Happy birthday, astronaut Yi So-yeon!

Yi So-yeon, born June 2, 1978 in Gwangju, South Korea, is the first Korean to go into space. She was selected as a finalist in the Korean Astronaut Program.  She went into space aboard Soyuz TMA-12 to the International Space Station as a participant, launched April 8, 2008. She returned to Earth aboard Soyuz TMA-11 after 10 days in space. 

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: John Cho, Star Trek actor

John Cho, born June 16, 1972 in Seoul, South Korea, immigrated to Los Angeles, California when he was six years old. Cho starred as Hikaru Sulu in the reboot of the Star Trek series.  He also appeared in the American Pie series and Harold & Kumar series.  

He starred in Searching, the first mainstream Hollywood thriller with an Asian American lead actor. 

Celebrating Asian American Heritage Month: John Lee, first Korean American to play in the NFL

John Lee, born May 19, 1964 in Seoul, South Korea, is the first Asian American to play in the National Football League.  He played baseball in South Korea before moving to Los Angeles with his parents when he was in the sixth grade.  He began playing football in high school and was granted an athletic scholarship to UCLA for his kicking talent.

He went on to set many kicking records, some of which still stand today, while at UCLA. 

He was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the second round of the 1986 NFL draft, to a four-year $900,000 contract, the highest paid player at that time for his position.  Lee is the first Asian American to play in the NFL.  Unfortunately, Lee suffered a slump and began missing field goals.  He was waived in 1987 and signed as a free agent by the LA Raiders in 1988 but was waived after missing 2 out of 3 field goals in the preseason.

https://youtube.com/shorts/tk7TQmWSA8w?si=bxQJho7ieBx8jPlr

Uribyol-1, South Korea's first satellite, launched 1992

South Korea launched its first satellite, Uribyol-1 (aka KITSAT-1, KITSTA-A, KITSAT-OSCAR 23), August 10, 1992.  It was a product of the Korean Institute of Technology Satellite and given the nickname "Our Star". It was expected to have a lifespan of only 5 years but communications were maintained for 12 years.  

At the time, South Korea became the 22nd country to operate a satellite. 

Celebrating Asian-American Heritage Month: Jonny Kim, Korean-American astronaut

Jonny Kim, born in 1984 to South Korean immigrants in Los Angeles, California, is an astronaut, a former Navy SEAL, and received a Doctor of Medicine from Harvard Medical School.  NASA announced that he is in training for a 2024 moon landing.

Sheesh!

Celebrating Asian-American Heritage Month: Linda Park, Star Trek actress

Lovely actress Linda Park, July 9, 1978 born in Seoul, South Korea, is best known and beloved as Ensign Hoshi Sato, and later as Lt. Sato on Star Trek: Voyager.  She was raised in San Jose, California and graduated from Boston University's BFA Acting program.  Her first movie role was a brief appearance in Jurassic Park III with Laura Dern. 

"Yongary, Monster from the Deep" released 1967

Trying to capitalize on the success of Godzilla, South Korea produced and released Yongary, Monster from the Deep, August 13, 1967.  It is an obvious rip-off of the G-Man and the special effects aren't really effective.  It also seems that the creators were trying to tap into Gamera, since a young boy tries to befriend Yongary. 

Happy birthday, Ensign Hoshi!

Linda Park, born July 9, 1978 in South Korea, is best known in the Star Trek world as Ensign (later Lieutenant) Hoshi Sato on the series Star Trek: Enterprise. She had a minor role in Jurassic Park III.

Soyuz TMA-11 launched 2007

Soyuz TMA-11 crew (L-R): Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, Yuri Malenchenko, Peggy Whitson

Mission patch

Soyuz TMA-11, launched October 10, 2007, carried two members of Expedition 16 and the first Malaysian astronaut to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Yuri Malenchenko (Roscosmos), Peggy Whitson (NASA) and Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, who flew as part of an agreement between the Russian and Malaysian governments.

Shukor stayed on the ISS for about 10 days and returned to Earth on Soyuz TMA-10.  Malenchenko and Whitson stayed on board for almost 192 days and returned in April 2008.  The first Korean astronaut, Yi So-yeon, joined them on the return trip.  She had arrived about 10 days earlier on Soyuz TMA-12.

During re-entry, Soyuz TMA-11 made a ballistic maneuver, which meant its descent was steeper than normal, due to a malfunction.  They landed safe and sound about 475 km from their target. 

Akihiko Hirata, Godzilla and Rodan actor, born 1927

Akihiko Hirata, born December 26, 1927 in Kyogo, South Korea, has been in more Godzilla movies than anyone!  He played Dr. Serizawa in the original movie Godzilla in 1954.  He went on to star in Rodan (1956), Mothra (1961), Ghidorah, the Three-headed Monster (1964), Godzilla vs the Sea Monster (1966), Son of Godzilla (1967), Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (1974) and The Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975).

He is the only actor to appear in the debuts of monsters Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, King Ghidorah and Mechagodzilla!


Mr. Hirata passed away in July 1984.

Happy birthday, Daniel Dae Kim!

Gorgeous and sexy Daniel Dae Kim, born August 4, 1968, is a native of South Korea but grew up in Pennsylvania.  (This is a trip to the Far East that I'd like to take! :{D- ) What more can an actor ask for? Two of the television shows he's starred in are filmed in Hawai'i:  Lost and Hawai'i Five-O.  I first fell in love with him when he played telepath Lt. John Matheson on Crusade, the spin-off mini-series from Babylon 5.  He has also appeared in Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise.