The Definitive History of Asian Men Dating Outside Their Race

Real or Fake: Real

Couple: Chang Bunker with Adelaide Yates and Eng Bunker with Sarah Ann Yates

When: 1843

Complex says: This pair of conjoined brothers from Thailand was hired by a British merchant and exhibited in the U.S. as a circus show. After their contract expired, the Siamese twins settled down in North Carolina, marrying two white sisters and producing 21 total children. That's a lot of fucking foursomes!

Real or Fake: Real

Couple: Philip Jaisohn (a.k.a. Seo Jae-pil) and Muriel Armstrong

When: 1893

Complex says: Philip was a man of many firsts: the first Korean to become a naturalized U.S. citizen and receive an American medical degree, first person to publish a Korean newspaper using the Korean alphabet (as opposed to Chinese)...and, most importantly, first Korean man to marry a Caucasian. And not just any white bitty: Muriel was the socialite daughter of the U.S. Post Master General and a relative of President Buchanan. The inscription on the statue above reads: "Homie got Game with a capital 'G.'"

Real or Fake: Real

Couple: Korean President Syngman Rhee and Francesca Donner

When: 1934

Complex says: At age 59, Korea's first president married a 36-year-old Austrian-Swiss woman that he wooed while meeting the League of Nations in Geneva. The two were eventually exiled to Hawaii, where they probably fit in much, much better than in Korea.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Eiji Okada as "Lui" and Emanuelle Riva as "Elle" in Hiroshima Mon Amour

When: 1959

Complex says: Leave it to the French to make a movie that unabashedly showcases a torrid love affair between a Japanese man and une femme francaise. Resnais' film-school staple is all about war, loss, and the horrors of the a-bomb, but it really teaches us one thing: French women get it in. Always.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: James Shigeta as Detective Joe Kojaku and Victoria Shaw as Christine Downs in The Crimson Kimono

When: 1959

Complex says: As the first legitimate Asian male film star, this Japanese-American was a pioneer of dipping chopsticks in interracial sauces. Being the '60s, it was all very tame, but at least it was a counter to Hollywood's prevailing "Joe Jitsu" stereotype. Check out Shigeta's reel and salute.

Real or Fake: Real

Couple: Norman and Danealia Mineta

When: 1960s-present

Complex says: The son of Japanese immigrants, Mineta served in both Clinton's and Dubya's administrations, the latter as the Secretary of Transportation. Dude's got an airport named after him (in San Jose, CA), so it's only right that a blonde ex-stewardess found her way into his cockpit. Fly high, Norman!

Real or Fake: Real

Couple: Victor Wong with Olive Thurman; Robin Goodfellow; Carol Freeland; and Dawn Rose

When: 1960s-2001

Complex says: The late actor, most famous for his roles in The Last Emperor and 3 Ninjas, married four times, all to non-Chinese women. According to his buddy Jack Kerouac, Wong's first wife Olive was "the most beautiful Negro girl in the world." We'll have to take Jack's word on that one.

Real or Fake: Real

Couple: Bruce Lee and Linda Lee Cadwell

When: 1964-1973

Complex says: Bruce Lee met his future wife Linda Emery during his college days at the University of Washington, where she was a student in one of his martial arts classes. Suffice to say, he chopped her down with ease.

Real or Fake: Real

Couple: Yo Yo Ma and Jill Ma

When: 1977-present

Complex says: The famous Chinese-American cellist went white after German-language professor Jill Hornor showed him (and his instrument) a little love. We wonder if he used his own name as a pick-up line.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Jackie Chan as Jerry Kwan and Kristine DeBell as Nancy in The Big Brawl

When: 1980

Complex says: This was Chan's first foray into the American market, so naturally, he had to score a hot (well, tepid at least) blonde as his love interest: former Playboy covergirl DeBell. Too bad the movie bricked.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Gedde Watanabe as Long Duk Dong and Deborah Pollack as Marlene in Sixteen Candles

When: 1984

Complex says: "What's happening, hot stuff?" Yeah, the Donger might have set Asian men back a few decades, but at least he got to bury his head in Marlene's prodigious chest. And this wasn't bad, neither. The real head-scratcher in all this: Both of these old-ass lookin' people are supposed to be high-school kids? FOH.

Real or Fake: Real

Couple: George Takei and Brad Altman

When: 1987-present

Complex says: Though they only married in 2008, Sulu's longtime companion has been all over George like white on rice for over 20 years. Get it? White on rice. Laugh, Sulu, laugh! Thanks!

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Tony Leung Ka Fai as The Chinese Man and Jane March as The Young Girl in The Lover

When: 1992

Complex says: The film adaptation of Marguerite Duras' great novel features some of the steamiest white-female-on-Asian-male love scenes outside of shelovesasiancock.com. 'Course, the girl is only 15 (and good!). Guess Asian men have to be pedophiles to get white chicks.

Real or Fake: Real

Couple: Chang-rae Lee and Michelle Branca

When: 1993-present

Complex says: The most acclaimed Korean-American author is married to a white architect. Judging from his first novel, Native Speaker, it wasn't easy keeping his Becky happy. Props to you, Chang-rae.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Jason Scott Lee as Bruce Lee and Lauren Holly as Linda Lee in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story

When: 1993

Complex says: Since the pretend Bruce Lee needed a pretend Linda to play his wife in the biopic, we have the pretend interracial coupling above. Holly went on to marry Jim Carrey and star in Dumb and Dumber, but WTF happened to Jason Scott Lee?

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Russell Wong as Jian-Wa Chang and Rebecca Gayheart as Clair Armstrong in Vanishing Son (TV)

When: 1994

Complex says: The half-Chinese actor was that rare breed in the '90s: an Asian-American male sex symbol. Yeah, his career nosedived with the quickness, but at least he got to (fake-)smash the Noxema girl at the height of her powers. (Note: He also got with Jennifer Beals in the straight-to-video flick The Prophecy II. Noxema and Flashdance? So Wong, so right.)

Real or Fake: Real

Couple: Pat Morita and Evelyn Morita

When: 1994-2005

Complex says: Morita was married twice (to Japanese women) before wedding Evelyn, who stayed with him until his death in 2005. Miyagi know: White woman true ride-or-die chick.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Robin Shou as Liu Kang and Talisa Soto as Princess Kitana in Mortal Kombat

When: 1995

Complex says: Kang and Soto were paired up in the first MK film, and even got a (tame) love scene in the sequel, Annihilation (1997). Do we have to pause if we say they'd make some beautiful babies together?

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Mark Dacascos as Yo Hinomura and Julie Condra as Emu O'Hara in Crying Freeman

When: 1995

Complex says: The Hawaii-born Filipino/Irish/Japanese actor is a veritable "That Guy" from bad martial-arts movies, and this manga-based flick is no different. It's notable only because Dacascos gets it on with Condra, a.k.a. hot-as-hell Madeline from The Wonder Years. FOH, Kevin Arnold.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Paolo Montalban as Prince Christopher and Brandy Norwood as Cinderella in Cinderella (TV)

When: 1997

Complex says: A black Cinderella was the real groundbreaker in this TV movie, so a Flip as Prince Charming was just par for the course. We've seen couples like this all over the Bay Area. Oakland stand up!

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Dante Basco as Julian Lee and Tatyana Ali as Karyn in Fakin' Da Funk

When: 1997

Complex says: For lazy weekend shits and giggles, you could do worse than this flick, about a Chinese kid (played by a Filipino) who's adopted by a black family in South Central and finds true love with the shorty from Fresh Prince. Chigga 4 Life!

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Chow Yun-Fat as John Lee and Mira Sorvino as Meg Coburn in The Replacement Killers

When: 1998

Complex says: Critics applauded the chemistry between Chow and Sorvino as the leads in Antoine Fuqua's debut flick, but only those who saw the DVD's alternate ending got to see the two actually kiss. See, dodging bullets is believable for an Asian dude, but kissing a white girl? Unpossible (c) Ralph Wiggums.

Real or Fake: Real

Couple: Jon Gosselin and Kate Gosselin

When: 1999-2009

Complex says: Shoulda married a Korean girl.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Yuji Okumoto as Pete and Mary Page Keller as Melanie in Johnny Tsunami (TV)

When: 1999

Complex says: The titular character of this Disney flick is a Hawaiian hapa, so naturally, his parents need to be Asian and white. That's at least an implied smashing, yeah?

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Chi Muoi Lo as Dwayne and Sanaa Lathan as Nina in Catfish in Black Bean Sauce

When: 1999

Complex says: Alternate titles: "Egg Roll Buried in Onion." "Dumplings Dipped in Caramel." "Ginseng Root Inside Warm Chitlins."

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Jet Li as Liu Siu-jian and Bridget Fonda as Jessica Karmen in Kiss of the Dragon

When: 2001

Complex says: In a familiar role, Jet has to play Captain Save-A-Ho to Fonda's prostitute character without actually getting to Smash-A-Ho.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Jackie Chan as Inspector Lee and Roselyn Sanchez as Isabella in Rush Hour 2

When: 2001

Complex says: Chan is kinda-sorta supposed to be hooking up with Sanchez, but we all know that Jackie's gotta act like a befuddled asexual Chinese teenager around the hot women in his U.S. movies. Ha! Ha! Ha! Kung-fu kick for me, Jackie!

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Jet Li as Gabe Law/Yu-Law and Carla Gugino as T.K. Law /Massie Walsh in The One

When: 2001

Complex says: You know this movie was on some sci-fi shit, because only in an alternative universe would they let Jet's character marry such a two-rrific white beauty.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Jackie Chan as Jimmy Tong and Jennifer Love Hewitt as Del Blaine in The Tuxedo

When: 2002

Complex says: Jackie gets a PG-13-rated grope on Huge-Tits, which is at least somewhat believable. Well, at least as believable as Love Hewitt playing a genius scientist.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Jackie Chan as Eddie Yang and Claire Forlani as Nicole James in The Medallion

When: 2003

Complex says: Even though she's his wifey, Claire only kisses Jackie once, and that's right before the end credits roll. Fucking Justin Bieber has gotten more on-screen ass than Jackie. SMH.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: John Cho as Harold Lee and Paula Garces as Maria Quesa Dilla in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay

When: 2004 and 2008

Complex says: It took two movies and four years, but our nerdy hero finally gets his girl at the end of Guantanamo Bay. Props to the franchise for that storyline, and for also dispelling another fallacy: that Asians don't puff. HEAVILY.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Will Yun Lee as Val and Christina Milian as Nina in Torque

When: 2004

Complex says: Korean director Joseph Kahn hooked up countryman Lee with a Latina love interest in 2004, back when motorcycle movies were all the rage and Christina Milian was still desirable. Ah, 2004.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Yun Choi as Michael and Toni Trucks as Terri in Barbershop (TV)

When: 2005

Complex says: The short-lived Showtime series featured a couple of episodes on the budding romance between caramel-complected Terri and the Korean son of a store owner in the hood. He was like, "I'm following two steps behind you all around this store, not because I think you're gonna steal something...but because I want your number!" And she was like: "What'd you say about my mama?" The end.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Sung Kang as Sam in The Motel

When: 2005

Complex says: Sung plays a whiskey-swilling alpha male who doesn't discriminate when it comes to prostitutes. Also, through a shot of a wedding photo, it appears that his character married outside of his race. Not exactly unprecedented territory here, but Sung is still that dude.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Brian Tee as D.K. and Nathalie Kelley as Neela in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

When: 2006

Complex says: With Justin Lin as director, you'd think the Asian star of this movie would get some play, and he does...to an extent. As the hotheaded leader of Tokyo's drift scene, D.K. has the requisite Yakuza ties and white dimepiece. But then comes a white boy to challenge his manhood, and eventually take his respect, his whip, and his woman. Damn, Justin: where's the love?

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Dante Basco as Ramos and Jenna Dewan as Sasha in Take the Lead

When: 2006

Complex says: Filipino kid (Basco) and black kid (Elijah Kelley) fight for the heart of a white princess (Dewan). Spanish mentor (Antonio Banderas) mediates. Jewish lady (Liz Friedlander) directs. Hooray for Hollywood!

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Ken Leung as Liam Liu and Hayden Panettiere as Bourbon in Shanghai Kiss

When: 2007

Complex says: On some meta shit, this flick is about an aspiring actor who rails against the emasculation of Asians in Hollywood. Lo' and behold, Ken gets to smash a white chick in the movie and woo a considerably younger lass in Hayden. Is it any surprise that it went straight to DVD?

Real or Fake: Real

Couple: Comedian Bobby Lee and "Sara"

When: 2007

Complex says: This picture right here. Like a perplexed Swedish au pair and an enormous Asian baby. Awesome.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Ha Jung-woo as Jihah and Vera Farmiga as Sophie Lee in Never Forever

When: 2007

Complex says: Farmiga actually has two Asian lovers in this one: her infertile Korean-American husband, and the virile Korean immigrant (played by Ha) that she pays to impregnate her. Ha is actually one of Korea's best actors, but he's hamstrung by leaden dialogue and his own heavy accent. Good thing Vera understands his pipe game.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Aaron Yoo as Justin and Olivia Thirlby as Stephanie Squires in The Wackness

When: 2008

Complex says: Not only did the Asian kid get the P, but he herbed out the white hero in the process. So what if dude's hip-hop swag is less believable than JoJo Simmons? We ride for Aaron, all day.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Justin Chon as Eric Yorkie and Christian Serratos as Angela Weber in Twilight

When: 2008

Complex says: We can't really speak on Twilight, but if they ever need to cast a movie about the adventures of a gay Asian stylist and his kooky, neurotic actress BFF...well, holla.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Leonardo Nam as Brian McBrian and Amber Tamblyn as Tibby Tomko-Rollins in The Sisterhood of theTraveling Pants 2

When: 2008

Complex says: The Korean-Australian star not only breaks off one of our favorite redheads, but after a pregnancy scare he keeps it moving to another pale ale played by Lucy Kate Hale. It's almost enough to forgive the fact they named him "Brian McBrian."

Real or Fake: Real

Couple: Jeweler Ben Baller and Sasha Singleton

When: 2009-2009

Complex says: Well, we hear that this one ended kinda badly. We'll always have the memories, though. What up Ben!

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Seven and Lil Kim in the video for "Girls"

When: 2009

Complex says: We said it all already, but we'll say it again: Seven could've done a lot better.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Rain as Raizo and Naomie Harris as Mika Coretti in Ninja Assassin

When: 2009

Complex says: Yeah, it bricked, but Ninja Assassin is notable for pairing Korean singer-turned-actor Rain and 28 Days Later honey Harris. Plus, the movie was actually OK...on weed.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Rain and Megan Fox

When: 2009

Complex says: This one isn't really real or fake, just based on a random Megan quote: "There is this Korean Justin Timberlake named Rain, and I'm really on his situation now. I'm trying to fix this up. I'm working hard." Ball's in your court, Rain. She's ready for that soft drizzle.

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: Jackie Chan as Bob Ho and Amber Valleta as Gillian in The Spy Next Door

When: 2010

Complex says: Jackie pulls the MILF next door when he successfully courts Amber's character in this kid flick. Of course the romance is all implied, but at least it's something. Jackie, it's time to let the nuts hang already!

Real or Fake: Real

Couple: Tom Lo and Sandra "Pepa" Denton on VH1's Let's Talk About Pep (TV)

When: 2010-present

Complex says: We'll overlook the fact that Tom looks like he just walked off a WWII propaganda poster. Homie still put it on Pepa. Lo five!

Real or Fake: Fake

Couple: John Cho as Demetri Noh and Gabrielle Union as Zoey Andata in FlashForward (TV)

When: 2010

Complex says: Wow, could it be? A realistic, non-sensational relationship between an Asian man and a black woman that isn't played for jokes or shock value? Things might be changing after all...