1 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Sandy and Samantha and welcome to Stuff'll 2 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:18,880 Speaker 1: never told you a production of by Heart Radio and 3 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: today spoilers because we're talking about a really recent. 4 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 2: I realized it was that recent. 5 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: I didn't either, but we're talking about the twenty twenty 6 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 1: four young adult graphic novel Lunar New Year Love Story, 7 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 1: written by Gene Nuen Yang and illustrated by Luhen Fum. 8 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: And I probably obvious why we chose this, but it's 9 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 1: as we record Lunar New Years underway, Yeah, yeah, so 10 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 1: we wanted something around that. The inspiration for this work 11 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 1: was in part because Lunar New Year and Valentine's Day 12 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: often overall lap, and Yang's future wife at the time 13 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: hated Valentine's Day. She thought it was like a big 14 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: corporate like a lie, and so he really liked it though, 15 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 1: so he started to like sort of combine them, like 16 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 1: make Lunar New Year themed Valentine's for her, and so 17 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:23,960 Speaker 1: that was a part of where this came from. And 18 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 1: I just have to say it is really beautifully illustrated. 19 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:30,680 Speaker 2: It is. It is such a great work. I felt 20 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:33,680 Speaker 2: like graphic novels, we don't see enough women illustrators, so 21 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:37,760 Speaker 2: I'm glad to see this, especially in this level. I 22 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 2: will say this made me feel really good. I felt 23 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 2: really like whole. It was so wholesome, like it literally 24 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 2: I was like, oh, I like this. I also love 25 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 2: that they I don't know, we're gonna talk about a minute, 26 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 2: but like they have a combination of different Asian ethnicities 27 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 2: and you don't see that a lot, especially in a 28 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 2: conversation about Lunar New Year. Yeah, what you would think 29 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 2: would be. But it's kind of divisive surprisingly. 30 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: So yeah, yeah, I mean it is. And I read 31 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:12,359 Speaker 1: a bunch of interviews with the creators and it's really 32 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:15,920 Speaker 1: interesting because both of them are illustrators and writers. But 33 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: the writer really felt like he wanted because the main 34 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: character is a young teenage girl. It's like, we need 35 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:27,960 Speaker 1: a woman to do this, and he was saying how 36 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: much she added to it through that, And so that's 37 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 1: the importance of like making those decisions and those steps, 38 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 1: because it really did show. It's absolutely beautiful. Oh my gosh. 39 00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: All right, so I'm going to run through the plot. 40 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 3: It is a bit. 41 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: Longer than what we normally do. It's a graphic novel, 42 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: so you know, it moves there's images, but the images 43 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: are so much to take in. 44 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, they put a lot of folklore in here too, 45 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 2: like a thing that wouldn't be including an Italian figure. 46 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: Yes, I can't wait to talk about that because I 47 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 1: was like, wait, what is this? I must let this 48 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:12,240 Speaker 1: up immediately. So it is a lot going on. But yeah, 49 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 1: it's absolutely worth it. But I'm going to try to 50 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 1: condense it is what I'm attempting to say. The story 51 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: primarily takes place in Oakland, California, and follows Vietnamese American 52 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: Valentina Tran through a montage. In the beginning, we learned 53 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 1: that Vow was named for Valentine's Day, the day of 54 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 1: her conception. She has a quote imaginary friend named Saint 55 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 1: v who's essentially a cupid and encourages her to love, love, 56 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 1: and celebrate Valentine's Day. Val especially loves Valentine's because she 57 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 1: gets mysterious cards in her walker every year. We also 58 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: learn that she lives alone with her dad after the 59 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 1: death of her mom. Anyway, every year she makes her 60 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 1: class and her dad cute but very dorky. Valentin's like 61 00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 1: the one she gets to relock her sometimes with the 62 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 1: help from her friend from ballet, Bernice. However, when they 63 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: get to high school, they've quit ballet. Bernice increasingly makes 64 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 1: fun of her, saying that they were too old for it. 65 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 1: It seems like the class agrees, and a lot of 66 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 1: them make fun of her when they realize she was 67 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 1: the one who made these cards. However, one person, Jay, 68 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:32,360 Speaker 1: seems moved, but the rest of the class mocks him 69 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: and he chairs up the card. Then, later that day, 70 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 1: her father cries and asks her to please stop doing it, like, 71 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: please stop giving me this card. The following day, her 72 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 1: paternal grandmother shows up without warning and has an argument 73 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:51,479 Speaker 1: with her son and Vietnamese before dragging Val off to church. 74 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 1: While there, she sees a statue of Saint Valentine, really foreboding, 75 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 1: menacing statue that replaces the cupid version of Saint vis. 76 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: This happens after her grandmother reveals her mother isn't actually 77 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 1: dead but instead left and is getting married. Overwhelmed and hurt, 78 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 1: Val dismisses her grandmother and has a huge fight with 79 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:20,720 Speaker 1: her dad, and Valentine's day is now ruined for her. 80 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 1: Off off the table, Val starts dating. It doesn't start 81 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: up great. Meanwhile, her friend Bernice is very openly going 82 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 1: through as many people as possible, like she's dating as 83 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 1: many people as possible. For a short time, VAL's relationship 84 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:42,160 Speaker 1: with her dad deteriorates to the point that they barely talk. 85 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: One night, Vow comes home and he's very drunk. She 86 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 1: isn't sure what to do, so she contacts her grandmother 87 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 1: after two years, I believe, who comes over and informs 88 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: Val it was the day that her mother had gotten remarried. 89 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 1: Her grandmother laments about how there are no happy couples 90 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: in their family and how they are unlucky in love. 91 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: Saint v tells her we can only count on suffering, 92 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:13,839 Speaker 1: and when Val asks if there's a way out, he 93 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,839 Speaker 1: tells her to give him her heart and she won't 94 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 1: hurt anymore. She won't hurt her again. She promises to 95 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 1: give it to him in a year if she doesn't 96 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:28,839 Speaker 1: find true love. Her grandmother takes her to the local 97 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:33,559 Speaker 1: lunar New Year's celebration, and Val instantly loves it. There 98 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 1: she sees a lion dance, and from the mouths of 99 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:39,320 Speaker 1: one of the lions, she receives a red envelope with 100 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: a red paper heart Valentine in it. Like the ones 101 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 1: she used to make and hand out. After the dance 102 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:48,600 Speaker 1: is over, she recognizes one of the dancers as Jay, 103 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 1: the boy who had ripped up her valentine. She tries 104 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:55,599 Speaker 1: to give back the heart valentine, thinking it was him, 105 00:06:55,839 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: but Jay's cousin Less intervenes, and VAL's quickly attracted to 106 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: Less and goes on a date with him, or a 107 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,720 Speaker 1: sort of date. However, we learned that Jay made the 108 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 1: valentine despite what Val thinks, so Val doesn't know it, 109 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 1: but we as the audience know it. Val picks up 110 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: lion dancing, which features two dancers, the Head and the Tail, 111 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 1: where she is tutored by Less. It doesn't go well 112 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 1: at first, and Jay annoys her, telling her she's treating 113 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: it like just a dance when it's more than that. 114 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 1: The head and the tail of the lion must become 115 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 1: one and dances one one heart. Her and Less improve 116 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: and she sees this as a sign of their relationship 117 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: being true love, like, oh, it's going in the right direction. 118 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: And just to mention, Less has a huge media presence 119 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 1: like social media. I was looking at his followers, was like, WHOA, 120 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: And he's very rich, his father's very rich, but anyway, 121 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 1: Les impresses Val with very expensive date and takes a 122 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 1: selfie of their first kiss, which I have to say 123 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 1: would be a huge turn off for me, but you know, dude, 124 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: do as you will. Jay apologizes for ripping up the 125 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 1: Valentine's state guard. Meanwhile, Less starts flirting with other girls 126 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 1: in front of Val and refuses to say that they're 127 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 1: dating like he and valor dating, they. 128 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 2: Do not have a DTR. 129 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 1: They do not have. So annoyed, Val continues to see him. 130 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:35,960 Speaker 1: So she's annoyed, but she's like, okay whatever. She really 131 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,560 Speaker 1: wants to find this true love. She invites her dad 132 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 1: to one of her Lion dance performances and meets Jay 133 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: and Less's families. At the performance, Val sees the girls 134 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,960 Speaker 1: Less it's been flirting with and posting about, and trips 135 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 1: up a bit, causing Less to hurt his ankle. Other 136 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 1: than that, it mostly goes off without a hitch. As 137 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:59,199 Speaker 1: Less in her grow further apart, she grows closer to Jay, 138 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 1: who had that his father died of cancer when he 139 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:04,839 Speaker 1: was young and that the Valentine's stay card he ripped 140 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 1: up reminded Jay of him, and then the classmates laughed 141 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:13,720 Speaker 1: and so he tore it up. He also shares that 142 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: he was quote too much of a coward to visit 143 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:19,160 Speaker 1: his father in the hospital when he was dying, not 144 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 1: wanting to see him like that, and that he still 145 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 1: sees a vision of him. Lion dancing dispels evil spirits 146 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:28,719 Speaker 1: and brings good fortune, and he hopes it will give 147 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: him peace with his father. Val realizes that she might 148 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:36,679 Speaker 1: not be alone and seeing ghosts or some kind of apparition, 149 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: so she starts lyon dancing solo in her room to 150 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 1: ward off Saint be and it kind of works for 151 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:48,680 Speaker 1: a while. Crags start to show in her relationship with Bernice, 152 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: who doesn't want to turn out like her parents trapped 153 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 1: in a miserable marriage, so ends them early. She believes 154 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 1: Vows You of Love is naive. Vows relationship with Les 155 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:03,200 Speaker 1: becomes increasingly two as he continually is with other girls 156 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: and not her. At the same time, she grows closer 157 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:09,840 Speaker 1: to Jay and admits to him her visions of Saint 158 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 1: v The Lion Dancers start performing at weddings until one 159 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: fateful one where she chooses. Val chooses to dance with 160 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 1: Jay over less because she's seeing Saint v and she's like, 161 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: you understand it, Please dance with me and almost kisses him, 162 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 1: and then runs into her biological mother, who reveals she 163 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:36,840 Speaker 1: actually tried to come back, but her father wouldn't let 164 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:41,200 Speaker 1: her come back, and that the mysterious valentines she'd been 165 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:45,360 Speaker 1: getting in her locker had been from her. This wedding 166 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: was a performance for her new husband's clients, and this 167 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:53,560 Speaker 1: new husband pushes Val, causing Jay to shove him into 168 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 1: the wedding cake. Val confronts her dad again. Distraught, she 169 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 1: calls Jay, who meets her and takes her to a 170 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:02,320 Speaker 1: spot where they can sit on the trunk of the 171 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 1: car and look at the moon and stars. It kind 172 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:08,840 Speaker 1: of cuddles a little bit. However, the next day, he 173 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 1: informs Val that last actually does care about her and 174 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,000 Speaker 1: he can't hurt his cousin by pursuing anything with her. 175 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 1: On top of that, the dance club is being sued 176 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 1: because of what happened at the wedding, so they're not 177 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: doing anything. Les invites her to practice with him and 178 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:29,559 Speaker 1: Jay and their uncle. However, that ends pretty abruptly when 179 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:34,079 Speaker 1: Val confesses some of her feelings for Jay and he 180 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 1: doesn't answer, and she leaves. Okay, here come a bunch 181 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:43,079 Speaker 1: of moving pieces. This is the finale, so lot's going on. 182 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 1: Val and Bernice have a huge fight about love and 183 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 1: being dead inside maybe. After Bernice blocks Jay's number on 184 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 1: Bell's phone, Jay's mother tells him she's going back to Korea, 185 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:00,720 Speaker 1: and Val decides to go with her grandmother and her 186 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 1: Golden Girls on a trip to Rome. Depressed about Val, 187 00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:10,199 Speaker 1: Jay decides to move to Korea with his mother after 188 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 1: the Lunar New Year Lion Dance. VAL's having a great 189 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 1: time in Rome. I love this, and her grandmother introduces 190 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 1: her to her maternal grandmother, who is a nun. Jay's 191 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 1: uncle gets Jay and Last to talk it out. Jay 192 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 1: talks to his father's ghosts and makes a heart Valentine 193 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:35,960 Speaker 1: for vow and gives it to Bernice, who of course 194 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 1: reads it. On a tour in Rome, Val sees the 195 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:43,800 Speaker 1: skull of Saint Valentine, who essentially tells her love hurts, 196 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 1: but it's worth it. Bernice gets a hold of Val, 197 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:51,480 Speaker 1: The two makeup, and Bernice tells her that Jay is 198 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:54,440 Speaker 1: planning on leaving after the Lunar New Year, and he 199 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 1: asks Val to come and say goodbye with the help 200 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 1: of her grandmothers, as in both of her g brothers 201 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: winning poker money, so they basically are like, hey, who 202 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:08,439 Speaker 1: owes us money from their group because they have these 203 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 1: weekly poker nights. Val is able to afford a flight change, 204 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 1: which we all know are very expensive. I was like, 205 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: no way, it makes it back just in time. She 206 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:24,840 Speaker 1: makes Jay a valentine that says my heart is yours 207 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:28,240 Speaker 1: and dances in the opposing lion, passing it to Jay, 208 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: and the dance does vanquishing, saying b they kiss. She 209 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: reconnects with her mother and her father happily ever after. Perfect. Yeah, 210 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:49,160 Speaker 1: it's a very sweet, very sweet ending. Oh we'll talk 211 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 1: about this more later. But the illustrations are so great 212 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 1: because like there's just kind of a creepy vibe throughout, yeah, 213 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: with Saint Vee, and then at the end it's just 214 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:03,360 Speaker 1: so bright. It's just like such a bright thing. 215 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 3: Oh my gosh. 216 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 1: Okay, So themes obviously a big theme in this is 217 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 1: love and true love. So this is in part demonstrated 218 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 1: through color and I really if you're interested in it, 219 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 1: you can look up interviews with illustrator and she talks 220 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 1: about being very particular and deliberate about the color choices. 221 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 1: But also it made me kind of laugh because it 222 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 1: reminded me of when we got our book who had 223 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 1: a little bit It had a little bit of graphic 224 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 1: novel portions printed and they were talking about the difficulty 225 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 1: of getting it printed. Yeah. I was like, yep, yeah, 226 00:14:57,120 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 1: I related. 227 00:14:57,800 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 2: We had to come back and be like, we have 228 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 2: did use color. There's only us, it's only us. 229 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:10,840 Speaker 1: But yes, it's especially clear with Saint V and then 230 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:14,240 Speaker 1: later Saint Valentine because Saint V is like a dark 231 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 1: and scary void and when he's around, or it's around, 232 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 1: it drains the color from Vou, like she becomes really 233 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 1: kind of grayish. Meanwhile, the Cupid version, the first version 234 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 1: is very childlike, very bright. 235 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 3: Uh. 236 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 1: And then the last version, which I call like the 237 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 1: reality is a colorful skull with a flower crown. And 238 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 1: it's an amalgamation of them, both the good and the 239 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:48,880 Speaker 1: bad and the difficulty and the pain and the beauty. 240 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:54,560 Speaker 1: But it's really cool because the creators have talked about 241 00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 1: it and it's like, you know, when you're a kid, 242 00:15:57,440 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 1: you believe true love is this perfect, beautiful what I've 243 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 1: seen in whatever movie, and then you have your first heartbreak, 244 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 1: and then it's like this is for the birds? What 245 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:14,040 Speaker 1: is this? This is the same, and why do I 246 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 1: want this? And then when you kind of mature, you 247 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 1: realize it's both right, it's both of these things. 248 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 2: I mean definitely in that conversation we have that her 249 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 2: first heartbreak was her dad lying to her about his 250 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:30,640 Speaker 2: one romance, like the one true love of his life 251 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 2: that died, and so they mourned it like that. So 252 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:35,040 Speaker 2: she had this embellishment of love. 253 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I think a lot of kids have that, 254 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:43,280 Speaker 1: where you idealize maybe a parental, some sort of romantic 255 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 1: relationship in your life. You think, ah, true love is 256 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:49,040 Speaker 1: real because here it is, and then if something happens 257 00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 1: like oh no, okay, it's not, it's very It is 258 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 1: a very destabilizing thing of like I thought I knew 259 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 1: what it was, right. It's also very clearly talking about 260 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:04,520 Speaker 1: the kind of hoole better to have loved and lost 261 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:08,119 Speaker 1: than never to have loved at all. I think you 262 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:11,399 Speaker 1: see that with Bernice. Bernice is dealing with a different 263 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:15,359 Speaker 1: issue with her parents where she's like, oh, she didn't 264 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:21,639 Speaker 1: have that idea of idealized love. Instead she was like, no, 265 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 1: I'm going to protect myself from this because I see 266 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: how bad it is over here. So she kind of 267 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:35,640 Speaker 1: had to come back and realize there can be there 268 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:40,960 Speaker 1: can be this real emotional depth of love and it's 269 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:45,640 Speaker 1: worth it, at least to my friend to pursue it. 270 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:48,359 Speaker 1: And it's also like it talks a lot about the 271 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 1: pain of shutting yourself off, because like, if you think 272 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:55,440 Speaker 1: about it, if this Saint VI, the kind of dark 273 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:58,000 Speaker 1: version is telling her like, oh, you'll be numb, but 274 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 1: it won't hurt right, Her father's actions because of being 275 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:06,440 Speaker 1: afraid of being hurt again hurt her. It definitely feels 276 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 1: like the illustration of Saint V when he's in that 277 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 1: form looks like a grim reaper like it does. It's 278 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:20,119 Speaker 1: a it doesn't look good, right, I. 279 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:24,959 Speaker 2: Mean, he and the version of the father that jc's 280 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:27,800 Speaker 2: are similar, are similar in the realm. 281 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 1: But yeah, it's. 282 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:32,920 Speaker 2: Interesting because you also have that shut off that shut 283 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:35,199 Speaker 2: away his family, Like she didn't see her grandmother for 284 00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 2: a very long time, and she didn't know why her mother. 285 00:18:39,080 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 2: Essentially it was just him and her in the world 286 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 2: and that's what he wanted. And then but the world 287 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 2: came crushing in on him because his wife was getting married, 288 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 2: and because he had shut hisself off, he didn't have 289 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:53,360 Speaker 2: any of the relationships. It had been years years, Yeah, 290 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:55,119 Speaker 2: and he still was pining over that. 291 00:18:56,359 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, And I mean that We're gonna talk about that 292 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:00,040 Speaker 1: more later. But that is another big theme in this. 293 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 1: It's like facing realities and truths. And so I think 294 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 1: it's interesting you brought up Jay's father does look like that, 295 00:19:09,359 --> 00:19:12,480 Speaker 1: but Jay wants to see him. He feels guilt. 296 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:15,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, that he doesn't want to seem like that exactly 297 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:16,560 Speaker 2: the thing. 298 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 1: But that's he had to face it. That's what he 299 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:24,280 Speaker 1: wanted because of his guilt. Okay. Also just to mention, 300 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 1: there are a lot of fun romantic tropes in this look. 301 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:34,440 Speaker 2: The Asian community loves a good trope and they live 302 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:36,639 Speaker 2: in them like they have not passed by it. And 303 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:38,760 Speaker 2: I think that's what makes them successful right now, is 304 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:40,159 Speaker 2: because we kind of want to go back to it 305 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 2: because the reality sucks, so tropes make it better. 306 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:47,159 Speaker 1: Okay, it's true. I mean we recently did You're a 307 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:52,440 Speaker 1: Mondane mini on. There's a reason we like tropes. It's 308 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 1: kind of fun. You're kind of predicting, like, oh, when 309 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:55,960 Speaker 1: is this going to happen? 310 00:19:56,200 --> 00:19:58,480 Speaker 2: Right, and then you can predict that this is going 311 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:01,120 Speaker 2: to have happy ending. That's gonna Yeah, it. 312 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:06,200 Speaker 1: Is kind of nice. So we've got the interrupted near kiss, 313 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:15,680 Speaker 1: the airport, Oh my goodness, the love triangle, weddings, Valentine's Day, 314 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:23,119 Speaker 1: misunderstandings galore, ultimatum's kind of I don't think it's necessarily 315 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:27,119 Speaker 1: they like I'm leaving for Korea, please come say goodbye, right, 316 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:30,439 Speaker 1: like that kind of thing, and then sort of like 317 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 1: go find yourself on a trip. 318 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:37,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I mean you also have the older ladies 319 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 2: being the funny antagonist, yeah, which is a big Asian trope, 320 00:20:41,119 --> 00:20:45,840 Speaker 2: as well as apparent leaving. Whether it's like a Panama, 321 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:46,920 Speaker 2: that's a big. 322 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 1: Trope in all of them. 323 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:49,760 Speaker 2: I don't know why. And usually the mother, I want 324 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 2: to say that is always the bad guy. Even for 325 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 2: j the mother was always seen as drunk. She wasn't 326 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 2: handling herself either, So I'm like, why do you hate 327 00:20:57,600 --> 00:20:58,879 Speaker 2: moms so much? 328 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:04,720 Speaker 1: The grandmothers yes, well, I love that. 329 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:07,359 Speaker 2: The one grandmother that she just met who has become 330 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:11,760 Speaker 2: a nun was like, don't call me grandmother, there, call 331 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:12,359 Speaker 2: me sister. 332 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:16,680 Speaker 1: She's also like, being a nun is not for you. 333 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:19,400 Speaker 1: Which I appreciated but was kind of funny. 334 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 2: But like this whole level of like and then the 335 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 2: other grandmother being like, yeah, I forgave your father and 336 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 2: he's like, I didn't apologize, I just called you, and 337 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 2: she's like, yeah, it's close enough. 338 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:33,199 Speaker 1: She really she was like, I need to step in. 339 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 1: I need to interviewed here. 340 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:37,640 Speaker 2: I mean like, if it was like Korean drama, yes, 341 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 2: the how Many would definitely be the one that comes 342 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:44,480 Speaker 2: through and a little bit overtaking, obnoxiously so, but out 343 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:45,080 Speaker 2: of good heart. 344 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:48,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean that definitely that was the vibe I 345 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:50,280 Speaker 1: got just show up. 346 00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:52,680 Speaker 2: Did she criticize her wait, a little bit, yes. 347 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 1: Which is pretty wild because she's married thin, but all. 348 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:02,439 Speaker 2: Right because it was a chefoy ardi she was. But 349 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 2: to be fair, if she wants to come and cook 350 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 2: a Vietnamese iner for me and homemade fuh, I would 351 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 2: take those that kind of slander. 352 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, me too, absolutely, no question, no question, we're going 353 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:18,680 Speaker 1: to unpact. Some of those family tropes weren't a bit, 354 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:21,159 Speaker 1: but I didn't want to mention. There's also some things 355 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:25,639 Speaker 1: like around relationships and dating I just found interesting, and 356 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 1: one of them is this is a pretty like social 357 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:33,359 Speaker 1: media is involved in it, and it was interesting to 358 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:38,479 Speaker 1: see how dating looks in our modern age. But one 359 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 1: of the things that came up with me is that 360 00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:41,880 Speaker 1: whole labels that. 361 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:45,159 Speaker 2: Dt R, the DTR she tried to have. Am I 362 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:46,280 Speaker 2: the girlfriend or am I not? 363 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:51,720 Speaker 1: And he's like, we're together girl, yeah, but not really 364 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 1: these other three girls when he shows up, and it's 365 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 1: kind of like apologizing, and then the other girls, Sophia appears. 366 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:01,719 Speaker 3: Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh. 367 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 1: But that I mean, that is a thing, and I 368 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:07,000 Speaker 1: will admit this. This came up in like my past 369 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 1: relationship pretty hard because I just wasn't on social media, 370 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:15,080 Speaker 1: and I kept saying, it's not I'm not like trying 371 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 1: to despite you or something odd like. 372 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:20,560 Speaker 2: Do you And especially if you've been married for years, 373 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:23,400 Speaker 2: it kind of identifies you, like meaning like, oh, that's 374 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:25,120 Speaker 2: so and so and so and so that makes sense, 375 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:27,920 Speaker 2: like when my parents do it, you know, that makes sense, 376 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:30,200 Speaker 2: kind of like you have a generic name, oh who 377 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 2: you're married to? Oh, I know those parts. But like 378 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:35,080 Speaker 2: even now, obviously we're not on Facebook as much, and 379 00:23:35,119 --> 00:23:39,399 Speaker 2: like that's kind of more of a boomer ish thing now, 380 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 2: especially now, but like I even when I first started it, 381 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 2: doing relationship stuff was so weird to me to announce it, 382 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 2: like why, it's not like you're married, like it's you 383 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 2: know what I mean? Like that, I could see engagement 384 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:57,040 Speaker 2: as a way of like showing making an announcement essentially, 385 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 2: but to be like, I'm not single, I'm in a relationship. 386 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:03,679 Speaker 1: It's complicated, Like it's complicated. 387 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 2: Oh my, tell weird. 388 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:07,680 Speaker 1: It was? 389 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:09,320 Speaker 3: It was. 390 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:12,120 Speaker 2: I mean, I guess maybe that's your sign to tell 391 00:24:12,119 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 2: that other person you want a DTR when you put 392 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:14,960 Speaker 2: it's complicated. 393 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 1: See clearly this was really interesting for me because one 394 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:24,280 Speaker 1: time my ex boyfriend asked me for the GTR and 395 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,479 Speaker 1: I just started crying. That's just my first sign something 396 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 1: was wrong. 397 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 2: Yes, that would be the sad. 398 00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: I wasn't expecting it. I don't, I don't know, but yeah, 399 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:39,080 Speaker 1: it's But when I was reading this, I was like, no, 400 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:43,760 Speaker 1: clearly he isn't the wrong or at least like that's 401 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:47,800 Speaker 1: a pretty thing to do, right. So it was introspective 402 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:52,720 Speaker 1: for me. Also, I feel like a lot of this 403 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:56,560 Speaker 1: was about understanding the ups and downs and people's flalls 404 00:24:56,680 --> 00:25:01,320 Speaker 1: and their history, but also the you know, the things 405 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:04,399 Speaker 1: they're good at and because I feel like every character 406 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 1: had you know, they're goods, they're goods and the bads 407 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: and relationships are also like that. And I would add 408 00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:19,040 Speaker 1: in here the love between friends because Bernice and Val 409 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 1: had a pretty bad fight, but they they both made 410 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:31,879 Speaker 1: up and it wasn't like the smoothest makeup or anything 411 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 1: like that, but like the effort because they've been friends 412 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:37,600 Speaker 1: for a long time. So I would say that's a team. 413 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:52,280 Speaker 1: And then yes, truth and lies. Oh my gosh, so 414 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:59,400 Speaker 1: much family drama in this, so much family drama. Her 415 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:03,200 Speaker 1: father and his multiple lives, like not just the one 416 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:06,880 Speaker 1: where you're like, oh wow, then there's the second one 417 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:13,320 Speaker 1: that comes later, yeah okay, And then you don't get 418 00:26:13,359 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 1: to see the mother too much. I feel like you 419 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 1: get a good vibe from her in that short time 420 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:22,200 Speaker 1: she's there, and also from the mouad she married the dude. 421 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 1: She's still married the dish. 422 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 2: And he tried to push her out, like that's sketch 423 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:30,760 Speaker 2: who already had a bad like everybody had a bad 424 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 2: taste in his mouth, but just him talking being like 425 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:37,840 Speaker 2: the way he was, and so I'm like, I don't 426 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:41,119 Speaker 2: know about your choices, Mom, Yeah. 427 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:43,960 Speaker 1: That GAP's no good but it does seem like again 428 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:49,959 Speaker 1: she is she's interested in rekindling this relationship, but she 429 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:53,520 Speaker 1: she was the one leaving those dorky round times. She 430 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:58,160 Speaker 1: was giving them to her to the grandmother, the paternal grandmother, 431 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:03,640 Speaker 1: to put them in her locker. But she also kept 432 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:05,920 Speaker 1: saying the past is in the past, which I thought 433 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:10,600 Speaker 1: was interesting, And a big theme of this was, as 434 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:15,640 Speaker 1: we said, confronting truth directly instead of kind of speaking 435 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 1: around them or never talking about them, but actually talking 436 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:24,479 Speaker 1: it out, and that you see over and over again 437 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:28,600 Speaker 1: with a bunch of different characters. And also the fear 438 00:27:28,640 --> 00:27:32,919 Speaker 1: of repeating the mistakes of the past. You also see that, 439 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 1: So it's kind of overcoming some of the trauma of 440 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:45,159 Speaker 1: the past, but by facing it directly instead of just 441 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:53,040 Speaker 1: like dismissing it. Yes, then family, family was big, and 442 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:56,080 Speaker 1: as we mentioned, learning from older generations I think was 443 00:27:56,080 --> 00:28:00,159 Speaker 1: a pretty big theme. You have VAL's grand mother her, 444 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:06,440 Speaker 1: you also have Jay's uncle, both of them very influential, 445 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 1: very like, here's the information you need, here's what we're 446 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:17,479 Speaker 1: going to do. Step in, let's go yep. And of 447 00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:22,560 Speaker 1: course identity, religion, and culture. So I again really recommend 448 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:27,879 Speaker 1: reading interviews with the creators because it was really really 449 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:33,280 Speaker 1: interesting because it's kind of a it's a smash up 450 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:37,199 Speaker 1: of cultures, right, because you've got Valentine's Day, which is 451 00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:40,240 Speaker 1: very Western, and then you got Lunar New Year, which 452 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 1: is very Eastern, and having them come together and that 453 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:52,080 Speaker 1: kind of representing val and her life experience as a 454 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:55,800 Speaker 1: first generation immigrant. But it was really interesting to read. 455 00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:57,840 Speaker 1: And you know, this is way too big of a 456 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:04,680 Speaker 1: topic to go in here, but the illustrator, especially when 457 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:09,800 Speaker 1: it comes to religion, she says she thought Christianity growing up. 458 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:13,800 Speaker 1: She thought Christianity was Eastern because it was just so commonplace, 459 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:18,760 Speaker 1: and she never occurred to her that it wasn't because 460 00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 1: you have like the grandmother and the story taking her 461 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 1: to It's Catholic church, right at church. Catholic. Yeah, and 462 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 1: so it's really fascinating read. And as you alluded to earlier, 463 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 1: because the writers of the writer's backgrounds, this story has Chinese, Korean, 464 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:43,960 Speaker 1: and Vietnamese elements, So that's really cool. That's really cool 465 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:48,120 Speaker 1: to see. And then you got like vow not knowing 466 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:51,080 Speaker 1: the language and traditions and kind of being shamed for 467 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:57,320 Speaker 1: it at a couple of points in the story, and 468 00:29:57,360 --> 00:29:59,200 Speaker 1: there's also a whole thing about the symbolism of the 469 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:03,320 Speaker 1: lion in Christianity and in Eastern culture that they write 470 00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:05,959 Speaker 1: they write about to the creators have spoken about too, 471 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 1: and that is really interesting. So a lot of cool 472 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:15,360 Speaker 1: stuff here. Food, Yes, I love how much food is 473 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:19,000 Speaker 1: it involved? Yes, which is also like going back to 474 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:23,000 Speaker 1: the chef boyard e versus like all these other things. 475 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:29,040 Speaker 1: That's like the mashup the rough cultures, uh, prevalent, prevalent throughout. 476 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:31,720 Speaker 2: I love the grandmother bringing her own rice to an 477 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 2: Italian restaurant. 478 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 3: Yes. 479 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:38,000 Speaker 1: And in the background earlier one of them is like, 480 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:40,600 Speaker 1: I hope my rice cooker made it through customs. 481 00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:45,240 Speaker 2: Yes, I missed that one completely, but I think it's fantastic. 482 00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:47,200 Speaker 2: I love the fact that they do bring in so 483 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 2: many themes, and they kind of shame her because she 484 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:53,360 Speaker 2: doesn't know, as you were saying, the Vietnamese culture. But 485 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:54,760 Speaker 2: it had to do with the fact that her dad 486 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:58,280 Speaker 2: was shutting all the culture out once again and she 487 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:01,200 Speaker 2: lost that. And ironic that the dude who shamed her 488 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:05,280 Speaker 2: the most outside of the grandmother was her now stepdad, 489 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:07,560 Speaker 2: not knowing that he was about to be her stepdad. 490 00:31:08,760 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 3: Yep. 491 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:12,800 Speaker 1: Again not a great guy, not a good guy, not 492 00:31:12,920 --> 00:31:19,040 Speaker 1: a great fan, not a fan, no no. Our situation 493 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:23,400 Speaker 1: was strange too because it was Lesa's dad who was 494 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:25,640 Speaker 1: trying to secure a business. 495 00:31:25,240 --> 00:31:29,280 Speaker 2: Partnership, so he had a bond me place yes, and 496 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:31,440 Speaker 2: he was trying to even use Vale at one point, 497 00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:32,720 Speaker 2: be like, tell me a bunch of culture so I 498 00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:34,920 Speaker 2: can get this business. 499 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:40,600 Speaker 1: And then, of course, lastly, obviously a lunar New Year 500 00:31:40,680 --> 00:31:43,320 Speaker 1: was a big theme. Whyan dancing was a big theme. 501 00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:48,480 Speaker 1: Reconnecting with yourself and with people, and culture was a 502 00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:54,280 Speaker 1: really big, really big theme. So I loved it. It 503 00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:59,080 Speaker 1: was absolutely beautiful, It was fun. There's a lot of drama, 504 00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:00,240 Speaker 1: but it was but. 505 00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:02,880 Speaker 2: It was a feel good book. I really was like, 506 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:08,040 Speaker 2: oh oh oh, this will have an impact, like it 507 00:32:08,040 --> 00:32:09,400 Speaker 2: will be one of those that I think back on. 508 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:13,520 Speaker 2: I'm like for that scene. It is and the illustrations 509 00:32:13,520 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 2: are gorgeous and it's perfect in line with like the 510 00:32:17,120 --> 00:32:21,400 Speaker 2: New Year stuff. So go find it, use it, celebrate 511 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 2: with it, learn some stuff I feel like it can be. 512 00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:26,800 Speaker 2: Don't do too much because it could be a little 513 00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 2: bit racist, but they're talking about their own culture, so beware, right, 514 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:35,240 Speaker 2: always always remember if you're not Asian. 515 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:40,800 Speaker 1: Don't laugh too hard. Oh no, I laugh when I'm nervous. 516 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 1: I'm just kidding. It's one of the things I'm working 517 00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:50,000 Speaker 1: on though. Hey, laughing is not a bad thing. 518 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:50,840 Speaker 3: Hmm. 519 00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:57,080 Speaker 1: Well yeah, definitely go check it out. It's it's really 520 00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:01,840 Speaker 1: really great read. And if you have any suggestions for 521 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:05,800 Speaker 1: what we should do next on book Club, please let 522 00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:09,240 Speaker 1: us know. You can email us at Hello, at stuff 523 00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 1: Whenever Told You dot com, or at stuff via mom 524 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 1: Stuff at iHeartMedia dot com. You can find us on 525 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:17,320 Speaker 1: Blue Sky at mom Stuff podcast, or on Instagram and 526 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:19,360 Speaker 1: to talk at stuff We've Never Told You for us 527 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:21,840 Speaker 1: on YouTube. We have a tea public store, and we 528 00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:24,040 Speaker 1: have a book you can get wherever you get your books. 529 00:33:24,360 --> 00:33:27,680 Speaker 1: Thanks as always to our super producer, Castine, their executive producer, 530 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:30,880 Speaker 1: and your contributor Joey. Thank you and the se for listening. 531 00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:32,800 Speaker 1: Stuff I'll Never Told You is protection of iHeart Radio. 532 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:34,320 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from my heart Radio, you can check 533 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:36,000 Speaker 1: out the heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you 534 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:37,000 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite ships.