Latest news with #Taiwanese-American
Business Insider
3 days ago
- General
- Business Insider
Growing up, I called myself Chinese. A high school project helped me understand the difference.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ginny Wu, 32, a Taiwanese-American UCLA graduate living in Taiwan. Her words have been edited for length and clarity. For my dad's generation, the American dream was about building a better future for their kids. My uncle was the first in his family to get a green card. He eventually sponsored his siblings, including my dad, to leave Taiwan and move to the US. I was born and raised in the States, and never expected that, decades later, I'd end up moving in the opposite direction — back to Taiwan, where their journey had begun. I grew up in a small town Both of my parents are from Taitung, a rural county in southeastern Taiwan. My paternal grandpa was the county magistrate there, and my grandma ran a rice mill business. My dad moved to America in the late 1970s. A job opportunity brought him to Santa Clara, before he moved to Anaheim and then Texas, where he co-ran a motel and even managed an emu ranch. He traveled back to Taiwan to get married, and in 1988, my mom joined him in the US. I was born and raised in Norco, a small, rural town in Southern California. My dad loved the countryside and bought a house there. The town wasn't very diverse, and I was often one of just a few Asian kids in my class. I feel fortunate that I never really experienced racism growing up. At home, we spoke Mandarin. I hated studying the language as a kid, but now I'm grateful — I use Mandarin every day. An assignment changed the way I view identity Growing up, I didn't think much about what being Asian actually meant. I'd say I was Chinese — partly because we spoke it at home, partly because that's what teachers checked on school forms. That changed in high school, when I started the International Baccalaureate program. I wrote my extended essay on how Japanese colonization shaped Taiwanese identity. None of my previous history classes had covered that Taiwan was occupied by Japan for 50 years — my parents never went through it in depth either But the topic hit home. It helped explain why my dad said Japanese phrases before meals, and why my parents used Japanese loanwords without realizing. Exploring the Japanese influences helped me make sense of it all. Exploring that influence deepened my understanding of Taiwan's story, and my own. That essay planted a seed. A few months after graduating from UCLA with a degree in economics, I was hired by Northrop Grumman, an aerospace and defense company. Over the next four years, I worked as a financial analyst in a professional development program rotation. In my last rotation, I pivoted to a different track, taking on a role as a business process analyst in aerospace systems. Despite having a stable job, I started to feel boxed in. I'd never lived anywhere else, and I wanted to see what life outside Southern California could be like. The first move That desire led me to join Anchor Taiwan, a one-month startup immersion program, in 2018. I took time off work to attend, and it changed everything. Experiencing Taiwan as an adult, without my parents and surrounded by peers, helped me imagine building a life here. By the end of the year, I'd quit my job, packed up, and moved to Taipei. I didn't have a job lined up at first. I enrolled in Mandarin classes while job hunting and eventually landed a role at Taiwan Startup Stadium. That was my entry point into the local tech world. When I told my parents I was moving, my mom wasn't thrilled. Having grown up during financially unstable times in Taiwan, she valued career stability and didn't love the idea of me quitting. But she also knew I hadn't felt fulfilled. While they weren't exactly enthusiastic, they were supportive. I was lucky to have extended family in Taiwan — I stayed at my aunt's place while getting settled. I also applied for full Taiwanese citizenship so I could vote and now have my Taiwan ID. Taipei reshaped me I used to be a homebody, like my parents, but the city has drawn out a more social, spontaneous side. My closest friends are mostly locals who speak incredible English, and I feel more connected to my extended family than ever. Work-wise, the transition's actually been smoother than I thought. I'm not at a traditional local company, though — I've heard those can be pretty hierarchical and intense. Taipei has pushed me out of my bubble in the best way. It's clean, convenient, and safe. I walk or bike alone at night without a second thought. I take the bus to work, meet friends for dinner or to go rock climbing, and sometimes jog around the track near my office. Of course, there are things I miss about the US. My parents — now in their 70s and 80s — are still there, and they've never visited me in Taiwan. But I used to get anxious about the smallest things, like mailing a package or ordering a meal. Now, I navigate life in a new language, in a system I didn't grow up in. I've built something from scratch, and that feels like home. I dream of launching a business here one day.
The Star
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Wang Leehom invites 'twin brother' Aarif Rahman as guest performer at concert
Wang Leehom (left) invited Hong Kong singer-actor Aarif Rahman as the guest singer on the first night of his show in Beijing. Photo: Aarif Rahman/Instagram Fans could be forgiven if they thought they were seeing double at Taiwanese-American singer Wang Leehom's concert on June 20. The 49-year-old star invited Hong Kong singer-actor Aarif Rahman, 38, often dubbed 'Little Wang Leehom' due to his resemblance to Wang, as the guest singer on the first night of his show in Beijing. Wang is currently staging his The Best Place concert tour in China, with three sold-out shows in Beijing from June 20 to 22. 'Is there something wrong with the camera? Why are there two overlapping images?' Wang jested when Aarif, dressed in clothes similar to his outfits, appeared on stage on June 20. 'Or are my eyes seeing things?' Aarif joked that it could be due to artificial intelligence (AI). 'AI is very powerful now, and the technology of face-swopping is very scary,' he said. 'The AI filter is so powerful that it makes me 10 years younger today,' Wang replied. Aarif quipped: 'And you will grow taller.' Wang is 1.8m tall, while Aarif is 1.75m tall. Wang said many people have remarked on their resemblance, as the two artistes positioned themselves together on stage for the fans to make their judgment. 'Thank you, my 'twin'. We really look alike,' Wang acknowledged. Aarif – who is of Arab, Malay and Chinese descent – said that since the age of 16, he has often heard comments that he is a Wang lookalike. He attended his first Wang concert in 2008 when he graduated from university, he said, adding that both of them have finally appeared on stage together after 17 years. At the concert, they performed Wang's songs Still In Love With You (2011) and One World One Dream (2008). Wang posted photos of the concert on Chinese social media platform Weibo on June 21. 'Brothers performed a 'lookalike show',' he wrote. 'Were you surprised by today's guest performer Aarif Rahman?' Under Wang's post, Aarif thanked him for inviting him to the concert. Aarif also posted several concert photos on social media. 'Performing your songs on the same stage with you was something I never imagined when I was watching your concert during my younger days,' he wrote on Weibo. 'It has come true in Beijing. I look forward to meeting you again.' – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
New Straits Times
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Wang Leehom invites 'twin' Aarif Rahman as guest in Beijing concert
BEIJING: Fans of Taiwanese-American singer Wang Leehom could be forgiven for thinking they were seeing double at his Beijing concert on June 20. As reported by The Straits Times yesterday, the 49-year-old star invited Hong Kong singer-actor Aarif Rahman, 38, often dubbed "Little Wang Leehom" due to his striking resemblance to Wang, as the guest performer on the first night of his show. Wang is currently on his "The Best Place" concert tour in China, with three sold-out shows in Beijing from June 20 to 22. "Is there something wrong with the camera? Why are there two overlapping images?" Wang quipped when Aarif, dressed in an outfit similar to his own, appeared on stage on June 20. Aarif jokingly suggested it might be due to artificial intelligence (AI). "AI is very powerful now, and face-swapping technology is quite frightening," he said. Wang then acknowledged that many people had commented on their resemblance. "Thank you, my 'twin'. We really do look alike," Wang told Aarif. Aarif — who is of Arab, Malay, and Chinese descent — shared that he has frequently heard comments about being a Wang lookalike since he was 16. He even attended his first Wang concert in 2008 after graduating from university.
Straits Times
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Singer Wang Leehom invites ‘twin brother' Aarif Rahman as guest performer at Beijing concert
Wang Leehom (left) invited Hong Kong singer-actor Aarif Rahman as the guest singer on the first night of his show in Beijing. PHOTO: AARIF_964/INSTAGRAM Fans could be forgiven if they thought they were seeing double at Taiwanese-American singer Wang Leehom's concert on June 20. The 49-year-old star invited Hong Kong singer-actor Aarif Rahman, 38, often dubbed 'Little Wang Leehom' due to his resemblance to Wang, as the guest singer on the first night of his show in Beijing. Wang is currently staging his The Best Place concert tour in China, with three sold-out shows in Beijing from June 20 to 22. 'Is there something wrong with the camera? Why are there two overlapping images?' Wang jested when Aarif, dressed in clothes similar to his outfits, appeared on stage on June 20. 'Or are my eyes seeing things?' Aarif joked that it could be due to artificial intelligence (AI). 'AI is very powerful now, and the technology of face-swopping is very scary,' he said. 'The AI filter is so powerful that it makes me 10 years younger today,' Wang replied. Aarif quipped: 'And you will grow taller.' Wang is 1.8m tall, while Aarif is 1.75m tall. Wang said many people have remarked on their resemblance, as the two artistes positioned themselves together on stage for the fans to make their judgment. 'Thank you, my 'twin'. We really look alike,' Wang acknowledged. Aarif – who is of Arab, Malay and Chinese descent – said that since the age of 16, he has often heard comments that he is a Wang lookalike. He attended his first Wang concert in 2008 when he graduated from university, he said, adding that both of them have finally appeared on stage together after 17 years. At the concert, they performed Wang's songs Still In Love With You (2011) and One World One Dream (2008). Wang posted photos of the concert on Chinese social media platform Weibo on June 21. 'Brothers performed a 'lookalike show',' he wrote . 'Were you surprised by today's guest performer Aarif Rahman?' Under Wang's post, Aarif thanked him for inviting him to the concert. Aarif also posted several concert photos on social media. 'Performing your songs on the same stage with you was something I never imagined when I was watching your concert during my younger days,' he wrote on Weibo. 'It has come true in Beijing. I look forward to meeting you next time.' Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Former Taiwanese boy band F4 reportedly planning to reunite for concert in 2026
A filepic of Taiwanese pop group F4 members (from left) Jerry Yan, Vanness Wu, Ken Chu and Vic Chou at an event in Seoul, South Korea, March 9, 2007. Photo: Handout F4, one of the top Taiwanese boy bands alongside groups such as Energy and 5566 during the 2000s, could be making a comeback in 2026. According to an exclusive report by Taiwan's Mirror Media on June 4, the four members of the Mandopop act have finally reached an agreement and will reunite for a concert to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their debut. The reunion was made possible by Taiwan-based recording company B'in Music, which was behind the comeback of Energy in 2024. F4 consisted of Taiwanese stars Jerry Yan, 48; Vic Chou, 43; and Ken Chu, 46; as well as Taiwanese-American Van Ness Wu, 46. The quartet were brought together as a boy band in 2001 after acting in Taiwanese idol drama Meteor Garden (2001), which also starred the late Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu. Meteor Garden was such a phenomenon in Asia that the four men went on to record three albums and hold concert tours as F4. The group were later renamed JVKV, using the first letter of each of the members' names, due to copyright issues. The members went their separate ways in 2009 and have since performed together at Jiangsu Television's Spring Festival Gala only in 2013. After the split, Yan continued to act and occasionally took part in Chinese variety shows, while Wu is focusing on variety shows and commercial performances in China. Chu currently conducts live-stream sales, while Chou furthered his acting career, with his latest role in the upcoming drama series The World Between Us: After The Flames (2025). According to Mirror Media, B'in Music – which managed to convince Energy to reunite 15 years after their disbandment – has a list of former popular boy bands which it hopes to lobby for reunion, with F4 being top on the list. B'in Music, which includes Taiwanese bands Mayday and Accusefive in its stable of artistes, reportedly spent a long time talking to the four members, who are represented by different agencies. The task was made more difficult as the quartet were said to have split due to differences in their personalities and feelings of jealousy and unfairness between them. However, the success of Energy's reunion in 2024 proved to be a key factor in convincing them to come together again. Mirror Media said the huge marketability of F4 would be a big draw for the reunion concert and that the group may also tour Asia, in addition to focusing on China and Taiwan. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
