I AM KOREAN AMERICAN

Own Words

Born in ‘88, the year Seoul hosted the Olympics AND a Year of the Dragon, which makes my birth year better than your birth year. My grandfather named me 용수, 용 for dragon, 수 being my generational character, meaning ‘reed’. Where my Korean Moks at? We’re all family, so holla at me!

Maryland native, born and raised, from Abingdon, to Parkville, to Cockeysville, Lutherville, Timonium, to Jacksonville. Like many Korean Americans, my parents owned and operated a dry cleaners at one point in time. Like many other KAs, I like to say that I’m from Baltimore, because it’s easier to say, and I love me some chicken box with saltpepperketchup and half and half as much as the next, hun. Why be less when you can B-more? I have yet to run into a liquor store in Baltimore that’s NOT Korean owned.

In my last year at the University of Maryland for a degree in Government & Politics, with minors in Korean and Asian American Studies. Currently studying for the Department of State’s Foreign Service Officer’s Test (FSOT) in June. Wish me luck.

I’ve been realizing more and more that it’s a small world, especially if you’re a Korean American. They say that everyone in the world is separated by six degrees, but I KNOW that when it comes to Korean Americans, it’s less.

I feel like everybody has a little Korean in them. Everyone has those two conflicting sides to them: there’s the chill South Korean side, that just wants to drink soju, dance the bokko dance, sing at NRB, and party all night (1차, 2차, 3차, 4차..cont.), and then there’s the hardcore North Korean side, that tries to apply its ideals to the real world and fails miserably, but clings desperately to life and power and will stop at NOTHING, despite being sick and starving. I know that someday, our motherland, our people, will be re-united, and we will be reunited with ourselves. I hope to be alive when that day comes, and to visit a liberated North Korea. As Korean Americans, I believe that we are uniquely situated to bring this day closer, by pushing for a Peace Treaty to finally end the Korean War. And they say the Cold War ended…

I love all different cuisines of the world: American, Chinese, Ethiopian, French, Italian, Japanese, you name it, but my favorite food will always be Korean. That’s right, I want, I NEED my Seoul food. I can cook a mean kimchijjigae or budaejjigae in less than 10 minutes.

This is getting to be long, so I’ll just leave my business card. I’m a social media intern at Change.org for the cause of criminal justice reform. Follow me on Twitter @changeJustice or on Facebook (look up Criminal Justice Reform)! Or if you’re search for my personal accounts on Facebook and Twitter. Btw, I’m single, so Hey, Seoul Sister..