As a nod to our cherished (or dreaded) holiday for sweethearts, KoreAm asked this month’s contributors:
What Was Your Most Memorable Valentine’s Day?
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“I have blocked all past Valentine’s Days from memory.”
Bernice is a co-founder and board chair of Hyphen, and her writing has appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, New York Times and Mother Jones. Bernice first met cover KA Jane Kim in 1999 at an Asian American arts event—(probably a film festival or poetry reading)—during her stint as a cub reporter for SF Weekly. She lives in Berkeley, Calif. www.berniceyeung.com
HER STORY: “Following Her True North”
Last November, 33-year-old Jane Kim pulled off a stunning upset victory in the race for the San Francisco District 6 supervisor seat. How did this young, hip politico do it? The old-fashioned way: one conversation at a time.
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Jaeki Cho
“The day before Valentine’s Day, I got into an argument with the lady. The next evening, I stood outside in the drizzling rain in front of her apartment and called her, asking her to come out. Even though I’d clearly seen her walk into the building, her response was: “I’m out of town.” So, we broke up. But we still talk occasionally on AIM.”
Jaeki moved to New York City from China in 1998. Learning English by watching Rush Hour and bumping DJ Clue mixtapes would directly affect his lifestyle, which greatly irritated his mother (and girlfriends). He would eventually intern at a men’s magazine, which reshaped his goals. Today, he is a student at Fordham University and freelance writer. (www.jaekicho.com)
HIS STORY: “Kicking Up Dust”
Director Kim Tae-gyun discusses his new underdog sports film, starring a young East Timorese soccer team and its South Korean coach.
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Ian Kim
“I was in the third grade, and liked a popular girl (also the daughter of my teacher). On V-Day at my school, you could buy balloons for your crush. Most kids bought one or two, but I bought her more than a dozen! Soon, the entire school was abuzz about how many balloons she’d received. I just wanted to hide. To this day, I’m not sure if she was flattered or mortified.”
Ian is an artist and illustrator based in Los Angeles. He draws and writes the comic strip “Skribl and the Skwod,” which appears regularly in KoreAm. (www.iankim.net)
HIS COMIC STRIP: “Skribl and the Skwod”
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Noah Dempewolf
“It consisted of walking through an arboretum while annoying my future wife with my faux German accent, then ending the afternoon crouched in a kids’ play area whilst dining on Ritter Sport.”
Noah is a graphic designer and illustrator living in Colorado. Although he greatly admires the accomplishments of number 86—Hines Ward—his all-time favorite NFL jersey will forever be emblazoned with the number 7. (menacingpanda.com)
HIS ILLUSTRATION: “Old School”
Earlier this month, Pittsburgh Steeler Hines Ward laced up for the Super Bowl—again.
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Suevon Lee
“I had recently started dating someone and, wanting to impress him, I whipped up a gourmet Valentine’s Day dinner topped off with a dessert of pine nut macaroons. Little did I know he had a severe pine nut allergy. Needless to say, we had to rush to the emergency room. Thankfully, all ended OK—except for the relationship.”
Suevon is a newspaper reporter based in Ocala, Fla., known for its horse farms and token celebrity resident John Travolta. Originally from the D.C. area, she enjoys
writing about law, politics and people.
HER STORY: “The Straight-Talk Doc”
Suevon was on a one-week waiting list to interview the subject of her profile story, and here’s the reason: Dr. Peter Rhee, the trauma surgeon who saved the life of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords after the Jan. 8 shooting tragedy in Tucson, is now a national hero.
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David Yi
“During my freshman year of college, a group of six of my friends went out to eat jajangmyeon to ‘celebrate’ our single status. Five years later, one is married, two are engaged, two are in relationships, and one is still single.
That would be me.”
David is a reporter for the New York Daily News. His adoration for spicy pickled cabbage has led him to experiment on recipes like “kimchi mac and cheese,” which he successfully served this past Thanksgiving to a deafening round of applause from his family. (thinkdavidyi.com)
HIS STORY: “The Kimchi Chronicles”
Adoptee Marja Vongerichten, wife of famed New York chef Jean-Georges, explores the national dish of Korea in a new PBS series that merges culinary adventures with a personal tale.
