Jiwon Choi
Birthplace: Long Island, NY
Parent's birthplace: South Korea
Current residence: Philadelphia, PA
Parent's birthplace: South Korea
Current residence: Philadelphia, PA
My parents first immigrated to the Dominican Republic because they needed a visa. Then, when they got the visa from the Dominican Republic, they came here. I think I know most of their immigration story. I don’t really know a lot of the details, but I know more about how they settled in rather than the whole immigration process. I think they told me more because I was curious and I kept asking questions, but they just thought it wasn’t that important for me to know.
I think that it’s important for me to know because it lets me know more of their story and what they’re gone through to come here and it lets me realize how much I have and how much I take for granted.
But I guess they don’t really think like I do, because they don’t really think it’s important.
My parents definitely still honor the South Korean culture closely. They’re not “Americanized" so far. I’ve been doing Korean culture stuff since I was little and we follow it really strictly because they value them a lot and I understand because that is a part of Korean culture and they don’t want to leave that behind. They also want me to know the culture and try to follow through. We’ve been doing holidays and traditions. I think most of the traditions and culture stuff that we do are actually meaningful. If I think that they don’t really mean anything, and they’re kind of useless, I would be like, “I don’t know why I’m doing this.” But, I think generally, they’re really meaningful. I’m okay with them.
I think I have a good balance between the American culture and the Korean culture just because at home I can speak Korean, I can share similarities and have the Korean culture outside of school (of course that’s when I don’t have any of that), so I think I have a pretty good balance. I think when I was really young, like when I started school, it was pretty hard because my parents didn’t really expose me a lot to the American society and the American cultures because they valued Korean culture a lot, but I think I grew out of it because school prepared me and I just got used to the environment and so I think it’s fine, I think I got used to it pretty well.
I would say some of the things we have here in America are different from the Korean culture. For example, LGBTQ Rights - that kind of thing. In Korea, most of the people still don’t believe in gay rights and stuff and when I try to talk to my parents about that issue they’re like, “No." They don’t even agree with it, they’re just like, “No, we’re not having this conversation.” Or something like hanging out with friends after 7PM or something, because in Korea, they have a really strict curfew and many of the students spend time studying and stuff rather than hanging out with friends and so my parents are like, “Well what are you doing? Just slacking off and not studying or anything?” and I’m just like, “Ugh... I’m done!!”
I definitely think when I’m talking to my parents there’s a difference I feel, because they’re so Korean.
My parents definitely still honor the South Korean culture closely. They’re not “Americanized" so far. I’ve been doing Korean culture stuff since I was little and we follow it really strictly because they value them a lot and I understand because that is a part of Korean culture and they don’t want to leave that behind. They also want me to know the culture and try to follow through. We’ve been doing holidays and traditions. I think most of the traditions and culture stuff that we do are actually meaningful. If I think that they don’t really mean anything, and they’re kind of useless, I would be like, “I don’t know why I’m doing this.” But, I think generally, they’re really meaningful. I’m okay with them.
I think I have a good balance between the American culture and the Korean culture just because at home I can speak Korean, I can share similarities and have the Korean culture outside of school (of course that’s when I don’t have any of that), so I think I have a pretty good balance. I think when I was really young, like when I started school, it was pretty hard because my parents didn’t really expose me a lot to the American society and the American cultures because they valued Korean culture a lot, but I think I grew out of it because school prepared me and I just got used to the environment and so I think it’s fine, I think I got used to it pretty well.
I would say some of the things we have here in America are different from the Korean culture. For example, LGBTQ Rights - that kind of thing. In Korea, most of the people still don’t believe in gay rights and stuff and when I try to talk to my parents about that issue they’re like, “No." They don’t even agree with it, they’re just like, “No, we’re not having this conversation.” Or something like hanging out with friends after 7PM or something, because in Korea, they have a really strict curfew and many of the students spend time studying and stuff rather than hanging out with friends and so my parents are like, “Well what are you doing? Just slacking off and not studying or anything?” and I’m just like, “Ugh... I’m done!!”
I definitely think when I’m talking to my parents there’s a difference I feel, because they’re so Korean.
They value the Korean culture so much that they don’t even give a chance to the American culture - they don’t even try to learn it or understand me.
So I think there’s a clash between that, but outside of my house, it’s fine. I think I have a good balance outside.
I’m bilingual - Korean and English. I learned Korean first. I think knowing Korean actually, definitely helps me because I’m able to understand and have a closer relationship with my parents and the Korean culture. I’m able to understand why this is this and that’s that, and I can speak to other Koreans and I can actually have a conversation with them, which helps.
I’m bilingual - Korean and English. I learned Korean first. I think knowing Korean actually, definitely helps me because I’m able to understand and have a closer relationship with my parents and the Korean culture. I’m able to understand why this is this and that’s that, and I can speak to other Koreans and I can actually have a conversation with them, which helps.
And I also think that having a second language, like knowing a second language is just beneficial in general.
When I move out of my parents’ house, I definitely will continue Korean culture stuff (like celebrating holidays), because I personally think they’re really meaningful and they’re important to me. If I do have children, or whatever, I definitely want them to continue on that tradition, so that we have that Korean part of us even if we live in America. I definitely want to continue that.
I’ll just say Korean and American culture are very different - they’re extremes, on opposite sides, but it’s a matter of how you balance them out. You just have to get used to it.