Michelle Li, a reporter for NBC-affiliate KSDK in St. Louis, received a wave of support on Twitter after she was criticized for a comment about eating South Korean food on New Year's Day.

On Saturday, Li posted a video of herself on Twitter listening to an upset viewer who called to complain about after her on-air comments. Li had discussed the reasons behind consuming dishes such as greens, black-eyed peas, cornbread, and pork and their significance on New Year's.

She had wrapped up the segment by saying, “I ate dumpling soup. That’s what a lot of Korean people do.”

The comment lead to a complaint from a viewer, claiming Li was being “very Asian” and didn’t think her comment about dumplings “was appropriate.”

The viewer argued that a white person would have been fired if they said something similar and should “keep her Korean to herself.”

By Sunday, “#VeryAsian” began trending on Twitter, with people supporting Li’s decision to discuss her culture despite the criticism she received from the viewer.

“I’m #VeryAsian and proud to stand with you. America needs to embrace its diversity, and embrace our diversity as Asian people,” one person wrote.

One user suggested people should prepare to hear more about Asian culture when the Lunar New Year is celebrated in February.

“Wishing you all a Very Asian new year- if you think talking about eating dumplings on Jan. 1 is ‘Very Asian’ you have a month to get very ready for us to go even more ‘Very Asian’ on Lunar New Year,” the post read.

As of Sunday, Li’s Twitter bio reads, “VERY ASIAN” along with her job title and other accolades.

From lab-grown "seafood" to dumplings made with tropical fruit instead of pork, rising demand for sustainable meat alternatives in Asia is spawning creative products to appeal to local palates
From lab-grown "seafood" to dumplings made with tropical fruit instead of pork, rising demand for sustainable meat alternatives in Asia is spawning creative products to appeal to local palates AFP / Catherine LAI
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