Interview with Jennifer Field

Jennifer Field is an actress and model who is a star on the rise. In a relatively short amount of time she has accomplished several notable feats including becoming Miss Asian America and Miss San Jose Grand Prix in the same year (2006). Beauty pageants are not her only area of expertise as she has been acting and singing since she was a young child.

The San Jose, California native moved to Los Angeles a few years ago to further pursue her dreams in the entertainment industry. She has done many short and feature films, commercials, print ads, music videos and web series.

Jennifer’s most widely recognized accomplishment came earlier this year with her securing a spot as a cast member of the K-Town reality show project. The show created a media frenzy being the first of its kind, a reality show featuring an all Asian-American cast. The show has not yet been picked up by a network but it is all but certain that it will at some point in the near future.

We are pleased to present this interview with Jennifer.

Please note that HalfKorean.com comments/questions are in BOLD.

Background: The Basics on Jennifer

Where were you born, raised and currently live?
Born and raised in San Jose. I lived there my whole life until moving to Los Angeles.

How did your parents meet?
It’s a common story that hapas will share. It’s funny because when I won the Miss Asian America pageant the media was curious as well. There was one Korean publication that reported my parents had met through an armed forces connection and my dad was stationed in Korea. Actually, my mom met my dad through her sister, my aunt, here in the U.S. My aunt was already married to an attorney and my father is an attorney, and my uncle and dad knew each other somehow. My aunt, who had already immigrated to America before my mother, then introduced my dad to my mom. My mom moved to America in her early 30s and her family is in Seoul.

Do you have any brothers and/or sisters?
I do. I have one younger sister. She currently lives in Augsburg, Germany which is just outside of Munich. We are very close and we talk almost everyday.

How’s your Korean?
I’m currently taking classes to brush up on Korean. I’m not fluent in conversational Korean. I did go to Korean school when I was a kid. I can read and write but not understand everything. The reason I stopped is because I felt left out and was the only mixed race student in the class. I’ll never forget the day I quit. I thought I was getting picked on but the guys were actually flirting with me. Now that I’m older I realize it. The guys were older than me and sitting next to me and trying to talk to me by asking me what my name was and stuff like that. I was trying to study and felt uncomfortable, being a young girl. I then quit and told my mom I would never go back.

What is your favorite Korean food?
Nakji bokkeum (낙지볶음/octopus) or ojingeo bokkeum (오징어볶음/squid) are my favorites.

Did you grow up around other mixed Koreans or people of mixed heritage?
No. I had one or two Korean friends. It was something I craved and looked forward to by moving to Los Angeles since it has the largest Korean population outside of Korea. The only other mixed Korean I knew of was my cousin. Most of my friends growing up were Vietnamese & Filipino. San Jose is a diverse melting-pot city. I had quite a mix of friends growing up. I grew up in the east side of San Jose where the white people were the minority and the majority was Mexican and Asian (primarily Vietnamese). Being mixed race has always been an anomaly and there wasn’t that many that I knew. But now, being in the entertainment business, you often go to castings that call for the same ethnic role requirements. Therefore, I’ve met a lot now! There is a certain affinity you have with mixed race persons because they kind of understand what it’s like being raised with multiple cultures. Because I didn’t have many friends who were similar in background, I can remember even when I was little that I was always inspired by mixed race celebrities.

Did you ever experience any identity issues while growing up?
Because I grew up in an area that was diverse and whites were the minority, I always felt left out and too white. I felt more synchronicity with Asians. I side more with my Asian side, but my appearance can throw people off. That’s been especially challenging since I did grow up with mostly Asians.

When was the last time you have been to Korea?
It was 2007, during my pageant reign. I purposely took the trip to Korea for marketing purposes during my reign. It was something I was planning to do soon anyway. I had the gracious opportunity to meet the US ambassador in Seoul. That was my 3rd trip to Korea.

What do people who meet/see you think your ethnicity is?
(laughs) Well, most of the time they don’t think I’m half Korean. I usually get Italian, Mediterranean, Spanish, Filipino or Mexican.

Miss Asian America, Pageants, Acting & Modeling

How did you initially decide to get involved in the entertainment industry?
My first play was when I was 8 years old. I’ve been doing plays and acting classes consistently since the 3rd grade. From an early age I was drawn to being a performer and being on stage and creating (being an artist). I started piano at age 6 and took that for 10 years. I also took singing lessons for 10 years. It is all I ever wanted to do. I even wrote scripts in 3rd grade and presented my own plays during class. I still have them! I started at a young age and I never gave it up. It’s basically something I’ve prepped for my whole life. What I’m working on now is transitioning from stage to film/TV.

Did the pageant wins help propel your entertainment ambitions?
I think so. It definitely helped with the business side. It got me into modeling, a little bit, and helped with promoting and marketing myself and learning how to deal with the press. I learned that I can be a role model, and with that significance one can make a greater impact on their community.

How supportive have your parents been in your career pursuit?
They are very concerned and not totally happy about it. I think deep inside they support me but are definitely not 100% supportive. They would rather I be a doctor, professor or engineer. They should have known since I’ve been doing this for so long. I think they were thinking it would just be a hobby.

Is there any particular form of entertainment that you would consider your favorite?
My favorite form of expression is dramatic films. That is my favorite; more than singing, modeling, etc. I love the stage too, but my favorite is dramatic films.

What are some projects that you have done?
Since making the recent move to LA, I have shot over a dozen short and feature films, and have starred in commercials for Commerce Casino, American Family Insurance, Chosun Galbee Restaurant, Farmer Boys Restaurants, among several other projects since arriving to So Cal. I am also currently in the web series Moving Numbers and Ktown Cowboys. Moving Numbers took me back east for filming last year and was my first lead in an episodic. You can also catch me on Spike TV, in their 1000 Ways to Die series, the Die-agra episode! I’ve done Nintendo Wii and DSi print work, and a national Jinro Chamisul Soju print and commercial campaign. I’ve done a lot of artistic short films. And, I recently shot the concert backdrop video for Far East Movement’s tour.

What’s your favorite project so far?
My favorite role so far is in a philosophical short film that examines love, life and death and I play a patient in a mental hospital, entitled Once Upon a Rubber Band.

Have you done, or plan to do, any work in Korea?
I would definitely want to. I’m constantly trying to seek out opportunities. I do know that the Seoul entertainment business is very difficult and you have to live there. I’ve had offers to move there and live there in a model house and try it for 6 months. I’m not willing to do that at this time and would only be willing to do a job there. But, I’ve always dreamed and hope to work in Korean films because of all the great work coming from there.

Had you planned to enter both pageants that you won or was it just something you decided last minute?
Yeah. A lot of my friends were shocked that I had entered and didn’t think I was the type to enter a pageant. I did them because I wasn’t ready to move to LA and had already graduated from college and wanted to do something while still in the Bay Area. I just entered them just to do it and ended up winning. It changed my life forever. The greatest thing from being in the pageant world was the charity and community service. I mean I did community service in high school but now I completely incorporate philanthropy in my career. From the pageant experience I learned to make it part of my life. Second biggest thing was being able to become a better businesswoman and the marketing part.

Had you been in pageants/contests previously?
I’ve done 4. Won 2 and placed in 2 with placed meaning runner-up. Before that, I did the Miss San Jose pageant, of the Miss America Organization, and got 4th runner-up. This was a year before in 2005.

What duties did you have while you were Miss San Jose Grand Prix 2006?
Basically, I became the face and spokesmodel for the San Jose Grand Prix. It was the biggest sporting event in San Jose history. That was my first foray into the car show world. Throughout the year, I promoted our open wheel race throughout the S.F. Bay Area, worked for Champ Car as an official Tour Guide traveling to all races in the U.S. and Mexico, represented my city at local events and functions, and, most importantly, helped raise funds and be an advocate for the Canary Foundation. I then went to the internationals in Mexico City to compete for the Face of Champ Car. I turned into a sort of public figure for my hometown, and it gave me a newfound presence in the Bay.

What duties did you have as Miss Asian America 2006?
I prided myself as a representative of today’s quintessential young Asian American woman. I attended almost every Asian American-related event that happened in the Bay Area, and spent my year performing community service and charity work. I quit my day job in wine sales for the opportunity to fully maximize what the Miss Asian America organization could offer for my work with the Asian American community. From visiting elementary schools to fundraising for the Asian Perinatal Advocates, I also was invited to parades, and to model for fashion shows. I got to go to Taiwan that year, and was also sent to Washington, D.C. to meet the Korean Embassy and host for KORUS, a festival during Chuseok. Basically, it was a year of philanthrophy, travel, and the best year of my life.

Were you the first Miss Asian America of mixed heritage?
Apparently there were a couple winners that were mixed before me. Some people thought I was the first since I was obviously mixed. I was definitely the most “white” looking winner. So, I wasn’t the first but I like to think I was the most memorable. (laughs)

Was there any questioning of your participation in the Miss Asian America contest because you were of mixed Asian descent?
I’m not going to name names, but somebody did come up to me at rehearsals/pre-pageant events and told me on the side that I was “too white looking” to win. It wasn’t a contestant but a person who was involved and connected with the pageant circle. I’ll have to say again, it goes back to how I feel left out because I feel like that I look more white looking. But, I feel more Korean. I’m English/Irish/German and don’t know anything about those cultures. Even in these pageants there was always that quiet fear, not like insecurity or anything, but that I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb. Just like as a kid in Korean school. But, everyone from that pageant was always so kind to me. I never noticed anything; it was always my own personal feeling. They always treated me so well and I would do anything for that organization.

You mentioned that you went to Korea during your Miss Asian America reign. What kind of reaction/response did you get from people in Korea?
Everyone loved it. I basically tried to market myself while I was there and make connections for entertainment business. I had one TV interview and one published article. I also spent time with family while I was there.

I was surprised when I read the list of musical artists that you listen to due to the heavy underground hip hop influence. You were an on-air DJ in college at Santa Clara University. How was that experience?
I was an on-air radio personality and DJ for KSCU 103.3 FM and that was a dream especially because of my love for hip hop. During my teenage years all I listened to was hip hop. I never DJ’d a party but I can definitely mix a beat and blend, and I must say, my song selection is sick. It was another expression of myself; piano, singing, acting and then dj’ing. It was important to me to make sure to play artists that were not getting play on other college radio stations. I was very passionate about it. I was the only female hip hop DJ during that time at the station. I also reviewed CDs for the station while I was there.

Who created and maintains your website, jennfield.com?
It’s horrible and I need to update it. My friend got it and made it for me during the pageant year so that was at least some way for people to be able to contact me. It needs some updating though.

What are some of your goals, both short and long term?
Short term goals would be to book a co-star on a TV show at some point this year and to book a national commercial campaign. My long term goal would be to win an Academy Award. Another personal short term goal is that I would like to be able to buy my parents a trip somewhere in the world. If I do get to book that national campaign, I won’t buy a trip for myself, before I pay off credit card debt and school loans, I’m going to buy them a trip. My parents won’t be around forever. It would bring me so much joy and make me feel so fulfilled because I love them.

K-Town

Now, with all the buzz generated this past year, we have to have ask you about your role with the K-Town reality show. How did you find out about K-Town?
I first heard about it the day it aired on Chelsea Handler’s show, Chelsea Lately. This was before the pilot was shot and the TMZ cast reel leak and when the original casting notice was released on Craigslist by Tyrese’s production company HQ Pictures. This started the first wave of publicity before I was even involved. I didn’t know about K-Town until my best friend Kim called the night the talk show aired. She left me a voicemail and told me that she was watching Chelsea Lately and that they were looking for Asian Americans for a reality TV show set in Koreatown and that I’m a Korean living in Koreatown and would be perfect for reality TV. She told me that I needed to find out from my agent how to get an audition. So, basically, my girlfriend told me about it! I’m open-minded so I told her I would find out more and I’d audition but wasn’t sure if I really wanted to do this.

Being immersed in the grassroots Korean film community, there was word spread about it. One of my friends asked me if I was going to the K-Town reality show casting the following week and I told them I had just heard about it and if they knew the details. That is how it started.

I went under the guise of just auditioning for the heck of it. Obviously, I go to try to win, which I do with everything. It was the same mentality with Miss Asian America.

What was the casting process like?
There were several rounds of casting. The first round was just an application with lots of questions curious of your background, interests, etc.

The actual session of auditions was an open casting call which anybody could go to. There were people from outside of California including from back East and the Midwest. They had all kinds of candidates show up.

People waited in line all day, I arrived early in expectation of the crowds. I just went and tried to bring myself to the audition. I met Tyrese at the first interview. I actually thought I did badly and that I didn’t show enough of my personality. I was thinking that I didn’t get it but then I got a call about a week later asking for a videotape submission. You had to send in 5 minutes of video of whatever you want, be as creative as you want, explaining why you think you should be on the K-Town reality show. That was the second round where it was narrowed down to about 20 candidates. So, they reviewed 20 audition tapes and then selected the 8 cast members which included me. Woo hoo!

Obviously, being cast on K-Town has spread your name out quite a bit. What has the media coverage been like?
The media leaks began the weekend of the pilot shoot. I believe it was the first or second weekend of July. When it happened it was like a storm or tornado hit me. It was unbelievable the surge of text messages, calls, and emails that came from random people of whom I had no idea would find out. The major reaction was, “Jennifer, why didn’t you tell me?” In the first month or two it was so much work maintaining all the calls, text messages and e-mails and then eventually Facebook and Twitter. It was such a flurry that it became a part of my daily routine to maintain it. I thought that the day after I won Miss Asian America was overwhelming with the amount of media coverage but this was like tenfold! I would spend up to 3 hours a day to maintain it.

What was it like to see yourself on TMZ?
It was pretty surreal. It was kind of exciting because I think everyone who wants to make it in the entertainment industry, whether they want to admit it or not, secretly dreams of being on TMZ. I tried not to let it get to my head and get too excited, but did enjoy the ride. That was a bigger wave of media attention, when the TMZ cast reel was released. In a way, it was a little bit frightening. I realized this is it and that everybody is going to know who you are, what you are doing, what you look like and what your actions are on TV.

What kind of reaction have you received from your family, friends and peers after being cast?
The overall reaction from most everyone was a negative one, unfortunately. I got, “Don’t do it”, “Why are you doing it?”, “Oh my, are you serious?” and “This is going to ruin your acting career.” I had everyone telling me that it was “low class and trashy.” The thing is they didn’t really know anything about the show. All you have seen is the trailer of the cast mates and haven’t even seen a pilot. They have no idea what it really is about.

Most of my close friends and family told me not to do it. It was the very few and far between who told me to do it. The majority of the circle of people around me including peers, friends, colleagues, mentors, acting teachers, acting classmates and family has told me not to do it. But, of course, nobody can tell me exactly what to do and they understand that. I asked everybody that I cared about and felt cared about me for their opinions and kept notes and journals.

So, curious minds want to know… What was in your submitted video audition?
The video that I submitted was shot over a weekend and is still under wraps and my little secret. (laughs) So, you can imagine that it was a pretty wild video. It wasn’t anything racy, illegal or promiscuous but I was definitely outspoken and was very much my crazy actor self. I spoke my mind about everything from love, to life, to Koreatown, to family. I was just very opinionated in the video and showed myself in all modes throughout Koreatown showing myself in my element here.

Do you know if there were any other mixed Koreans/Asians who auditioned?
I didn’t know who the applicants were, who interviewed or who submitted audition video tapes. I didn’t know anybody except those who have been released on the K-Town Facebook page. I have a feeling that there were a lot of mixed people that entered because, from what the producers have told me, they had the full array of characters that applied. I thought that part of my edge was that I could be the “mixed girl.” Apparently there were a multitude of others. I do think, to be honest, that part of my sell was that I am mixed race.

I feel that mixed race hapas are a part of the Asian American landscape and especially here in Koreatown, Los Angeles. There is something definitely exotic and trendy about it as the U.S. is becoming progressively more accepting of different cultures and races as the decades go by even though there are still some barriers. Hapas are increasingly becoming part of the Asian American culture. I knew that they (the producers) would have to have a mixed cast member or two since it could help with their marketing. It was smart business to have somebody mixed in there just because of the trend. I knew they would have to cast a mixed person, whether it was a mixed Korean or not. As you know, the cast members didn’t have to be Korean but obviously being Korean is a benefit because it takes place in Koreatown and they understand the local Korean slang and culture.

I was actually a little surprised as I thought there would be another mixed Korean on the show but I’m the only one. I wanted there to be a guy who was mixed like me and I could have a crush on him, we could have a bond or a lot of other possibilities.

There has been a lot of coverage from the Asian-American media & community regarding the K-Town show with some of it being positive and some of it negative. What would be something you would tell people about what you think the show will be about and what people should expect from the show?
Just remember that this is the first all Asian-American cast on TV since All American Girl with Margaret Cho and that was over a decade ago. This will be the first ever all Asian-American reality show. With those two points alone, people should not be knocking it. Anytime there is anything new, fresh, controversial, pioneering and groundbreaking, people will often automatically try to bat it down as crazy, unconventional and inappropriate. There is this fear of new things. Anytime there is any revolutionary movement, of any kind, the general and natural response of the public is no. There is a fear and hatred of the unknown. That is a general human nature response, which is perfectly fine, but we need to address that fact and people need to be at least aware of that and not in denial of their fear. That is a major source of the backlash and negativity.

I can’t even tell you what I have written on my room walls. I have vision boards and motivational boards all over my house since being cast on the show reminding me of the pioneers and people that were groundbreakers and did things that people told them they couldn’t.

You can’t knock it until you see it. Any kind of Asians being in the mainstream media is important because otherwise we are never going to get the benefits of other minorities whom have had a longer and stronger presence than Asians. We are still under-represented by far the most. That needs to be remembered.

This show is not about Asians but is really about people who happen to be Asian. It is about us as people. Who are we? We are normal people living our lives with pain, love, fighting, struggling, trying to make it, dreams, hopes and everything else you can imagine under the sun. We are just people who happen to be Asian. It just happens to be people in Koreatown, LA.

There seems to be a hunger for this because look at the success of the viral, grassroots campaign. There was a need for this and people want this.

Random

What is your current relationship status and do you have any specific dating preferences?
My current relationship status is that I’m proudly single. There are a couple song lyrics that I keep on my wall and are my motivating mantras once I moved to LA. One is the Kanye West verse from the Dilated Peoples track “This Way” which goes, “I don’t know what’s better, gettin laid or gettin paid. I just know when I’m gettin one, the other’s gettin away.” My friend told me another one that is from the 50 Cent track “Ryder Music” and it goes, “Homie, you hustlin’ backwards if you chasin’ a bitch. Stupid, chase the paper, they come with the shit.” I know that one doesn’t really apply gender-wise but it’s the same idea. I have to keep my focus on my career. So I will be single for a while and stay celibate. My career is my boyfriend. I’ve never been married and don’t have kids but do hope to, one day, have that later. But, I care so much more about my career because the business I chose, entertainment and film business, is so competitive. I don’t want to be struggling and living it rough the rest of my life. I plan to capitalize on this as much as possible.

As for preferences, I love eccentric men. That could mean a lot of things. I like personality. I’ve dated all kinds of guys, so I’m not a person who only dates specific ethnicities. But, I do kind of wish to eventually settle down with a Korean man. I need someone with an outstanding personality and intellectually stimulating.

Do you have any hobbies or interests that you do to relax?
When I have a free date with nothing to do I like to snowboard. I also like to dine out and try new places to eat and specifically fine dining.

Anybody in particular that you respect?
My grandmother is my hero and inspiration. She is the founder of the community theater company where she lives and created it 20-30 years ago. She runs the whole operation and even had me in one of her plays when I was a little girl. She was my early introduction into the world of theater. My father also did lighting for the stage for varying productions but my grandmother is the one who always stays positive and supports me in my goals. She’s always been my go-to person. She even told me that she wished that she could have been an actress.

Now you did a Jinro soju commercial a couple years back. Do you drink soju?
I do enjoy soju. I don’t drink it very often but I do prefer to drink soju and sake.

Do you get on the Internet often and, if so, what are some of your favorite websites?
HalfKorean.com! (laughs) I’m actually not much of a web person and don’t like the internet that much. I think the only sites I like are shopping ones. I think the only thing I read consistently is the Hollywood Reporter.

So, do you like using any of the social networking sites?
My friend actually made my MySpace during my pageant year. She actually wrote the profile and added pictures. I was pretty much forced into and later on took it over. I don’t really like Facebook. The only thing I like is Twitter. I love Twitter and I think it is because it feels like a blog. I joined it before Facebook. I’m not a big web person. I didn’t have an e-mail until college and that was because they forced you to have one and use it.

How did you find out about HalfKorean.com and what did you think about HalfKorean.com when you first saw it?
When I first signed up for Twitter I was trying to learn how to use it and see who to follow and what was considered normal Twitter protocol. While doing so, I just happened to find Lisa Kim Fleming’s Twitter. I had met her once when I first moved to LA and she’s beautiful. Somehow I saw her on my friend’s page and then looked at her page and saw that HalfKorean.com was one that she follows. I was ecstatic to find this community of mixed Koreans that I could connect with. I had no idea how many of us there were. I was so excited that it was specifically for mixed Koreans.

Any words that you would like to pass on to the community?
No matter what you do in life, professionally or personally, always make sure that you stay true to yourself and roots. Remember where you came from and always hold a torch to that. For me, I found that a major part of my success was that factor of never forgetting my roots. Always stay true to you, because people admire when you keep it real. Especially in this world today with everyone having an agenda and integrity is lost. You will shine if you stay true to your morals and ethical beliefs and who you are.

Thank you to Jennifer for her time and best wishes to her on K-Town and all of her future projects. Make sure to follow her on Twitter or check out her website. You can also get updates on the K-Town Reality show at the official website.

Interview by: David Lee Sanders

Posted: 11/15/2010