Unforgettable Gala to Open Award Categories To International Asian And Pacific Islander Talent

The 21st annual Unforgettable Gala will officially open its awards categories to talent from Asia and the Pacific Islands. The Gala annually celebrates Asian Americans in entertainment, arts, and culture, although the event has honored Asian stars with crossover impact like Minha Kim (Pachinko), Shohei Ohtani, and Psy. The announcement indicates that Unforgettable will observe a more global focus as it partners with AsiaLab, a Seoul-based entertainment and content platform that seeks to facilitate “One Asia” through collaborations with API stars and influencers.

Character Media, the publishing company that founded and produces Unforgettable each year, is planning to hold the gala at its usual Beverly Hilton location on December 16, 2023, but notes that the date could be pushed to the first quarter of 2024, depending on the status of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.

Character Media publisher and gala founder James Ryu said in a statement, “For more than 20 years, honoring API artists, especially writers and actors, has been and continues to be an essential part of Unforgettable,” adding, “We stand united with those on the picket lines in their fight for representation, fairness, and equity. While there has been immense progress for APIs in the last two decades, there is still room to grow for our community in this industry, both behind and in front of the camera.”

Known informally as “Asian Prom,” the Unforgettable Gala is a formal event that hosts more than 700 API leaders and influencers from business, entertainment, arts, and culture by invitation only. The 2022 honorees included Everything Everywhere All at Once, Pachinko, Turning Red, Chloe Kim, Jeremy Lin, and Steven Yeun.