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. …

A manifesto on love

My friend asked me what it means to be loved all the way through. He asked how I want to be loved. I’ve been seeing 11:11 and 11:23 (my birthday) almost every day. I take it as the Universe’s way of telling me that she is ready to give what I ask for. Here is …

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 …