Asia Society Southern California to Honor Visionaries in TV, Film, and Music at 2024 U.S.-Asia Entertainment Game Changer Awards

‘Beef’ creator Lee Sung Jin, Grammy-winner Anderson .Paak, Musician and Actor Rina Sawayama, the cast and crew of ‘Warrior’, and ‘Godzilla Minus One’ producer Kenji Yamada and director Takashi Yamazaki to be recognized for achievements that transcend borders

LOS ANGELES; January 29, 2024 – On February, 20, 2024, Asia Society Southern California (ASSC) will honor and celebrate a selection of visionaries who are profoundly impacting culture and content at the 14th U.S.-Asia Entertainment Summit and Game Changer Awards at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.

With an unmatched ability to affect global audiences through their art, these honorees and their work embody Asia Society’s mission to build bridges across cultures and help connect Asia and the rest of the world.

This year’s Game Changers, whose work spans music, film, and television, have established themselves as driving forces in growing cross-cultural connection and representation both inside the industry and out. They include:
•    Lee Sung Jin – Creator of Beef, the eight-time Emmy Award- and three-time Golden Globe-winning TV/streaming series
•    Anderson .Paak – Eight-time Grammy-Award winning recording artist
•    Rina Sawayama – Two-time Brit Award-nominated musician and co-star of John Wick: Chapter 4 
•    Cast and crew of Warrior – for their masterful storytelling in the hit TV/streaming series rooted in the experiences of Chinese immigrants to San Francisco in the 1870s
•    Kenji Yamada, producer, and Takashi Yamazaki, director of Godzilla Minus One, the Oscar-nominated Japanese film that has become a global sensation and U.S. box office record-breaker.

ASSC designed the U.S.-Asia Entertainment Game Changer Awards to celebrate and elevate achievements that are transcending borders, resetting norms, and forging a path for future generations of content creators, storytellers and culture-shifters.

“With mega-monsters, epic martial arts, drama that makes us laugh and cry, and chart-topping musical hit after hit, the scale of the accomplishments being honored this year is bigger than ever,” said Janet Yang, Chair of the U.S.-Asia Entertainment Summit. “The impact made by these honorees is monumental not just to us today, but to the future game changers who will build on this momentum, and continue to grow opportunities for Asian creators to share their voices and touch the world.”

The Entertainment Game Changer Awards will be presented at the U.S.-Asia Entertainment Summit Awards dinner from 7-9 p.m. The dinner follows a daytime Summit, now in its 14th year, which takes place from 3-5 p.m. and features discussions with industry leaders who will address the forces and trends transforming entertainment. Summit speakers and discussion topics will be announced soon.

Additionally, in connection with the Summit and Awards Dinner, ASSC will hold its second Asian Women Empowered (AWE) Luncheon from 1:30-3 p.m. This event, part of ASSC’s AWE initiative which convenes influential Asian women to inspire and invest in the next generation, will honor three AWE Champions for their incredible contributions to community, and to advancing women and authentic storytelling in entertainment. This year’s honorees include Maya Rogers, CEO, Tetris; Gita Rebbapragada, COO, Crunchyroll; and Michelle Sugihara, Executive Director, CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment).

“AWE is building a community of support, philanthropy and mentorship that lifts up Asian women who are breaking through barriers, and unites women to invest in the next generation of leaders,” said Katie Soo, Asia Society Trustee, ASSC Chair, and AWE Co-chair. “These honorees are true champions in their own paths, as well as champions for the women who will follow in their footsteps as we work to move the needle toward better representation in not just entertainment, but every industry.”

More information about the U.S.-Asia Entertainment Summit and Game Changer Awards, including honoree details, schedule, and ticketing information is available here. Details and ticketing information for the Luncheon are available here.

About Asia Society Southern California
Established in Los Angeles in 1985, Asia Society Southern California (ASSC) is ideally situated at the gateway to the Asia-Pacific region. ASSC has played a pivotal role through creative programs and activities in increasing shared knowledge, enhancing dialogue, and furthering cultural exchanges transcending regional boundaries. As part of the global Asia Society, which was founded more than 60 years ago in New York City, ASSC has launched many creative initiatives and programs addressing current issues of importance across the fields of the arts, culture, policy, business, and education. Find out more at AsiaSociety.org/SouthernCalifornia.

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