Ely Kim's Boombox
Ely Kim, an MFA student at Yale, might be the greatest human being who ever lived. My friend James is visiting from Chicago, and we started watching the video, thinking we’d quit after about ten dance sequences. We watched the whole thing. Then, when his girlfriend came over, we watched it again, just as transfixed as we were the first time around. This is a work of genius. As another friend notes, it’s clear that Kim has a keen visual sense — the shots are stunning, the locations clearly selected and dressed with attention and care. Also, the playlist is sick. Aminatou, a TAS reader, sent me this link. I am profoundly grateful.
BOOMBOX from Ely Kim on Vimeo.
It’s official: Kim is a genius.
It’s like an Ipod commercial that should have come out three years ago. When did Asians become cool? Like all of sudden the yolk of over-programming parents has been thrown off and they are awesome and fat and gay and dancing on the internet.
— CW · Feb 22, 10:55 PM · #
She bangs.
— Tony Comstock · Feb 23, 02:35 AM · #
Okay, I just watched this one – you are being snarky.
Well, that’s a huge relief. I worry about where things are heading.
— William · Feb 24, 02:43 AM · #
by the standards of any gene pool,
thats some bad dancing.
— michael · Feb 24, 10:45 PM · #
Oh my God, he’s wearing my green and brown sweater.
— B · Feb 24, 11:56 PM · #
Wow — what a bunch of shitty comments. This video was fantastic. He’s a great dancer and obviously a profoundly creative mind. You go, baby!
— GM · Feb 25, 02:15 AM · #
This is very much in the vein of A LOT of video art being produced right now. A lot of it is by young(ish) Asian men, and a lot of it is being widely shown at prestigious galleries worldwide.
Good luck Ely.
— richard · Feb 25, 02:21 AM · #
P.S. I watched this while John Adams’ “Light Over Water” was playing in iTunes, which was awesome. Though I found myself wishing he’d gone guerilla and done this on location outside of Yale. Like, on Manhattan streets and in cubicle farms. (That will be a video on MTV in the next year.)
— richard · Feb 25, 02:29 AM · #
Good, bad, he’s clearly having fun. I doubt many of us really dance any better and honestly I wish more people were willing to dance with such abandon.
— Jordan · Feb 25, 03:31 AM · #
This video is like therapy. I don’t know how anyone could watch the whole thing and not come away feeling like the world is an awesome place.
Ely, whoever you are, thanks. You are a remarkable human being.
— krysta · Feb 25, 08:31 AM · #
bq.”… Like all of sudden the
yolk[yoke] of over-programming parents has been thrown off and they are awesome and fat and gay and dancing on the internet.”Reihan Salam Esq. is too modest – HE may be the greatest human being who ever lived, quod vide:
Reihan’s version of Steel Magnolias
Reihan on the great ballet battle
The ocean of Reihan’s mind
— Eustace H. Plimsoll, of The Laburnums, Alleyn Road, West Dulwich · Feb 25, 08:47 AM · #
Hey Reihan, thanks for posting that. I have the flu, and it brightened my day. My everyone have that much joy in their lives.
— twostepcub · Feb 26, 12:04 AM · #
This video is amazing….where does one find so many awesome places to shoot a clip like this!?
Ely, you have so many fashionable outfits, I loved your song selection, and you definitely have an artistic eye (obviously..MFA)!
— Jd · Feb 27, 04:18 AM · #
Awesome stuff dude… truly amazing! Wicked shirts to, i like your style!
— Floyd · Feb 27, 01:56 PM · #