By A Korean-American has become one of the finalists on American Idol:
Will America swoon all over John Park as multi-platinum selling country music vixen Shania Twain did?
On the hugely popular U.S. program aired on Jan 19, the unassuming 20-year-old economics major at Chicago’s Northwestern University snatched unanimous yeses from all three members of the American Idol panel as well as guest judge Shania Twain to become one of the final 24 contestants that will compete to become the next American Idol.
Park, an ethnic Korean, performed a soulful rendition of Blood, Sweat, and Tears’ “I’ll love you more than you’ll ever know” in front of regular panelists Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi, and guest Shania Twain. [Korea Herald]
He has a good voice, but you know he is going to be getting more props from his friends with all the compliments he got from Shania Twain.
1:18 pm on January 21st, 2010 1
He might be. He's rumored to be amongst the top 24, so he probably has a shot.
Since the judges made a big fuss about him, I would suspect the producers believe he can get the ratings (The auditions take place over a period of 2 weeks, not 2 days as the show suggests. People are asked to return wearing the same clothes to make it look that way, but some don't, like this season's manga girl who was shown wearing several different outfits. By the time they get to the judges, the producers already have a good idea of who they want on the show. As a matter of fact, some of the people who were shown auditioning in front of the judges in past seasons have stated that they didn't even audition for them(they had auditioned for the producers). So, at least some of the judges' comments are scripted).
3:36 am on January 22nd, 2010 2
He has zero chance of winning the title. Look at all the youtube hate/stereotype comments about his being Asian, singing R&B, etc, that says everything about the mentality. If he thinks he's going to get some fat record contract of some kind, then he's sadly mistaking. There has never been a consistently successful Asian record artist in the west, and there will never be one, period.
3:36 am on January 22nd, 2010 3
not in my life time.
5:15 am on January 22nd, 2010 4
Tom, Tom, Tom…
Stop letting needless nationalism and imagined racism blind you with hatred.
"There has never been a consistently successful Asian record artist in the west, and there will never be one, period." "not in my life time."
I guess Don Ho, his TV show and his best-selling albums don't count?
Larry Ramos (Filipino) from The Association?
James Yoshinobu Iha from Smashing Pumpkins?
Todd Park Mohr from Big Head Todd & the Monsters?
Hoobastank's half-Japanese frontman Doug Robb?
Chi Chang from the Deftones?
Sonny Sandoval and Wuv Bernando (Guam) from P.O.D.?
Enrique Iglesias… half Filipino.
Allan Pineda Lindo (Filipino) from Black Eyed Peas?
Guitarist Koichi Fukada from Static-X?
Mike Shinoda and Joseph Hahn from Linkin Park?
Yoko Funcking Ono?
…and this is just off of the top of my head from my DJing days in the 90s. I bet there are others in the last 10 years.
Tom, I'm starting to think that most of your persecution is self-inflicted.
Relax.
6:56 am on January 22nd, 2010 5
How old are you – Tom?
8:38 am on January 22nd, 2010 6
To bad we can't post images here, so first click this:
http://jasonjeffrey.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/a…
Ok, you're back. I'd venture so far to say in today's climate he may have an advantage due to his race.
1:48 am on January 23rd, 2010 7
…Yo Yo Ma, Norah Jones (she's half-Indian), John Myung…
1:49 am on January 23rd, 2010 8
Uh… Tom…
Awful quiet in the peanut gallery…
3:58 am on January 23rd, 2010 9
Tom, go back to myspace.
10:08 am on January 23rd, 2010 10
PS. Isn't John Stamos, actor/unofficial member of the Beach Boys since the 80's, Filipino?
4:20 am on January 26th, 2010 11
We hope John goes far in the competition. Here's a fansite we started for him:
http://www.johnapark.com
Peace!
9:17 am on January 26th, 2010 12
How could you forget American Idol mega-star, William Hong?
"She bang. She Bang."
1:46 pm on January 26th, 2010 13
Karen O from the popular "Yeah yeah yeahs" was born in Seoul South Korea and is half Korean Tom.
7:13 pm on June 19th, 2010 14
Shania Twain is way better than taylor swift when it comes to country music.::`
7:33 pm on June 19th, 2010 15
Tom gets proven wrong in thread after thread but always comes back for more. It's almost like he's spoofing the stereotype of his race. Interesting…
4:53 pm on July 18th, 2010 16
we should stop feeding Tom…
4:47 pm on December 12th, 2010 17
the Iglesias family really have the talent for singing, Enrique is just one the best singers that i know ;~"