#VeryAsian hashtag goes viral after racist criticism of Korean American news anchor

The hashtag “Very Asian” has taken off on Twitter after a viewer left a racist voice message for an Asian American news anchor who said that she ate dumplings in celebration of New Year’s Day.

Social media users began putting a positive spin on the practice after Michelle Li, who is Korean American and an anchor at the NBC News affiliate KSDK in St. Louis, shared traditional New Year's foods. She listed black-eyed peas, pork, greens and cornbread that are believed to bring good luck, adding: “I ate dumplings, too. That’s what a lot of Korean people do.”

A viewer complained about the segment that evening, stating that Li was being “very Asian.”

“I kind of take offense to that," the viewer said. "What if one of your white anchors said white people eat this on New Year’s Day. I don’t think it’s appropriate she said that. She’s being very Asian. She can keep her Korean to herself. If a white person said that, they would get fired.”