Kollaboration
Kollaboration's current mission and mantra is, "Empowerment through Entertainment." In addition to encouraging the diverse talents of API youth, Kollaboration seeks to empower (1) API youth by providing them with a creative outlet and leadership training that serves as an alternative to gang-activity and delinquency for those at-risk, (2) API families by offering a platform for communication that bridges the gap between 1st generation parents and latter generation youth and (3) the API community at large, by raising awareness for other critical community issues and NGOs.
Featured Performer: Kevin Oh
Kevin Oh's YouTube Channel
Born and raised in Long Island, NY, I am currently a junior at Dartmouth College, double majoring in Biology and Theater.
I think I escaped the the early stages of angst experienced by some or most Korean-Americans, at least when it came to music; really, I am forever indebted to my parents for all of those painful piano lessons—to Sally Tu, my teacher, from whom I’ve learned most of my Chinese curse words (wǒ kào). However, I don’t think anyone, including myself, realized a brilliance in my piano or cello playing; for my parents, it was probably just nice to see their seemingly vapid son play something pretty. After years of feeling average, but still in love with music, I found my father’s old Takamine and taught myself how to play. A few years later, in the 10th grade, I started to sing! Now, enter angst, I guess: at the time, I was in love with Kristina Del Mistro, wrote a song about her, and performed it; she didn't like it, so I wrote another song. This general cycle has brought me here today with an arsenal of songs, too many of which contain the words "please" and "it's O.K." Currently, I'm in love with Hanover and plan on pursuing music and possibly film upon graduation. Also, I might apply to medical school, dunno.
Featured Performer: Kenta Koga
Kenta Koga's website
Kenta Koga 古賀健太 (born in 1991 and raised in Fukuoka, Japan) is a professional magician who specializes in a broad range of magic, from close-up to stage performance.
Kenta first became fascinated with the world of magic at the age of nine when he saw Jonas Jost (a professional magician in Australia) make a silver ball float in midair at a birthday party. He started performing magic seriously at the age of 11 when he saw Tomohiro Maeda (a Japanese close-up magician) perform the Ambitious Card routine on a TV program. Kenta is also strongly influenced by Patch Adams, the founder of the Gesundheit Institute. When he was 17, Kenta visited Australia to work on his dove act with Jost where he built his skills as a stage performer. Upon returning to Japan, he became the founder and premiere act of the Nada Magic Association.
Kenta worked as a professional magician in Tokyo from March 2010 to July 2010 before starting his undergraduate program at Yale. Currently he is the Co-Vice President of the Yale Undergraduate Magic Society, and is assembling a production team to work on his shows in the US.
Audition Winners
Andy Kim
Andy is a senior at Brown University, concentrating in Philosophy and Economics, finishing up his last semester before he embarks upon what is hopefully a long and fulfilling career in music. Andy originally hails from Central New Jersey and first started playing guitar and singing for his church back home; since then, he's been playing open mics, events, and shows in the New York, Providence, and Boston areas. Andy loves almost all types of music and strives to be an artist that blurs strict genre characterizations in the music he creates. His favorite color is orange, which he pronounces [ah-rinj].
Esther Hyun
Esther Hyun is a junior literature major from all over the place. At Yale, she is the music director of Mixed Company of Yale, one of many a cappella groups on campus. Esther grew up with a passionate thirst for grape juice.
Jonathan Shin and Daniel Kim
We are students at the University of Pennsylvania. One of us is a bio major and wants to be a doctor. The other studies finance and management and wants to be a banker. We can’t wait for KASCON 25. We can’t wait to meet Tiger Mom.
Joyce Kang
My name is Joyce YunSun Kang and I am graduating this May from Temple U in Philadelphia with a Bachelors in political science and Asian studies and a minor in theater, hooray~! Amidst starting cello and trumpet, I sang in the mandatory 5th grade chorus, which led to more ensembles, musicals, choir, ect… but most of all I'm just grateful that music gave me an opportunity to be closer to my siblings. Now, hopefully through music I can also express my emotions and thoughts, something I still struggle with and fear to do. I admire my parents and I want to thank them for displaying what it means to live a life of faith and patience. And most importantly, all glory to God for giving me an instrument and opportunities to use it.
Kevin Ing
Kevin Ing is a senior philosophy major at Yale, and has waffled back-and-forth about being premed for something like 6 years now. He harbors a secret dream of one day being Smokie Norful because gospel music is awesome and black voices are amazing and he wishes he had one. So yea, maybe med school will enter the picture one day, but for now he wants to go to seminary and learn how to preach like John Piper. Also, he wants to thank Kascon for letting him do this cool talent show thing but he's also really nervous because it seems like he's the only non-Korean dude performing and he might forget some unique cultural behavioral norms or something like that, as has happened in the past. But that's ok. Yay Kollaboration!
Sarah Kang
I'm from Plano, Texas, but as of two months ago, I live in Anchorage, Alaska. I'm currently a freshman at Yale, and it's during college that I found out I like to sing. I also like to sleep, eat strawberries (or anything strawberry-related), and spend time with my weird friends (you know who you are).
Friday Night Entertainment
Speed Dating
The biggest event of the first night will be ... speed dating! Wikipedia defines speed dating as “a formalized matchmaking process or dating system whose purpose is to encourage people to meet a large number of new people.” There is nothing better than to have a chance to talk to that cute guy or girl who catches your eye. KASCON25 will give you that chance!
Karaoke
Karaoke has been a popular form of entertainment in Korean culture. For many Koreans, it is a means to bond with others through music and showcase their musical abilities without fear of criticism. KASCON’s Karaoke will provide an open venue for those who wish to gather, connect, sing, and simply have fun.
So You Think You Can Dance
As a unique form of self-expression, dancing has been and still is a big part of Korean culture, history, and media. Dancers who wish to showcase their talent in dance or wish to see performing arts talent from all over the nation can do so by joining in KASCON’s ultimate dance-off. The dance-off will include group battles for similar dance styles and cyphers, small flexible dance circles, for free-style sessions.
Movie Screening (West 32nd)
Directed by one of our speakers, Michael Kang, West 32nd is about John Kim, an ambitious young lawyer who takes on a pro bono case to exonerate a fourteen-year-old boy from a first degree murder charge. John finds a world he never knew existed in the underbelly of Manhattan - the Korean underworld. Infiltrating the knotty and complex realm of Korean organized crime to search for clues, he meets his match, Mike Juhn, a rising soldier in the syndicate. Recognizing John's determination and daring, Mike brings John into his confidence, furtively drawing him into his scheme to re-shuffle the Korean underworld. Though they become fast friends, they just as quickly end up trying to outfox each other as they discover they'll both do anything to win. (http://www.w32nd.com/)
Korean Food-making Workshop
Love Korean Kimchi? In light of the recent cabbage crisis in Korea, one of the highlighted workshops that we have integrated during one of our main nights is a kimchi-making workshop. Students will learn about the history of kimchi as well as the biology behind the treasured dish.
Old School Game Lounge
We’re bringing all the old school games back! DDR, Monopoly, Pinball, Pacman, arcade games, foosball, table hockey, and more. The lounge will be a place where students can hang out and have a chill time playing all sorts of games with their friends.
Leadership Meeting
The Leadership Meeting is an event to bring together student leaders from various K(A)SAs to network with fellow leaders and to share ideas about successful strategies for building a stronger Korean American presence on campus. Discussion will be facilitated by current KASY President, Eliot Kim, and former KASY President, James Kim.
