Asians in Art

About Asians in Art

Asian creatives are driving global culture in film, theater, music, visual art, food, and design, and Asians in Art brings their voices together to tell the full story of that creative force. Hosted by former CNN International anchor Karuna Shinsho and producer Szewah Chin — warm and candid conversations with working artists and icons alike. New episode every two weeks. Subscribe and never miss a story worth hearing. Producers: Szewah Chin and Karuna Shinsho Music: Justin Jen Social media: Karuna Shinsho Editor: Szewah Chin Executive Producers: Szewah Chin and Karuna Shinsho

Publisher

Karuna Shinsho/Szewah Chin

Category

arts · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

25 Oct 2025

Latest episode

23 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

24 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   23 Oct 2026

   Acting Saved Kelvin Han Yee's Life

   Our next guest on Asians in Art, filmed in Los Angeles, is veteran dramatic and comedic actor Kelvin Han Yee. His latest feature, “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York,” co-starring John Turturro, is in theaters nationwide this month. Over a career spanning more than 40 years in film, television, and theater, the San Francisco native has appeared in Peter Wang’s groundbreaking “A Great Wall” (1986), the first U.S. movie shot in China, as well as “9-1-1,” Todd Haynes’ “May December,” and the indie short “Mushroom Dad.” But the road there wasn’t a straight line. In this episode, Kelvin opens up about the unexpected detour that almost ended his acting career, the mentor who brought him back, why he believes substance matters more than stardom, and what really went into that unforgettable General Gao scene with Steve Carell in Netflix’s “Space Force.” Special thanks to John Oshima. Our gratitude to our sponsor JEXYSYS.

2. 

   9 Oct 2026

   Center Stage with Music Powerhouse Judith Hill

   Judith Hill is a vocalist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. She grew up in Los Angeles in a house full of music, the daughter of Japanese jazz pianist Michiko Hill and African American funk bassist Robert “Peewee” Hill, with legends like Sly Stone part of family life. Her parents remain a constant in her music, and today they play in her band. After studying music composition at university, Judith tried everything to find her footing as a singer-songwriter. Sought out by Spike Lee, she wrote ten original tracks for his film Red Hook Summer (2012). She was among the Grammy winners for the documentary 20 Feet From Stardom (2015). That same year, she released her debut solo album, Back in Time, which she co-produced with Prince at Paisley Park. When Michael Jackson and Prince, both her collaborators, died, online trolls branded her the “Black Widow.” Judith confronted them head-on in her fourth studio album, Letters from a Black Widow (2024). A defiant soul, funk, and gospel record, it became her catharsis, and AllMusic called it “exceptional in its writing and production.” We caught up with Judith in between tours to discuss: ◼️ Growing up in a musical family ◼️ Her music ◼️ BTS’s view on the “Asian” Grammy category ◼️ Coming to terms with social media ◼️ Finding work-life balance on the road ◼️ Her next album Video and photo courtesy: Judith Hill, Regime Music Group and Jazzfest Bonn. Special thanks to John Oshima. We are grateful to our sponsor JEXSYS.

3. 

   25 Sept 2026

   Jason Chu's Couch Has Become a Stage for Asian American Storytelling

   Jason Chu didn't grow up thinking much about being Asian American — that came later, in college. And then, during a study abroad summer in Beijing, a chance encounter with a local rapper pulled him into China's underground hip-hop scene. Those two threads, his sense of identity and his love of hip-hop, ended up shaping everything that came after. His music has landed on Warrior (HBO/Cinemax), Snowpiercer (TNT), Mayans M.C. (FX), and Wu-Assassins (Netflix), and his latest album, We Were the Seeds, dropped in 2023. Today, he's known to millions online for the short, informative videos on Asian American history and culture he films from his couch. In the course of his journey, Jason has become a cultural figure: he's read his poetry at the Obama WhiteHouse, he's served on the LA Mayor's Office 1871 Memorial Subcommittee, held a 2022 Artists at Work Fellowship at the Japanese American National Museum, and spoken for organizations such as the National Academy of Medicine and the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy. His work has been covered by the Huffington Post, the LA Times, BBC, and NBC Asian America, South China Morning Post, among others. In this interview, we talk to Jason about his faith, discovering his identity in college, what pulled him into hip-hop in Beijing, and how that path led him to the storytelling work he's known for today.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

18 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Contact Asians in Art

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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