Madison Gunst

Global Asianista’s Week in Review 8.20.11

by Liz on August 20, 2011

in Art & Design,Books & Entertainment,Fashion,Opinion

(From L to R, top to bottom) Chinese supermodel Ming Xi, a peaceful protest in Dalian, a Geisha of nylon and styrofoam, modern architecture in Korea, a basketball brawl, and KARA's new Japanese commercial

@Evan Osnos witnessed history in the making, as Vice-President Joe Biden made the rounds in Beijing, all the while doling out some quirky, off-hand comments to his Chinese counterparts.

@Peter Foster of the Daily Telegraph reports on a middle-class protest in northeast China that ended peacefully, where everybody went home safely after getting what they wanted.

@FP Passport summarizes the ugly but mesmerizing brawl between two basketball teams. Hopefully this isn’t an augury of U.S.-China relations.

@Speaking of ugly, self-entitled reviewers on Yelp can now have their fifteen minutes of fame, thanks to a new satirical Tumblr.

@Change of topic: the Beijinger has an inspiring story of two expats who founded a shelter for visually impaired orphans in 2002.

@More inspiration: 15-year-old Madison Gunst won the first annual K-Pop contest in New York, and her K-pop idol Jang Woo-hyuk wants to meet her!

@On the subject of K-pop, girl group KARA is now starring in a Japanese television commercial for a diet, vinegar drink, but something tells me that’s not the only reason they stay so enviably thin.

@More diaphanous women: Chinese supermodel Ming Xi smiles shyly for Bonae’s Blog in Central Park.

@dezeen magazine showcases a nature-centric, modern residence in Gyeonggido, Korea, away from the madding crowds of Seoul. Very nice.

@Trendland profiles a Brazilian sculptor with a sense of fun when its comes to nylon rope and Styrofoam.

and…

@I just started a new Tumblr, #KoreanPeopleProblems, and frankly speaking, it’s been very cathartic. Very.

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K Popped | Madison Gunst

by Liz on August 18, 2011

in Books & Entertainment

Madison Gunst busts a move to the beat of K-Pop


What is a star? And how are they different from mere mortals? Perhaps stars are mortals, blessed with heightened energy and a powerful dedication to their art. They live without fear, are always trying new things, and never give up easily.

If so, a star was born this Tuesday in Central Park. And she’s only fifteen years old.

Madison Gunst of Florida took some 2,000 viewers by surprise with her thrillingly exacting performance of K-pop sensation Jang Woo Hyuk’s ‘Weekend Night/ Jumalbam,’ right down to the robotic, chest gyrations and head slides. A complete dancing diva in the making, Kunst arrived on-stage, fashionably late, but did not leave her audience disappointed.

Gunst is a seamless fusion of b-boy cockiness and pretty-girl-next-door. Not something you see everyday. She’s a rare prodigy, not just in dancing talent, but also in her taste in music. Her favorite K-pop band is G-Dragon, Jang Woo Hyuk (“of course!” she giggled), and loves anything “that moves and grooves” her.

Her seeming preference for guy bands showed that she was something of a tomboy too. But I guess that goes back to the cocky assurance of her inner b-boy.

The 1st Annual New York K-Pop contest was part of a larger event organized by the Korean Cultural Service in New York, in conjunction with the Korean Food Foundation. It was a lovely summer day, not too hot, just about right, and some of my favorite Korean restaurants were doling out free food for hours on end, drawing in grazers from near and far.

It was a worthwhile outing, one that took me by surprise by the sheet talent on stage, some as young as twelve. I actually stopped by on assignment, but also realized something I’ve always suspected. Korean pop culture is globalizing, and no one really knows why, but if you’re young, full of hope, and have your whole life of ahead of you, you don’t need an explanation.

You just dance.


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