She's whitewashed...but that's just typical of a large number of asian girls in this country.
Steve steviez82@hotmail.com
Tuesday, January 29, 2002 at 10:24:26 (PST)
rick yune may be very good looking, but let's face it...he is a terrible actor. i think most people can tell that he is definitely not an actor by training.
my $0.02
Tuesday, January 29, 2002 at 09:52:34 (PST)
I just watched Lisa Ling on CNN last night hosting "The Point," she was incredible. She was so well-composed and intelligent. I love how smart and hot she is...a package...I WANT HER!!
Bruce K.
Wednesday, January 16, 2002 at 05:24:14 (PST)
Rick Yune is the hottest male on the planet! So don't even compare him to Russell Wong. As for him dating Lisa Ling, I'm dissapointed in his taste. She's unattractive and has an annoying personality. I think he should hoook up with Sung Hi, she's beautiful.
NotAPlayerHater
Tuesday, January 15, 2002 at 11:20:14 (PST)
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