I’m Jina, 38, born in California to Korean parents. I’ve never lived in Korea, but it’s always been part of who I am. The food, the language, the way my parents raised me… That’s my home. Even if I’m American on paper, I’ve always felt a little in-between.
My husband, Mark, doesn’t really get it. He’s not cruel, but he makes jokes that sting. He calls my kimchi ’science experiments,’ complains that the house ’smells like vinegar,’ and once said something like, ’You act like you’re from Korea, but you’re not.’ We’ve been married for 12 years, and I usually just let it slide. But last weekend something broke.
Our daughter, Ellie, who’s 14, is the only one of our three kids who seems genuinely interested in my culture. She watches K-dramas with me, loves trying new food, and always asks about my parents. So when she suggested going to a Korean BBQ restaurant, I was over the moon.”
