Growing Up Korean-American - Between Two Worlds
Growing up Korean-American meant constantly balancing two cultures.
At home, there were Korean traditions and values.
Outside, I navigated the American way of life.
Sometimes I felt like I wasn’t "Korean enough" back home,
or "American enough" at school.
There was always a quiet question lingering:
"Where do I really belong?"
Searching for Belonging - Life Before K-pop
Before K-pop entered my life,
music meant Top 40 hits, rock anthems, and rap verses.
Korean culture felt distant—
something my parents talked about but I never fully embraced.
There was pride, yes,
but also an invisible wall that kept my American and Korean sides separated.
Military Service and Identity - Duty Above All
Serving in the U.S. Army demanded discipline, strength, and sacrifice.
During deployments, cultural identity didn’t matter much.
It was about the mission, the team, the flag.
But when the uniform came off,
I often found myself wondering who I was beyond the role of "soldier."
The search for identity deepened after leaving the service.
Discovering K-pop Abroad - A Familiar Sound in a Foreign Land
Living abroad—especially now living in Korea—
brought me face-to-face with a culture I thought I knew, but didn’t fully understand.
Hearing BTS’s "Spring Day" for the first time felt like an emotional ambush.
The language was Korean, but the emotions?
They were universal.
It was like finding a hidden piece of myself
in a place that had always felt just a little bit out of reach.
Emotional Bridges - How K-pop Connects Beyond Language
K-pop does something rare:
it speaks across generations, borders, and even emotional barriers.
Songs about chasing dreams, facing failure, longing for connection—
they hit differently when you grew up between two cultures.
Through K-pop, I realized:
"You don’t have to choose one side.
You can live fully in both."
Living in Korea - Music That Echoes My Roots
Now, as a Korean-American living in Seoul,
K-pop isn’t just music anymore.
It’s the background to my daily life,
the soundtrack playing as I rediscover my heritage.
Hearing BTS or NewJeans on the streets feels like
life giving me a quiet nod, saying,
"You’re exactly where you’re meant to be."
Redefining Home and Heritage Through K-pop
K-pop taught me that being Korean isn’t about perfection.
It’s about embracing the stories, the struggles, the resilience of a people.
Through music, I’ve reconnected with a heritage that once felt half-claimed.
Now it feels fully mine.
Home isn’t one place anymore.
It’s the space between the notes of a K-pop song,
the beat that lives inside me.
Carrying Two Flags - The Power of Embracing Both Worlds
Thanks to K-pop,
I no longer feel torn between being Korean and American.
I proudly carry both identities—
two flags stitched into the fabric of who I am.
K-pop didn’t just give me better playlists.
It gave me permission to be whole.
And that, for Korean-Americans living abroad,
is everything.
