Hope of heaven
“I am a Christian so I have hope for heaven.”

Korean-Am(erican)
“I am Korean American.”

Eldest son / Alone / Self-reliance
“When one says ‘eldest son’, there are siblings. But, in fact, I’m alone and I have to survive on my own. I left for Sangju after first grade so I didn’t live with my little sister after that. I went to with my cousin who didn’t want me around, so I always thought that I had to make it in the world on my own.”

Interviewer: “So for you, you had this idea that you were alone in the world since you were very little.”

“That’s right. My sister and I were completely separated once the war broke out without any news of each other. So I didn’t see her for 10 years, until I was old enough to visit for the first time in middle school. I felt awkward seeing her after so long, which I’m sure made her feel even more awkward. She hid from me during the whole visit so we never sat near each other or held hands. So I always felt like I was alone and didn’t really think about my sister until I was grown. I can’t rely on anyone else to care for my family. I have to be able to stand on my own. That’s the idea I’ve carried with me since I was little.”

Head of household / Husband / Father
“I am the head of the family. Then, I’m a husband and a father. That’s my identity.”

Church elder
“At church, I’m called to be a good model of faith as an elder.”

Retired
“This is me now. I’m retired.”

Want to travel / Want to be healthy
“And I want to travel. I’ve always wanted to travel. Ever since I was young, I wanted to do some solo traveling. But I didn’t have the time or the means. I had to survive and I wanted to progress farther than others. I only worked towards that so I didn’t get to travel or have any interests. Then, I want to be healthy.”

KakaoTalk / Computer / iPad
“These days, I use Kakaotalk to share helpful information and connect with others. I want to improve my computer skills so I can use it more effectively and help others… I don’t know why I wrote ‘iPad.’ I suppose I use my iPad a lot!”

Financial self-sufficiency
“I must be economically self-reliant. Being economically self-reliant means I can support myself financially without burdening my children or others.”

Consultation / Helping others
“Here are the things I want to do, such as helping others as Jesus tells us, and giving advice to anyone who needs it based on my life experiences.”