"Patacones With Chopsticks" starring Harry Shum Jr.

Did you know that "Glee" Star Harry Shum Jr. was born in Costa Rica? At the age of 6, he and his family immigrated to America, where they settled in San Francisco. "Patacones With Chopsticks" captures a day in the life of Harry and his family cooking Chinese food (with friend plantains on the side), dancing to salsa and reminiscing about their long journey to the United States. Immigrant Heritage Month is proud to present this short film.
Director: Paola Mendoza
Cinematographer: Cliff Traiman
Camera Operator: Matt Mayotte
Executive Producer: Michael Skolnik
Producers: Joseph La Morte & Gloria La Morte
Co-Producer: Flannery Miller
Editor: Saba Riazi
Original Music: Monica Cohen & Renato Milone
Additional Music: "Ya Just Don't Get it (Do Ya)" by G Scott Russell courtesy of Konsonant Music
"LXD" footage courtesy of Paramount Pictures and Chu Studios
"In A Shell..." footage courtesy of BuzzFeed Motion Pictures
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Learn more here: ihm2015.org
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[@chey4596]

Its actually quite funny bc Harry's mom speaks in Cantonese until at some time she just changes so quickly to Spanish and I was confused for a second.

[@jithikasagar3575]

Utube

[@lehlogonolochiloane5839]

I thought my brain was playing a trick on me

[@narutojf93]

That household is probably the interesting. The mixture of so many different languages and cultures is just fascinating.

[@jithikasagar3575]

Do

[@alexandraciric832]

I'm Romamian but I live in Spain and I also speak English so I can mix up all those languages while speaking with my parents and it would be the most natural thing😂

[@nina_3108]

@@alexandraciric832 I would like to be able to do this but my parents don't speak English. Actually I learnt English in France in schools with different levels in English (and in other languages but I chose English) like my sisters so my parents speak only French

[@adriansutton6880]

It's pretty cool how they go from english, to spanish, to chinese.

[@sunnydaydlite]

Adrian Sutton actually not Chinese but Cantonese 😉

[@reaganking5623]

sunshinedaisybuttermellow Cantonese is part of the Chinese dialect 🙂

[@JamesJiansen]

@@sunnydaydlite "Chinese" is different thing to different groups. To people who speak Cantonese, it's simply Chinese.

[@KristenPhu]

I screamed when I heard Harry talking in cantonese😂😂😍😍😍❤️❤️

[@richandcomplextapestry]

SAME TOO OMFG *highfive*

[@Emily-9005]

Kristen Phu same😂😂I'm so used to him speaking in English that I honestly can't imagine him speaking in Cantonese until I saw this

[@dcchan5407]

Kristen Phu he has an adorable accent.

[@aqcmy]

samee im so glad i can understand what they're saying

[@123-yoyo3]

Me too lol

[@danielalmeida7126]

his sisters definitely have hispanic accents.

[@mariajosesandiarias9950]

+Remy Festa we usually said Chinitotico

[@jorgezamora8895]

Totally costarican accent!

[@AdriGoddess]

I don't think it's necessarily accents they have when they speak English, but...the form in which they speak. You can tell they're Latinas when they speak English. It's hard to explain.

[@correodepatty]

Yes, I caught that.

[@sailordayix]

When his sister corrected herself when she said “America, I mean the United States” I felt that.

[@sunnydaydlite]

I wonder what his family thinks of Magnus🤣

[@natachazaessinger3158]

You're so right!!

[@Maryabrion]

Ikr

[@jeffreyi3008]

I am too of Asian and Costa Rican decent. Our country is so little we need to represent it as much as possible. I am very proud that he still remembers where his parents and sisters came from. The Chinese influence in Costa Rica specially Limon was and still one of the greatest. Pura Vida mae y que viva tiquicia!!

[@casiesilverman]

+Jeffrey I SAME! i am so proud!!! pura vida!! :D

[@jeffreyi3008]

Pura Vida :D!! (what part btw?)

[@casiesilverman]

i used to live in San Pablo de Heredia. :D but i'm currently living in the Philippines (I am Filipina-American) how bout you?

[@jeffreyi3008]

That is so cool. Would love to visit the Philippines one day! (in my bucket list). I am from San Jose. :D

[@casiesilverman]

awesome! you should most definitely make your way over here. asia is amazing. :)

[@kenith1140]

I didn't know Harry speaks Cantonese, I understood every word

[@aarushicrystalis7998]

does he speak with an accent?

[@Emily-9005]

aarushicrystalis he doesn't have an accent but he speaks in Cantonese l Iike every Cantonese person out there

[@Lauren-ji3zb]

I also understood but only because of the subtitles 😂

[@biancaportillo6552]

I screamed hearing his sisters speak Spanish the Central American JUMPED out

[@jessicaforgione6794]

Harry dancing latin music omg he's perfect

[@despairspreadslikeavirus9333]

I think he was raised off the stuff. His dad looks like a great dancer he must've taught him.

[@gk891]

Based on what I know, Harry didn't dance, even casually, until he was a teenager as his parents never exposed him to dancing or anything else in the arts. He then went to college for a year before deciding that he was going to go into dance. He trained for a year or so but I believe he only learned street-style hip hop (e.g. popping, locking, breaking, etc.).

[@toribroyles1606]

Harry Shum Jr is a jewel and I'm so glad the world has him!

[@weirdpride]

And here I didn't think it was possible to fall in love with him even harder

[@marielgarcia871]

It was quite a surprising fact, that he was born in CR; and it's so nice that in almost every interview of him, that I have seen on youtube, he mentions it. This video really make me smile, and the end was so adorable. They look like such a sweet family. :D

[@despairspreadslikeavirus9333]

He married his wife in Costa Rica too!

[@ginaverso]

2:36 I would say the meaning of “Pura vida” (literally “pure life”) is like a mixture of “Carpe Diem” and “Hakuna Matata” but with Latin American flavor and flow.

[@CindySancho01]

Pura Vida!! Love the Imperial bottle opener on their fridge!

[@Nana-qt3jm]

Actor/actress: *Speaks any language that isn't English* Me: *INSTA BONER*

[@shannonchow5903]

Happy to say I understood every single word of Canto spoken! Spanish not so much

[@morethanclumsy]

Same

[@kasey_l]

yeah what's up Canto people! I was so happy that I understood it

[@MimiXtinaChelleKRow]

hahahaha! I feel you. I can only understand a little bit of canto because I speak mandarin mostly lol

[@oceaneleibold3945]

Shannon Chow I only understood English haha 😂😂

[@cecy2]

I understand the Spanish and English. His mom has a typical Chinese accent in Spanish. But she speaks very well.

[@melanim9943]

No one is going to talk about his dad’s dancing at the end? Pure joy!

[@reikun86]

Adorable.

[@nelaviz19]

Woow, this is amazing! What a great family you have :). Pura vida!

[@laupoming]

can't believe harry is able to speak in cantonese

[@RoguePanda93]

Lol funny to run into this video! I can relate with this so much. I was also born in Costa Rica, raised in California (Morgan Hill) to a Costa Rican/Korean/Italian Family 😂😂 I’m basically a mess and my household too! And I love it!

[@aniajimenez3607]

cuando yo llegar alli yo llorar........ SEÑORA YO ME HACIA AMIGA SUYA CON TAL DE SER SU NUERA ademas.....Limon no esta tan mal

[@exogg5743]

Well.. I'm from Costa Rica but my dad is from Hong Kong.. I understand the situation except that I don't immigrate to USA, I still living in Costa Rica.

[@abandonedfragmentofhope5415]

Pura Vida!

[@ewood9030]

He kind of struggles in Cantonese...speaks more Chinglish like many of us who were born overseas...but language is only one small part of one's cultural identity...

[@yamirkamariebaezsambolin8845]

Me encanta el papá de Harry bailando salsa al final.

[@jl16848]

Harry, 你媽咪好本事！識講三種語言！

[@luv2cheer65]

I love watching this interview! The combination of Cantonese, English, and Spanish is perfect.

[@kyoko703]

Thumbs up if you have seen him in "Single by 30". #wongfu

[@AdriGoddess]

I've always felt uncomfortable talking to my parents in English; I only do when there are only-English speaking guests around us. My parents know English, but it still feels disrespectful. I love that Harry seems to feel the same way. He'll start talking in English, the language he feels most comfortable speaking, but he'll be looking at his parents, hesitate, and then speak in Contonese instead.

[@aliissa15]

i love this so much!!! I relate to things like this so hard!! It's that feel when your identity is complex and ppl just want to put you in a box but you belong in all the boxes but also in none of them at the same time.... idk what im saying but i love hearing stories like this!!

[@michaelbrenes88]

Wao me encanto el video ,también la parte donde están cocinando los patacones eso me llena de orgullo ya que a pesar de que ya no viven en Costa Rica siguen con nuestras tradiciones,a también me encanto el adornó en la refrigeradora de forma de una botella de cerveza imperial de Costa Rica definitivamente me gusto mucho cuando las hermanas digieron algo muy tico 'pura vida mae jjjj buenísimo me encanto 😘😘 Un fuerte saludo a la distancia desde Costa Rica

[@TheSarahloveforever]

His dad danced so beautifully at the end! 💓

[@Ty2Tito]

Costa Rican is a Mix of many Countries. And Israelian/Spanish born in raise in Costa Rica, 20 years living in U.S. But I feel 100% Tico (call to Costarican people).

[@eduardoduarte1682]

I´m so happy this family still keep the Imperial´s sign on the freezer. You still love CR.

[@jimenamosquera5733]

This was beautiful. Made me smile. Great story to share :)

[@idconfirm]

I love the way Harry's mum looks at him as he speaks - it's like she's anticipating to hear what funny stuff he is going to say next. So cute!

[@mangarda]

Friendly reminder to everybody that there are MILLIONS of Asian people all throughout Latin America. They migrated to Peru, Argentina, Brazil, etc just as they migrated to California or British Columbia. It's not THAT crazy...

[@lmww15]

i just realized he is one of us!! Asian latinos! :)

[@jonder9791]

need to take a trip back to Limon one day, im sure people will receive you with wide open arms, pura vida mae, Limon sin ustedes los chinitos perderia todo lo lindo de la mezcla de culturas, 祝福!!!

[@ClovertheUnburnt]

I know nothing about him, but I want this family! I love the way they were so supportive, and had such awesome humor.... and holy cow the food. take me with you....

[@silviagonzalez2154]

Chinita tica!!! They still have Costa Rican accents!

[@carlosdoriaespitia]

This is beautiful! His sisters speak the three languages fluently.

[@vmateo2842]

Harry Shum is so fucking yum. Ay si me hablas in Spanish me muero.

[@f0rgg13]

Ooooooh shit!!! Dad's got Latino rhythm!

[@paperfishie]

HARRY SPEAKING CANTONESE IS MY RELIGION I CAN'T-

[@tulo08]

"Pura vida mae"

[@tommyjewels5115]

Understood everything, I myself am Trilingual as well from DR with a DR accent but I also know there's lotta Cantonese ppl in CR particularly Limon, my sister husband is chinese costa rican so we speak the same all three languages... chinitos Ticos y ticas Pura vida!

[@cessm2891]

No shoes inside the house!!! Yasss Asians be like "take em off, shoes ruin the carpet or the hardwood floor"

[@YIRLA89]

jajajajaja Pura vida mae... No sabia que eran aca de Limón... patacones con palillos jijijijijiji

[@gingervanillaspice]

Che famiglia fantastica, genitori genuini, sorelle amorose, non c'è da stupirsi che tu sia diventato quello che sei... tanto amore nella vostra famiglia ❤️

[@vanessacz6098]

Oh My Gosh I Love This! 😂💗💗 When he started speaking Cantonese I Was Just Like: Oh My Gosh! He's Speaking A Different Language I've haven't heard him speak in Cantonese So They Speak: English, Spanish, Chinese, Cantonese I Love This! I Just Had A Huge Happy Laughing Smile Through Out The Whole Video😂💞💞 And Harry Is Very Adorably Handsome😍

[@oopsieitshenka9600]

Immigrant parents really are the best They do so much and try so hard to give their children the best life possible

[@Maryabrion]

Cantonese Spanish english whoah😍💓

[@someone.5378]

He looks like a very magical and lightful person, he's just radiant

[@TheHannahx]

This is such a beautiful video! Kinda sums up my family too :)

[@gabbyvelasquez3767]

Reminds me of my cousin aha, her mom was Chinese but was born and raised in Peru (we're not cousins by blood but our moms have been best friends their whole lives) and her dad is Chinese but he was raised in Canada, so like us growing up in Canada it was always funny cause it was a crazy mix of Peruvian and Chinese culture, so she speaks Cantonese, Spanish, English and French.

[@cherry-hv9ty]

amazing video harry! :)

[@raymondliuao]

OMG I KNOW CANTONESE, SPANISH AND ENGLISH.

[@ohmyvoid]

when the sisters say pura vida mae 😂😂

[@tonytheshripm5999]

Can Harry Shum Jr get cuter!?!! HE IS ADORABLE!!

[@dangie7735]

So beautiful Shum family...Harry where can fans see you dancing more....you really must travel and dance so more fans can see....please. Is it possible to do a show with Shelby... you're amazing.

[@superGLEEKbobo]

omggggg he speaks Cantonese

[@Ty2Tito]

Nothing rwong to feel Asian/American His taking about both Continents? I believe Hi is. I'm Middle Eastern/European but I'm born in Costa Rica. I'm American.

[@susantescione8007]

Absolutely loved this clip. It is a testament to what is wrong with the current administration, if you can call what we have an administration. Without immigrants, where would our talent pool be? We have so many people, born on other countries, who add to our rich cultural inheritance, in so many ways.

[@geerenmo]

The sisters could easily pass as native South Americans.

[@marianelabrenes4597]

Hola pura vida, ricos los patacones y muy original el abridor de cerveza imperial.

[@mybetterfilms]

I’m Costa Rican 🇨🇷🇨🇷 I had a crush on chinita tica in my class growing up in elementary 😂

[@namelesskarol]

I felt so happy when his sister's said Pura Vida Mae 💖 and Harry so cute asking for a translation in Chinese 💖

[@Chef_Frank]

Chinita tica ahah that was funny

[@netizenrealness]

what a beautiful diverse background he has, wow. citizen of the world

[@pt3363]

Me, Japanese speaking Japanese and English and learning Chinese and Spanish: confused

[@gabrielaviquez8902]

Queeee tuanis ver que recuerdan la cultura y el cariño de Costa Rica.. Pura vida!

[@liukwanwei]

你講廣東話好好聽😍

[@Emily-9005]

I started screaming because my parents are from Guangzhou and I have some family in Hong Kong so its nice to know an actor that is Chinese and knows how to speak English because most Chinese actors speak only Mandrine or Cantonese.

[@sofiafernandez2119]

"america, the united states" loved that

[@cristiin1992]

yo quiero bailar salsa con Harry.

[@dashwood09]

His sister's Spanish accents are really great! It's amazing how the brain can remember all the these languages. I have to learn more :)

[@isabel152]

I just how they keep alive many cultures not only one n his dad dancing is so cuteee

[@achrisdesign]

Harry's family gatherings must be fun... delicious food and dancing :-)

[@myramehrotra8930]

Even though am not Asian Latino I am Asian Armenian I can relate and I love how he doesn't forget about cr its like ppl put u in one bi, but u belong in another too and at some point u don't belong in any boxes

[@histrangersbye2684]

So true. Very well said!

[@allieey3989]

Your family is really cute and very similar to mine. I think all us second generation Asian American or Canadians all have the same kind of family dynamic and stories. Our parents are really amazing to have endured moving to a new country. Thanks for sharing your story

[@chuchuchuchia]

Honestly always assumed he was super white washed with no touch with his roots idk why lol

[@jonathanmong4927]

as someone who speaks spanish and cantonese it took me a minute to realize she switched lol

[@mikepeterson7175]

Harry has such swag, and really handsome

[@LiveDeepLee]

My mom had to escape to Macau as well, but as a young girl (~11) and then over to HK from mainland China. Then she had to make another journey again to immigrate to Canada so I could have a better future growing up than her. I really believe all children of immigrants need to know this story of struggle and sacrifice. Not to feel guilty but to feel honoured and blessed with this opportunity to have less and different hardships than our parents. Side note: when I listen to him speak Chinglish (Chinese English) I now know what I sound like lol.

[@ToytleLikesBooks]

That is really cute and a very interesting story. Thank you for sharing with us!

[@pandabubbles16]

YAY!!! Canto, my mother-tongue!!! My family had similar experiences especially on my dad side, except plus sides of my family went straight to San Francisco, California.

[@dannycastromusic_]

Ese señor baila más que yo!

[@Fear_the_Nog]

This is awesome and cool. Harry is totally cute and I'm very excited for his role as the new Magnus Bane. Though in all fairness and objectivity, Godfrey Gao was the perfect Magnus.

[@cristianacon]

hola primo deberías tomar fotos de la casa donde naciste en el barrio cerro mocho de puerto limon

[@jy3754]

When you know Cantonese, Spanish, and English and understood everything 😃

[@gloriagi9499]

I was confused at first since his bio says he's from Costa Rica, but he appears to have an asian heritage, so I didn't know what their family's history is like. Must be an interesting household, growing up with such a mixture of native and adopted cultures, a beautiful fusion.

[@chuchuchuchia]

Nothing more beautiful than cultural fusion ❤️

[@xiaomingzhang3047]

His Cantonese is fluent

[@ashleycampbell7492]

He's bilingual too 😭😍

[@cal4318]

Harry Shum is my role model. Wow.

[@brisavarela0325]

Honestly up until recently i didn't know there was alot of asian influence in latin America because the cultures are so different i wouldn't really expect it on places like Costa Rica or Mexico or the Dominican Republic, ect. Its nice seeing that now im Latina but i live asian culture and food i hope to learn more about it

[@IndiraAC]

Pura vida !

[@Aleakwe]

💛