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Chinatown Generation Next: Wo Hop Restaurant 3 WEB
February 1, 2023
Content TypeDocumentary
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/ScriptUSAGM SHARE
((SLUG: VISUAL EXPLAINER: Chinatown Generation Next: Wo Hop Restaurant (Part 3 of 3)
HEADLINE: In Manhattan’s Chinatown, Newfound Appreciation for the Family Business
TEASER: Wo Hop restaurant has many fans, but despite generations of family ownership, its legacy wasn’t always guaranteed
PUBLISHED: 02/01/2023 at 3:45pm
PLATFORMS: SOCIAL _X__ WEB _X__
STANDALONE VISUAL EXPLAINER_X__ PAIRS WITH WEB STORY ___
WRITER/PRODUCER: Tina Trinh
VIDEO USED: VOA, Reuters
SCRIPT EDITOR: Reifenrath, Sharon Shahid
TRT: 3:02
APPROVED BY: MAS
MUSIC SOURCES: APM: CEZ_TBX_0125_00101_Summer_Stroll_APM, CEZ_TBX_0125_00101_Summer_Stroll_STEM_(Drums)_APM, MYMA_JUST_0255_00101_Northside_APM
EDITOR NOTES: This visual explainer is the last of a three-part series called "Chinatown: Generation Next."))
[[NOTE: This series focuses on the younger generation of Manhattan's Chinatown, many of them first-generation Americans taking over the reins of the family business or choosing Chinatown as the place to start their own. They’re digital natives harnessing the power of technology to bring about a new appreciation for Asian culture and identity.]]
((INTRODUCTION))
[[For years, David Leung’s grandfather and father worked each night at Wo Hop restaurant. Considered a New York City institution by some, the Chinese restaurant opened in 1938 and is said to be the second oldest in Manhattan’s Chinatown. But Leung’s appreciation for Wo Hop didn’t develop until much later, when he realized the extent of his family’s involvement. Tina Trinh reports.]]
((Tina Trinh, VOA Reporter))
Back in March 2020, New York City was the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. And in Manhattan’s Chinatown, community members experienced it twice over — not just with the disruptions caused by the virus, but with the racism and xenophobia that surfaced alongside it — sometimes manifesting in violence.
It was an incredibly difficult year for this mostly immigrant community. But a new movement emerged among the younger generation, first- and second-generation Asian Americans who rallied around a newfound pride in their culture and heritage and used social media to amplify their message. This is the story of Chinatown, Generation Next.
((GFX transition – Chinatown: Generation Next, subtitle “Wo Hop Restaurant”))
((NARRATOR))
It’s the dinner rush at Wo Hop restaurant in New York City, and the cooks are busy prepping customer favorites like General Tso’s chicken and beef lo mein.
In this tiny basement eatery, the experience is definitely no-frills. Photos and dollar bills covering nearly every inch of wall space serve as evidence of just how much New Yorkers love Wo Hop, said to be Chinatown’s second-oldest restaurant.
((NARRATOR))
David Leung (“lee-YUNG”) is the majority owner of Wo Hop. His grandfather and father worked here for decades after immigrating to America, but Leung says he was never involved.
((David Leung, Wo Hop Co-owner))
“I always knew that my father went to work late at night,
((Mandatory CG: David Leung))
and I rarely saw him. He didn't bring his work home with him.”
((End courtesy))
((David Leung))
“I really didn't know what he did. We rarely even went to the restaurant.”
((NARRATOR))
About 10 years ago, Leung learned just how big of a role his father played at Wo Hop.
((David Leung))
“I always thought he maybe was just a manager. I didn't know that we actually owned the restaurant.”
((NARRATOR))
For many children of immigrants, there's an unspoken understanding that parents toil and sacrifice to provide their children with a life better than theirs.
((David Leung))
“He wanted his kids to just
((Mandatory CG: David Leung))
go to school, study, get good grades. That's it.
((End courtesy))
. . . you know, and not be burdened by anything else.”
((NARRATOR))
But achieving the so-called American Dream can sometimes distance first-generation Americans like Leung from their cultural identity, making it that much harder to pass down values and traditions to their kids.
((David Leung, Wo Hop Co-owner))
“It's hard because everyone around them is also benefiting from the American lifestyle.” // “My parents used to tell me, ‘Oh, we can't afford this, or we can't afford that,’ and I can't really say that to my kids now without lying.”
((NARRATOR))
Wo Hop has given Leung and his children a way to reconnect with their roots. His daughter Chelsea runs the restaurant’s
((Mandatory CG: Instagram / wohop17))
Instagram account and designs its T-shirts.
((End courtesy))
((NARRATOR))
And Leung’s son Mitchell helps run the restaurant’s Facebook account.
((David Leung))
“We get so many reviews on Tripadvisor, Yelp and Google, and so many of them would say, ‘I've been coming to you for 20 years, 30 years. My father first brought me here. My grandfather first brought me here.’"
((NARRATOR))
For Leung, running Wo Hop is not only a family tradition but also a homecoming.
((OPTIONAL FOR TV: Option on camera tag))
That was VOA’s Tina Trinh reporting.
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateFebruary 1, 2023 16:15 EST
BylineTina Trinh
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
