Here we go again

I've unlocked a new level of sappiness -- I bawled last night listening to Billy Joel's Vienna. "You've got your passion, you've got your prideBut don't you know that only fools are satisfied?Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come trueWhen will you realize, Vienna waits for you?" I'd understand if you laughed at me …

An Apology

More than 50% of all sexual assaults on college campuses happen during the first six weeks of the semester. I believe that. I know you did too. And in between are-you-sures and I-don’t-trust-yous, we stood in solidarity, promising to believe each other.  There was a lot of anger in us. I remember us avoiding Mason …

What’s your hobby?

When I was in second grade, my school had a story writing contest on fire safety. I remember writing my story on Hangul manuscript papers, making sure that I was following the spacing guidelines accurately. Couple days later, my teacher came up to me and asked if I had written the story all by myself. …

An open letter to men who took a liking to me a little too fast

Dear You,

Before I begin, I want you to clearly understand that this isn’t about you.

Licensed to drive, but still learning patience.

"In New York, I didn't think much of driving. Who cares? The driver's license had now just become a convenient tool for me to bring when I need to prove that I'm of age. Besides, driving in New York seemed terrible. Narrow streets and overcharged parking fee? No thank you. I even considered not getting a car in LA; some people seemed to be okay with that. But after a week in LA, I went to a car dealership, financed a car with trillion safety options, paid extra money that I didn't need to (so I found out later, anyway), and left the dealership nervous as hell. I've always had a fear of driving, especially next to big trucks and buses. This was not going to go well. "

A working woman in progress

I recently read a study about how procrastination is correlated with low self-esteem. The act of putting off tasks is a result of a self-aggravating belief that the task you produce is representative of you as a person; you believe that your value is dictated by what you create, and in fear that you will …

Living Korean in LA

Before moving to LA, there was one thing that I was really excited about: Korean food. I knew that Korean food is far more superior in LA than in any other U.S. cities, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on dishes other than bulgogi, ddukbokki, and bibimbap (sorry not sorry, New York.) It's …

New York, I love you.

One of the most vivid memories I have of New York is from when I worked as a bartender in Koreatown. On the weekends, I would leave work at 5 or 6am, arriving home at hours when many others would start their morning commute. As I pass through the Port Authority tunnel, completely dazed, I …

Be Fucking Angry.

This won't be the most eloquently written post, but I hope you can bear with me. I'm pretty shaken up, but I think it's important to capture the raw emotions of the moment. Content Warning: Racism, police brutality, violence against Black people I'm currently in Starbucks on the W 110th and Broadway with my friend …

孝女

"My parents blood will flow into my children's and their children's - it would be only the right thing to pass on their honor through my bloodline and making sure that the generations after me are able to live life to the level of fulfillment that my parents want for me. "