Asia Society Southern California 2022 Annual Gala Honors the "Pachinko" Cast and Crew, Eileen Gu, Stella Li and More | Asia Society Skip to main content

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Asia Society Southern California 2022 Annual Gala Honors the "Pachinko" Cast and Crew, Eileen Gu, Stella Li and More

Eileen Gu and Pachinko Cast

Olympian Eileen Gu meets the cast and crew of Pachinko. (L to R: Soo Hugh, Soji Arai, Eileen Gu, Minha Kim, Jin Ha)

2022 ASSC Annual Gala

The 2022 Asia Society Southern California Annual Gala at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles

Lisa Ling

Lisa Ling attends the 2022 Asia Society Southern California Annual Gala.

Janet Yang and Minha Kim

Janet Yang (left) and Minha Kim attend the 2022 Asia Society Southern California Annual Gala.

Olivia Cheng and Shannon Lee

Olivia Cheng (left) and Shannon Lee attend the 2022 Asia Society Southern California Annual Gala. 

Hudson Yang and Soji Arai

Hudson Yang (left) and Soji Arai attend the 2022 Asia Society Southern California Annual Gala. 

Olivia Cheng

Olivia Cheng introduces the "Sports Visionary" honor for Olympian Chloe Kim. 

Kara Wang and Stephanie Hsu

Kara Wang (left) poses with Stephanie Hsu after being presented with the "ASSC MVP" award.

Eileen Gu

Eileen Gu accepts the "Global Ambassador" award.

Eileen Gu and Gene Sykes

Eileen Gu stands with Gene Sykes following Sykes' presentation of the "Global Ambassador" honor to Gu. 

Eileen Gu and Awkwafina

Eileen Gu (left) and Awkwafina at the 2022 Asia Society Southern California Annual Gala.

Awkwafina

Awkwafina presents the "Cultural Visionaries" honor to the creative artists behind "Pachinko."

Pachinko

"Pachinko" creator and showrunner Soo Hugh speaks on behalf of the cast and crew for their "Cultural Visionaries" honor.

Jin Ha Awkwafina and Soji Arai

Jin Ha (left) and Soji Arai (right) pose with Awkwafina after her presentation of "Pachinko"'s "Cultural Visionaries" honor.

Jiaoying Summers

Comedian Jiaoying Summers performs a set.

Charles Zhang

Richard M. Nixon Foundation board member Charles Zhang introduces a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Nixon trip to China. 

Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja

Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja performs a rendition of the Black Eyed Peas' "Where Is The Love?"

Lisa Ling with Jacqueline and Hannah An

Left to right: Jacqueline An, Lisa Ling, Hannah An

Lisa Ling and Stella Li

For the presentation of the "Asian Women Empowered Visionary" award to Stella Li, Li (right) sat for a fireside chat with journalist Lisa Ling.

Lisa Ling and Stella Li 2

Lisa Ling (left) and Stella Li close out the evening with the presentation of the "Asian Women Empowered Visionary" honor to Li.

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Program Book

The 2022 Asia Society Southern California Annual Gala marked the event's return to an in-person gathering after two years of virtual galas. The celebration was an evening under the stars at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, as guests enjoyed performances, honoree presentations, and a chance to reconnect with old friends.

The evening began with the presentation of the "Sports Visionary" honor to two-time Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim. Actor Olivia Cheng of HBO's Warrior delivered a heartfelt recollection of witnessing Kim excel in winter sports, an area in which she never saw Asian faces represented while growing up in Canada. Cheng praised Kim’s advocacy, as well, for mental health issues and the AAPI community.

Kim's recognition was followed by a surprise honor for actor Kara Wang, the returning emcee of the Gala. Everything Everywhere All At Once actor Stephanie Hsu presented Wang with the first-ever "ASSC MVP" award. In her improvised speech, Wang reflected on the honor of working with ASSC at its biannual gatherings of “game changers.”

To present Olympian Eileen Gu with the "Global Ambassador" award, member of the LA28 board of directors Gene T. Sykes spoke to how Gu embodies the Olympic values. In her acceptance speech, Gu contemplated the meaning of being a “Global Ambassador” as well as her gratitude at being able to utilize freeskiing as a platform to unite cultures and use her voice.

Award-winning actor Awkwafina then introduced the cast and crew of Pachinko as the night’s “Cultural Visionaries,” continuing in ASSC’s tradition of recognizing Asian-led film and television productions. In her acceptance speech, showrunner Soo Hugh spoke about the remarkable journey Pachinko has made from the page to the screen—in light of its epic scale and scope— as well as the privilege of working with the series’ cast and the honor of being recognized by ASSC.

After dinner, up-and-coming comedian Jiaoying Summers performed a stand-up set, and 2021 ASSC "Philanthropy Visionary" Charles Zhang introduced a tribute to the 50th anniversary of President Richard M. Nixon’s historic trip to China. Zhang, a member of the Nixon Foundation’s board of directors, recalled the impact that this moment in history has made on his life and the lives of countless others in the room.

Later, founding chair of the U.S.-Japan Council Thomas Iino introduced “Business Visionary” honoree and Suntory Holdings CEO Takeshi Niinami, speaking to Niinami’s peerless leadership of the Japanese business community. In his acceptance speech, Niinami expressed his gratitude for the honor and his pride in Suntory’s commitment to environment in Japan and worldwide.

The Gala closed with a performance by 11-year-old actor and singer Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja and the evening's final honor: the "Asian Women Empowered Visionary" award to Stella Li. Li, the President of BYD Motors LLC, sat down with journalist Lisa Ling for a fireside chat. Li and Ling discussed the impact that Stella and BYD have made on the community of Lancaster California, Li’s desire to push the electric vehicle industry forward, and how BYD’s full name, “Build Your Dreams,” inspires their approach to business and their workplaces.

 

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