In 'white' Argentina, TV star Martín Ku, who's Argentine Asian, spurs reality check on race

In "white" Argentina, Martín Ku, an Argentine Asian in the hit TV show "Gran Hermano" is spurring conversation and hopes of more inclusion in a country that has whitewashed its racial diversity.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — On Dec. 11, the all-caps phrase ‘UN CHINO’ — or ‘a Chinese’ — began trending in Argentina on the social media platform X.

That night, the local spinoff of the “Big Brother” franchise aired the premiere of its latest season. Argentine television watchers were processing their surprise: For the first time in the hit show’s 11-season run, the cast of houseguests included an Asian contestant in the form of 24-year-old Martín Ku, the son of Chinese and Taiwanese immigrants.

It was a seminal moment for Asian Argentine representation in mainstream media.

In this South American country of 45 million people, no TV show rivals the big-tent appeal of “Gran Hermano.” The reality juggernaut is the most-watched program on Argentine airwaves, with mainstream news publications regularly covering the intrigue and machinations of each season as it progresses.

So when Ku strode into the “Big Brother” house, luggage in hand, it was a resonant milestone. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/argentina-white-race-asian-tv-contestant-immigrants-rcna136415

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