Dana Ter

Bio

Dana is a journalist and former expat kid who grew up in 10 countries on 4 continents. She writes about art and culture with a focus on Taiwan, Korea and NYC. Her stories have been published in the Taipei Times, Contently and Untapped Cities, among others. She also has a Dual MA/MSc in International and World History from Columbia University and the London School of Economics. Email: danayter@gmail.com Twitter: @danayter.
7 Reasons Why 'Resurrection' Has Nothing on 'The Returned'
By Dana Ter
While ABC's new series Resurrection investigates the supernatural, The Returned — the French cult favorite that shares a premise with the former — simply flirts with it. The American series, which premiered on Sunday night, is not a direct remake of…
6 Young Asian-American Filmmakers Who Are Shattering America's Asian Film Bias
By Dana Ter
From yellowface on How I Met Your Mother to #NotYourAsianSidekick, the portrayal of Asian people in the American media has been igniting the Asian-American blogosphere recently. Lucy Liu and Maggie Q are always mentioned as success stories, but the…
These Half-Naked Women Are Standing On Street Corners, But Not For The Reason You'd Expect
By Dana Ter
If you're cruising along a desolate highway in Taiwan in the dead of the night, chances are you'll run into scantily-clad women sitting in glass cubicles decorated with neon signs. They'll totter out in their micro-skirts and super high heels,…
The Twitter Feed Every Book Lover Needs to See
By Dana Ter
Nigerian-American novelist Teju Cole proved that social media is not just a means of self-promotion on Wednesday, when he converted his Twitter feed into a template for a short story. After having remaining dormant for nearly three months on the…
The Korean Clothing Trend Breaking Down Dating Barriers
By Dana Ter
"This is the blind-date restaurant where couples dine on their first date," my Korean-American friend said, pointing at a two-story French restaurant. He was giving me a crash course in Korean "couple culture" that involved a tour of popular hangout…
Taipei: The World's Newest Indie Music Capital
By Dana Ter
Taipei is a big city with the soul of a small town. I seemed to have forgotten this when I was there last summer, though. When my taxi pulled up in front of a coffee-shop-turned-jazz-bar called Witch House, in a back alley near National Taiwan…
The New Mitt Romney Documentary Will Change Everything You Thought About the 2012 Election
By Dana Ter
It was a month before the presidential elections last year that the "Mitt Romney Style" video, a parody of Psy's "Gangnam Style" was circulating around college campuses. Its chorus — "Affluence, extravagance, that's Mitt!" — was like a rallying cry…
The Viral Photo From Ukraine That Proves Music Really Can Change the World
By Dana Ter
A day before protesters in Kiev knocked down a statue of Vladimir Lenin, an unnamed Ukrainian man took a seat on a makeshift stool in front of a blue piano in the middle of a rainy street. Time stopped for a moment. All eyes and ears were fixed on…
Why Young Asian-Americans Are Fleeing Hollywood
By Dana Ter
We were speaking in English and picking strawberries at a night market in Taipei last winter when the storekeeper curiously asked my friend where I was from (even though I had lived there for seven years). "She's visiting from New York," my friend…
Cultural Appropriation Isn't an American Problem
By Dana Ter
Evoking Asian culture seems to be in vogue these days. Just last week, media pundits were quick to comment on why Katy Perry's geisha-themed performance at the American Music Awards was "racist." The Wall Street Journal's Jeff Yang went so far as to…
5 New Asian Rom-Coms That Every Romantic Comedy Lover Needs to See
By Dana Ter
As movie lovers here in the U.S. begin to reflect on the best movies of 2013, fans and critics on the other side of the world are rejoicing over some of their own blockbuster hits. 2013 has been an exciting and innovative year for Asian cinema with…
What YA Literature Can Teach Readers About Race
By Dana Ter
There's something quaint about book readings. The personal intimacy of hearing the author's voice, and the cozy feeling of being in a room filled with books and book lovers is something which cannot be recreated by clicking through a Kindle or…
This Feminist Toy Company Still Thinks There's Only One Way For Girls to Be Smart
By Dana Ter
My own disinterest in science had more to do with a lack of a strong foundation than with the types of toys that I owned. My bean sprouts in cotton wool would never grow. We've heard the facts that women are highly under-represented in science and…
How to Talk About the Atomic Bomb
By Dana Ter
Japanese artist Ishiuchi Miyako has dedicated her life to creating artwork that reveals a hidden story of the lingering pain that her country has suffered as a result of World War II. "America never apologized," she says in a tremulous voice as she…
Japanese Fast Food Company Release Prim Liberation Wrappers, Everyone Freaks Out
By Dana Ter
Last week, a Japanese restaurant chain, Freshness Burger, released their latest product which caused quite a stir in the media. These "liberation wrappers" as they are called, consist of a picture of the lower half of a female face with a closed…
'So Young' Is A Beautiful Love Story for Chinese-Americans
By Dana Ter
"America represents a dream," said Chinese actress and director Zhao Wei, "but So Young is a truly Chinese movie." Peering over the rows of fur coats and sparkly dresses, I tried to get a better look at Zhao Wei. She was wearing a simple black dress…
'Pakistan Idol' is Bringing Muslim Cultural Controversy Into the Spotlight
By Dana Ter
After six years of trying to gain a foothold in Pakistan's entertainment industry, the Pop Idol franchise will finally be debuting in the country later this year. This is a huge achievement in a society that has been heavily criticized by domestic…
The Korean DMZ is Home to Tragedy, Sadness, and an Amusement Park
By Dana Ter
I was sitting in a mountaintop café sipping coffee, shaking off my jetlag, and chatting with my family about post-graduation plans. It was early morning in mid-April, so the first traces of spring were emerging. Sounds of children's laughter from…
Angel Haze's "Same Love" Remix is Honest, Painful, and Powerful
By Dana Ter
Angel Haze's remix of Macklemore's "Same Love" raises important questions over who has the right to speak up on behalf of the LGBT community. Mackelmore's music video traces the life of a young man of color struggling with his sexuality that falls…
If You Die in Taiwan, There Will Be Strippers At Your Funeral
By Dana Ter
Amidst the flashing neon lights and blaring pop music, the audience hoots and cheers loudly as girls in short skirts and bikinis emerge on the stage from a cloud of smoke. They twirl around poles, kicking their heels and swinging their legs, still…