SuChin Pak – MTV’s Breakthrough

SuChin Pak is a one of the few familiar Asian faces on MTV. As an MTV News Correspondent and host of MTV documentaries, SuChin has established herself as a sought after commentator. She has hosted Pre-Grammy parties, appeared on Oprah and interviewed tons of celebrities.

Born in Korea and raised in California, SuChin grew up knowing two cultures which is typical among the 1 ½ and 2nd generations of young Asians in the United States today.

Although SuChin never initially set out for a career in entertainment, she’s become an inspiration to Asian Americans looking to break into the entertainment industry. Asiance chatted with SuChin about pop culture, her lack of Asian role models and her advice to Asian Americans in order to see a greater media presence of friendly Asian faces.

ASIANCE: What brought you to America from Korea at such an early age?

SuChin: It was my parents’ decision. They came here for all the right reasons; better life, better education, family living here. My father was in the United States Military in Korea. It took my dad about a year of traveling back and forth to settle here and it took my mom a few more.

ASIANCE: Who are your influences?

SuChin: When I started in this business, there was no one doing what I wanted to do. I started at 16. At that time, there really were no Asians doing anything on TV. I think that’s why I figured out if I could do this, how incredibly amazing.

Can I make money doing this and have a career doing this? I only realized that after I got MTV. Then I realized that you don’t have to look like me to do this.

It’s difficult to create something out of nothing… I didn’t really have a role model.

ASIANCE: What Asian American women do you admire, besides your mom?

SuChin: I can’t really tell… hmmm Connie Chung opened a lot of doors which viewed Asian American women in a different way but would I like her career? Not really. I’m not a hard news person.

Non-Asian – Diane Sawyer, I really admire and LOVE. What has she not been able to accomplish?

ASIANCE: Who was the best interviewee? Who was the worst?

SuChin: I love Adam Sandler. He was the best. He’s one of my favorite people. He’s a nice person. I so believe in his projects. I loved “Rain on Me”. I felt my way through the entire thing. Someone who does “Waterboy” and then does this? I commend any artist who does something so out of the box? There’s no middle ground.

The worst? (laughs) I was interviewing Fall Out Boy at the MTV Video Music Awards. They brought a monkey on the stage. It wasn’t a big deal, but the monkey flipped out and started grabbing my earrings. I was like we’re going to throw down…

ASIANCE: Who would you like to interview that you haven’t already?

SuChin: The President George Bush! That would be interesting… I would love to assess his true intelligence! He’s in complete control and we are all playing into his hands. I don’t know if I see the Democrats right now…Lots of personal reasons…
We (MTV) did a lot for the candidates in raising political awareness.

I don’t ever say No to interviews. I love interviewing. I’m a nosy person. I’ll live in someone else’s shoes for whatever the time. Bad interviews are better interviews.

ASIANCE: I remember you did the Pre-Grammy party. Are you planning to do something like that again? Did you like it?

SuChin: Oh I loved it. It was really exciting. I hope to do something like that again.

ASIANCE: There is that rumor going around that you called the rapper, I-Cube, Ice Pick, in an interview. Is that true?

SuChin: That was my first interview ever. I called him Ice Pick.

ASIANCE: What did he say?

SuChin: Nothing. The interview was cut short. It was a great learning experience though. You find yourself being insecure but you learn through experience. You learn how to answer and how to react.

ASIANCE: Yeah I would get thrown. How do you recover?

SuChin: It’s still nerve racking. I have stock questions. You learn through experience. You hope the red light is blinking. That you don’t go blank. Thankfully that didn’t happen. The only time that happened was with the monkey and Fall Out Boy.

I try to do work that I’m proud of at the end of the day. That’s not something that I set out to do but if it’s a by-product of my work, then I’m really happy.

ASIANCE: What’s next for you?

SuChin: I’m doing a great show on MTV called Alternative Spring Break. It’s an MTV News program for Spring Break. I’m following kids doing socially minded things during Spring Break instead of going to Cancun, getting in the hot tub and putting lipstick on and making out, etc. (laughs)

I’m also interviewing Janice Min. I’m excited to sit down with her and get inside her brain.

Journalism used to be narrow and now it’s so big. I love narrative documentary journalism and telling stories from my own perspective. I make no claims about being unopinionated and unbiased. When you choose to personalize a story, that is much more interesting. I learn so much more from that. I want to continue to do that.

ASIANCE: What did you think of the demise of MTV K, Chi and Desi?

SuChin: What is the future of traditional media anymore? If you can distribute through MySpace? I’m trying to change it but I don’t see it in my lifetime. It’s not like there’s a story in the newsroom everyday or every year. This whole idea is up to us, whether we fail or succeed. It’s a great thing, but scary at the same time. Are we going to step up ourselves?

MTV listens! They feed off of what the voice is. If we have a stronger voice, MTV will listen!! It’s up to us to make the voice! Go ahead and make it! It’s an open source. That’s why we’ve been able to corner the market of youth culture, because we listen to what youth has to say!

We can have so many MySpace buddies to get the word out. There’s a huge opportunity and on our own terms. I’m hopeful someone will break out!

ASIANCE: Do you think Asian musicians like Far East Movement, Jin and Chan will be exposed on the main channel now?

SuChin: The nicest guys. It was an amazing effort and something to rally around. You can’t count on other people. It has to come within the community. When I look at Asian American’s Justin Lin and his whole team and how he’s been able to tackle Hollywood, Asian American types and studio productions, I really admire him. He’s been such a huge category_idance and influence and role model for me. His success and failures. That’s how I met Far East Movement. If it takes someone like an Asian American director, if it’s MTV K or Chi, that’s fantastic as well.

ASIANCE: Who are your favorite artists?

SuChin: Most favorite right now is this little guy. He’s from New Mexico. His artist is Beirut! His album is just omg!! I obsess over it. I’ve never asked for an autograph, never wrote a fan letter, nothing. But I myspaced him! It’s amazing. I love Blues Old Stand, Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, T.Rex, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani. My brother has the most fantastic taste in music. I have no idea what is on my IPod. I travel so much and he loads up my IPod. Something from Elliott Smith?

Click here to listen to SuChin’s current favorite band – Beirut

I’m more of a follower than a discoverer. He’s a discoverer. Sometimes I’m amazed, “I can’t believe you have Live edition of Van Morrison!”
He’s like a New York downtown hipster. I’m like, “Where is the Bay Area thug kid I used to know?” Like New York is home for him.

ASIANCE: How about your favorite actresses?

SuChin: I love movies! It would be Meryl Streep. I love “The Devil wears Prada!” I love Anna Faris – “ She is the most undiscovered. She was in “Just Friends”. I loved her. She stole the entire movie. She just cracks me up! The downside to doing what I do? I don’t like it when I have to interview people that I admire. If they make a bad impression on me, then it’s really hard for me.

ASIANCE: Do you have any pets?

SuChin: No Pets! My Dad had a pet store. We always had animals growing up. I’m just not a pet person. I don’t mind them; I’m just not a pet person.

ASIANCE: What would you say to any Asian American girls who want to get where you are today? As an MTV VJ or News Correspondent?

SuChin:It’s really important to surround yourself in the industry, in whatever media. If you are studying law in the hopes that you want to do this on the side and get discovered, it’s not going to work. You got to make connections. I’ve gotten every single job because of someone I’ve worked with… .AND because they liked me.

Also, if you want to do it, it’s a lot easier now. With technology, you can create a reel, do something and put it online or send it out. There is no excuse. I can’t help people that don’t do the basics and that is the most basic thing to do. I couldn’t do a fake reel.

Today you can edit your own stuff. See if your talents are really in front of the camera. How do you know if you can do it? It’s not a harsh question, but a reality check. The experience is really important.

ASIANCE: Thanks SuChin!