#Kim's Convenience CBC

[imaginariumgeographica]

I will say for the netflix atla. Its making me want to watch both the cartoon and Kim's Convenience again

[canadachronicles]

Amazingly accurate!! Mine is Schitt’s Creek with a spoonful of The Great Canadian Baking Show folded in*!

*IYKYK!!

[tvthemesongs]

Kim's Convenience intro

[natlacentral]

'I've got to pinch myself': Paul Sun-Hyung Lee on playing Iroh in 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'

Presumably the people outside a local car dealership a couple of years ago who heard Paul Sun-Hyung Lee let out a “huge whoop” during a phone call with his agent didn't fully grasp the significance of that celebratory sound.

The Toronto actor beloved as the internet’s “Appa” thanks to “Kim’s Convenience” and a popular part of the “Star Wars” universe, too, was about to become the internet’s favourite uncle.

Lee had landed the role of Uncle Iroh in “Avatar: the Last Airbender,” Netflix’s much anticipated live-action reimagining of a well loved animated series (not to be confused with James Cameron’s “Avatar” films).

“Honestly, I have moments where I think I’ve got to pinch myself because, even as a youngster, I never would have believed that I could be a part of these things, because I never saw anybody who looked like me reflected in any of these shows,” the Korean Canadian actor said, reflecting on his roles in “Airbender” and the “Star Wars” spinoffs “The Mandalorian” and “Ahsoka,” in which he plays the popular Captain Carson Teva.

As Iroh in “Airbender,” Lee has stepped into the robes of another fan favourite character.

First, a bit of a primer: “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” which debuts Thursday, is about a 12-year-old boy, the “Avatar” of the title, on a quest to save the world from the rapacious Fire Nation, which has gone to war with the Earth, Water and Air peoples. Despite his youth, Avatar Aang (played by Vancouver actor Gordon Cormier) is a powerful “bender,” honing his ability to manipulate air, water, earth and fire.

Aang and his friends — Katara, a water bender (played by Indigenous Canadian Kiawentiio), and her brother, Sokka (American actor Ian Ousley) — are being hunted by fire bender Prince Zuko (American Dallas Liu), who’s accompanied by his wise and compassionate Uncle Iroh, himself a fire bender and a former Fire Nation general.

If that all sounds kind of geeky, well, that’s right up Lee’s alley.

The 51-year-old has well-established nerd bona fides as a fan of “Star Wars” and other science fiction (he shares his love of the genre on his Bitterasiandude Inc. YouTube channel). He caught up with the original “Avatar: The Last Airbender” (which aired on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008, then moved to Netflix) while he was still working on the CBC comedy “Kim’s Convenience” (2016-21), in which he played a South Korean immigrant who runs a convenience store in Toronto. 

In 2018, as new fans were discovering “Kim’s” worldwide after the series moved to Netflix, the streaming giant announced its remake of “Airbender,” setting in motion Lee's ascent into another dream role. 

“Almost immediately I got fan casted (as Iroh) by all these people on the internet,” Lee said in a Zoom interview. “I was very, very flattered, but I was doing ‘Kim’s.’”

A few years later, though, “Kim’s” had ended and Lee got an audition for what was billed as a basketball movie called “Blue Dawn,” as a coach who had come out of retirement to guide his nephew.

Although he’s “more of a baseball, hockey guy,” Lee taped the audition and then forgot about it, until a callback a couple of months later. Except now, the retired basketball coach Howard was named Iroh.

“There’s only one Iroh that I know of,” said Lee. “And so I remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, this is for “Avatar”’ … right away I got super nervous. The stakes went up and I really wanted this part.”

But, after doing a chemistry read with Liu and not hearing anything for a couple of weeks, Lee assumed he had missed out on the role, which is part of the lot of an actor … until his agent called just as Lee and his wife were about to sign a lease on a new vehicle.

“So I excused myself, leaving the salesman completely befuddled. I went outside and that’s when I learned that I landed the role. And immediately let out this huge whoop. I had forgotten that I was in a public area and there were lots of people outside, and they all suddenly looked at me and I said, ‘It’s OK. It’s good news. It’s great news.’”

There was one more hurdle to overcome, though. 

“Airbender,” which shoots in Vancouver, overlapped Lee’s schedule for “The Mandalorian,” which films in Los Angeles. And playing Iroh meant shaving off the middle part of the moustache that Lee sports as Captain Teva.

“Luckily I was able to have my cake and eat it at the same time,” said Lee. “Lucasfilm was like, ‘Oh, we’ll just build him a little fake moustache to put on while he’s shooting (“The Mandalorian”).’”

Lee isn’t certain how familiar the producers of “Airbender” were with his work on “Kim’s Convenience” — it's an established fact that “Mandalorian” producer and director Dave Filoni was a “Kim’s” fan before he cast Lee — but he considers his latest job to be another of the many blessings accruing from the CBC series.

“‘Kim’s Convenience’ was such a wonderful launching pad for my career,” Lee said. “I mean, that show was kind of my coming out party in terms of the film and TV world.”

Lee, who was born in South Korea but immigrated to Canada with his parents when still an infant, struggled to find good film and TV roles as a young actor in the 1990s and early aughts. 

After graduating from drama school at the University of Toronto, he did a lot of theatre work, but onscreen “I played a lot of doctors, a lot of store clerks, a lot of window dressing-type caricatures, not characters.”

And yet, he persisted. 

Despite not seeing himself reflected in the television he devoured as a kid and from which he developed his love of storytelling, “I thought, well, heck, if there’s nobody (else Asian) out there, maybe there’s a shot for me to get in … that was kind of foolish thinking because maybe you’re the only one because a lot of people have tried and haven’t been able to get through. But I was just too stupid and too stubborn to quit, so just kept at it.”

Now Lee hopes to provide inspiration for the young Asian actors coming up behind him.

On the set of “Airbender,” which has many Asian actors in its cast, Lee became particularly close with Liu, the 22-year-old Chinese-Indonesian-American actor playing his beloved nephew. Just as Iroh is protective of Zuko, for whom he becomes a surrogate father, Lee said he wanted to nurture Liu.

“Every chance that I got to just sort of give him little pearls of wisdom based on my experiences … I couldn’t help but want to see him succeed,” Lee said. “This kid is a superstar,” he added.

Now that Lee himself is part of two much-loved pop culture franchises, “my cup runneth over,” but he still has entries on his acting bucket list.

“Not to sound greedy, but I’d love to do ‘Star Trek’ because that's filming right in our backyard. I’d love to do a ‘Ghostbusters.’ All those geeky playgrounds I never got a chance to play in. I want to be in a rom-com. I want to be in a Western, the genres that I grew up watching …

“But I’ll take it as it comes and I’m grateful for what I have. And if this is the only thing I ever do again I will be thankful for it because a lot of people don’t get these opportunities.”

[scottishaccentsareawesome]

I’m Canadian, but my TV has mostly American programming/channels on it. But I’ve started watching more Canadian programming lately, because I am a proud Canadian, and I want to be more supportive of Canadian TV shows.

So I watch CBC quite a bit, and let me tell you...

 - The sitcom “Run The Burbs” is hilarious (starring Andrew Phung from “Kim’s Convenience”, about a Korean-Indian Canadian family living in the suburbs. It’s extremely smart and funny, and has an extremely diverse cast without making anything stereotypical)

- The reality show “Bollywed” is my new obsession (a reality show about an immigrant Indian family who has been running a successful Indian clothing store (specializing in wedding outfits) in downtown Toronto for the past 37+ years. The son is trying to get his dad to accept more modern ways of doing business, specifically opening a second location because they are running out of room in their current store - this show is FANTASTIC)

- I am finally getting into “This Hour Has 22 Minutes” (It’s literally been on for 30 years, so I figure better late than never. It’s great sketch comedy that’s relevant to Canadian society :) )

[cinnamonmustard]

Kims Convenience is so lovely but it’s so unnatural that Umma and Appa speak exclusively in English to each other!! I understand the CBCs priority is to appeal to lib white canadians but the show would feel WAY more realistic w a mix between Korean and English. Plz Sang-il and Yong-mi Free yourself from the white man’s shackles

[laresearchette]

Wednesday, April 24, 2024 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

This Video Not Available in Your Country: Wednesday Canadian Lineup (Times Eastern): WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: THE BIG DOOR PRIZE (Apple TV+) SISTER BONIFACE MYSTERIES (BritBox) MY 600-LB LIFE: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (TLC Canada) 8:00pm

WHAT IS <i>NOT</i> PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT?: CHANGING PLANET (PBS Feed) TO CATCH A SMUGGLER (Premiering on April 29 on Nat Geo Canada at 9:00pm)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

<b>AMAZON PRIME CANADA</b> KIM’S CONVENIENCE MY SPY

<B>DISNEY + STAR</b> GORDON RAMSAY: UNCHARTED (Seasons 2 & 3)

<B>NETFLIX CANADA</B> DELIVER ME (SE) DON’T HATE THE PLAYER (FR)

MLB BASEBALL (SN1) 7:00pm: Jays vs. Royals (SN Now) 7:30pm: Astros vs. Cubs (TSN3/TSN5) 7:00pm: Guardians vs. Red Sox

NHL HOCKEY (CBC/SN) 7:00pm: Game 3 - Bruins vs. Leafs (SN360) 9:30pm: Game 2 - Knights vs. Star (SN) 10:00pm: Game 2 - Kings vs. Oilers

NBA BASKETBALL (TSN/TSN4) 7:00pm: Game 2: Heat vs. Celtics (TSN/TSN4) 9:30pm: Game 2: Pelicans vs. Thunder

PWHL HOCKEY (TSN3/TSN5) 7:00pm: Boston vs. Ottawa

BIG BROTHER CANADA (Global) 9:30pm

[heavenboy09]

Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 To You

The Popular & Rising Chinese 🇭🇰🇨🇦 Canadian Actor Of The MCU & The 1st Asian Actor To Become The 1st Asian Superhero On The Big Screen 👊🐉

Liu was born in Harbin, China, on 19 April 1989, son of Zhenning and Zheng Liu. His parents met while attending university in Beijing, where they both studied engineering. His father, Zhenning, went to the United States to study for a PhD whilst his mother worked in Beijing, and Liu was raised until age 5 by his grandparents in Harbin, China, "in a small apartment, without running water for much of the day," in circumstances he recalled as "idyllic and happy." Liu later emigrated to rejoin his parents in Canada, who supplemented their scholarships with dish-washing jobs and eventually became successful aerospace engineers. He first arrived in Kingston, Ontario where his father was fulfilling his doctoral studies at Queen's University. Liu was later raised in Mississauga, Ontario.

He is a Canadian actor. He is known for portraying Shang-Chi in the 2021 Marvel Cinematic Universe film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. He also played Jung Kim in the CBC Television sitcom Kim's Convenience and a Ken in Barbie. He received nominations at the ACTRA Awards and Canadian Screen Awards for his work in Blood and Water.

In 2022, Liu authored the memoir We Were Dreamers, and was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in the world, in the section "Artists."

Please Wish This Athletically & Multi Talented Chinese🇭🇰🇨🇦 Canadian Actor Of The MCU,🐉👊 A Very Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 To You

YOU BETTER KNOW HIM

ESPECIALLY AFTER 2021

& HE IS HERE TO STAY & THE MCU NEEDS HIM & THE WORLD 🌎

THE 1 & THE ONLY

MR. SIMU LIU🇭🇰🇨🇦🐉 AKA SHANG-CHI OF MARVEL'S SHANG-CHI & THE LEGEND OF THE 10 RINGS 💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍💍🐉👊🇭🇰

HAPPY 35TH BIRTHDAY 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 TO YOU MR. LIU🇭🇰🇨🇦🐉 & HERE'S TO MANY MORE YEARS TO COME

#SimuLiu #KimsConvenience #ShangChiandTheLegendOfTheTenRings #Barbie

[mediarulestheearth]

North and South

Canadians are lucky.

Not only do we have access to a ton of world-class entertainment and information products created right here at home, we also have access to high-quality American programming. The challenge is keeping that foreign content from taking over our feeds, and our cultural sensibilities. Canadian content choices play a pivotal role in shaping our perceptions, values, and even our sense of national identity. Media contributes to the notion of Canadian-ness and national belonging in profound ways.

Keeping information sources balanced is key. Although the institution has recently faced scrutiny and continued questions of relevancy, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) stands as a cornerstone of our national media diet. It stands as both a news source and a cultural touchstone reflecting us back to ourselves. Whether it's reviewing Canadian politics or celebrating local talents, the CBC is one institution providing us with our own channel maintaining content that helps shape our national and cultural identity. Doing so is even in its mandate "to inform, enlighten and entertain; to contribute to the development of a shared national consciousness and identity; to reflect the regional and cultural diversity of Canada; and to contribute to the development of Canadian talent and culture." (Canada, 2023, para 5).

Hockey Night in Canada is more than just a sports broadcast; it's a cultural institution. As Canadians gather around their screens to witness the fast-paced intensity of the game, they share in an experience that transcends regional differences. The roaring cheers and collective groans echo the heartbeat of a nation united by the love of the game.

Canadian television productions like Kim's Convenience and Schitt's Creek contribute to the mosaic of Canadian culture while receiving international recognition and accolades. These shows not only entertain but also offer nuanced portrayals of Canadian life, highlighting the quirks, humor, and challenges that define our shared experiences. They have become cultural ambassadors, bridging the gap between diverse communities and fostering a collective sense of identity to introduce Canadians to one another, and to the world.

Canada has a wealth of media products that contribute to our national narrative created by authors. producers, actors, singers and others. The music of artists like Bryan Adams or bands like Nickelback, the world-renowned literature of writer Margaret Atwood or the cinematic talent of actor Nathan Fillion all contribute to our cultural tapestry reflecting the diversity and creativity embedded in our Canadian identity.

These media creations are more than entertainment; they are agents of connection and cohesion. They provide a shared narrative that helps citizens make informed decisions, contributing to the robustness of our democracy. As we tune in to the stories, voices, and perspectives emanating from our screens and speakers, we participate in a collective dialogue that reinforces our sense of Canadian belonging.

Our media choices in this digital age become threads weaving us into the vibrant tapestry of our nation, helping define what it truly means to be Canadian.

Canada. (2023). Organizational profile - canadian broadcasting corporation. https://federal-organizations.canada.ca/profil.php?OrgID=CBC&lang=en

[laurastacey]

Really annoying that Netflix has slightly different versions of shows than cbc/gem. Like on Netflix, murdoch mysteries eps are sometimes a little longer and episodes on gem don't always include George's funny little tidbits.

Or even worse, yesterday school busses weren't running so I only had 2 students. So I was like, whatever, today we'll just chill out and watch a show. I was like I'll put on kim's convenience cuz this is social studies and we can view canadian content and see how it represents a Korean Canadian family living in Toronto. So I opened up Netflix as it's more user friendly than gem and put on an episode only to find there are so many f-bombs. Like !!! Here I thought I could show this former prime-time cbc show to my class no problem (and I for real watched the whole show with my conservative, evangelical parents) but the Netflix version is not the same as the one that aired. So anyway, now I'm just sitting here waiting to get reported lmao

[bluepointcoin]

Simu Liu will host the Junos for 2nd year in a row

Simu Liu will host the Junos for 2nd year in a row

Shang-Chi star, Kim’s Convenience alum and stock-photo legend Simu Liu has been chosen to host the Junos — for the second year in a row. Organizers for the ceremony celebrating Canadian music released the news Wednesday through a surprise announcement during a CBC event at Toronto’s Massey Hall.  “There are no words to describe the incredible energy that took over Toronto last spring and I can’t…

[canadachronicles]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by CBC Gem (@cbcgem)

I love this, I truly do! This also made me realise, I'm still not ready to say goodbye to Kim's Convenience!

Source: CBC Gem's Instagram Page

[natlacentral]

How Kiawentiio went from a ‘little arty kid’ to the star of Avatar: The Last Airbender

You know that classic actor’s arc, painstakingly building from bit parts to bigger roles, withstanding rejection and despair? Yeah, that’s not Kiawentiio’s story. The Mohawk Canadian actor was cast in the first thing she auditioned for, the hit CBC/Netflix series Anne with an E. Her next role was the title character in Tracey Deer’s wrenching, semi-autobiographical film Beans, followed by a gig on Rutherford Falls. And now she’s the second lead in a gigantic Netflix series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, a live-action reimagining of the beloved animated series (2005-08), shot mostly in British Columbia, arriving Feb. 22. And she’s only 17.

We meet via video call, and even on that flattening medium, Kiawentiio sparkles. (Professionally, she goes by that mononym, pronounced Guy-a-wen-di-jou.) She’s poised and friendly, without any child-actor posing. Now and again she glances over her shoulder into a corner I can’t see; turns out her mother is there for backup.

Her Anne with an E audition was a lark – or as Kiawentiio puts it, “It came out of nowhere and happened randomly.” Growing up on the Akwesasne reserve on Kawehno:ke (also known as Cornwall Island), which straddles the Ontario/New York State border, she was “the little arty kid in the corner, who stayed inside at recess to paint and draw,” and dreamed of going to art school. Her dad chanced upon an open casting call on Facebook, and they thought, might as well try it. She was the last audition of the day.

Landing Avatar: The Last Airbender, by contrast, required more of a campaign. As a kid, Kiawentiio loved the animated series – its environmental and spiritual themes, its thoughtful depictions of Asian and Indigenous cultures, the battle scenes of Benders wielding the four elements, “the character arcs, the sheer craftsmanship. It would fill me.”

So when she heard rumours a few years ago about a live-action reboot, she had a feeling she’d be right for Katara, 14, a novice Waterbender, the last in her Southern Water Tribe, traumatized by the world war being waged by the Fire Nation, yet undaunted and hopeful. Teaming up with Aang, the title character (played in the series by Gordon Cormier), she begins to realize her potential. Kiawentiio asked her agents to keep an eye out, “just in case the universe is listening.”

The audition, when it came, was veiled in secrecy – fake project and character names, disguised scenes, all via Zoom. After a month-long series of “adrenalin-pumping” chemistry reads with other actors, showrunner Albert Kim delivered the news: Yes, it was Airbender; yes, they’d been searching the world for their Katara; and yes, it was her. She and her family burst into tears.

With her co-stars, Kiawentiio spent six weeks at “bending boot camp,” where each learned the martial art their movements are based on: wushu for Firebending, tai chi for Waterbending, Hung Ga for Earthbending and Bagua for Airbending. They shot on a cutting-edge mix of green screens, practical sets – Kyoshi Village was built in a working quarry in Coquitlam, B.C.; Jet’s hideout was filmed at WildPlay, a ziplining park in Maple Ridge, B.C. – and volume stages, including the world’s largest LED video wall studio, a near-circle lined with 2,500 LED wall panels and 760 LED ceiling panels, at Canadian Motion Picture Park in Burnaby, B.C.

“That stage was warm,” Kiawentiio says, laughing. “Wearing Katara’s big blue parka, pretending to be in the Arctic while being in a microwave.” Watching the animated series come to life was “surreal,” she continues. “When you see Appa in front of you” – a flying beast that combines bison, hippo and manatee – “or even small things like my necklace – I remember being almost in tears.”

Canada’s Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Kim’s Convenience) plays Iroh, brother to Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim); the actors playing Katara’s parents, Rainbow Dickerson and Joel Montgrand, also played Kiawentiio’s parents in Beans. But she didn’t get to hang out much – “I was in high school at the time, just trying to get through 11th grade,” she says. “Fun fact, I’ve never been to a first day of high school with my classmates. Every year I was doing something, travelling somewhere.” Now graduated, with a five-year option for possible future seasons, “I’m saving my next few years for the show and whatever else may come from it. But I plan on going to school in the future.”

Each of the four Airbender nations has real-world roots, including Omashu, Himalayan, Indonesian and Indigenous Arctic cultures; cultural consultants advised on folklore, history and mythology, as well as costumes, calligraphy and artifacts; and the series’ four directors are of Asian descent. That mattered, Kiawentiio says: “It’s 100-per-cent important to me that I represent where I come from, my people and my language. That comes with me to every character I portray.”

Her opportunity to embody authentic Indigenous characters has never been higher, as a spate of recent series attest: Reservation Dogs, Little Bird, Echo, True Detective: Night Country, the Yellowstone franchise. Lily Gladstone could well become the first Indigenous woman to win a Best Actress Oscar, for Killers of the Flower Moon. And Deer, Kiawentiio’s Beans director was an excellent role model: “Being able to see her be the leader, be so strong, opened my eyes to other things I can explore – directing, producing.”

But she doesn’t want portraying Indigenous characters to become its own kind of limit. “Those roles will always be at my root; they are what I can see myself in and relate to. That doesn’t have to be the end of what we’re capable of, though. We don’t have to just play the Indian friend, the Native guy. We can be just that doctor or teacher or lawyer, those regular roles. The days of just getting a role, and not The Native role, are still ahead of us.”

Now that Kiawentiio’s accidental career is skyrocketing, “it’s funny how weirdly normal it gets,” she says. “I understand how people can lose their groundedness. You’re in the air so much, how do you stay grounded? It’s helpful to keep my real life separate, with my family and friends, and have my work self be almost a persona.”

She’s always had a readable face, she realizes. “I can’t hide anything; it’s all in my eyes. But to be able to be in control of that to portray someone else is so interesting. My dad told me he’s never seen me light up the way I do when I’m on a set. That’s when I knew I should stick with it.”

[ourravenboys]

reminder to my fellow Canadians that you can make a free account with cbc gem and watch a LOT of free movies and shows!!!

they have popular ish? shows like the great british baking show, Sherlock, normal people, schitt’s creek, Anne with an e, Downton abbey, Luther, heartland, looking for Alaska and also less talked about but really good shows like Kim’s convenience, workin moms, pen15, chewing gum, Murdoch mysteries, ghosts (2021) etc

it also has a lot of really diverse canadian shows/movies that im very excited to watch (trickster, noughts and crosses, sort of, the family law, warigami, the grizzlies, meditation park) and lots of documentaries !!!!

[books-and-tears]

Anne with an E 🤝 Kim's convenience

Canadian shows w a lot of diversity and episodes that I watched without knowing it was the last

[crazyrichxplainr]

Andrew Phung and Rakhee Morzaria as Andrew and Camille Pham in CBC’s Run the Burbs