With Open Ears

Yum Song Hui was born in South Korea in the late 1950s. 

Life in South Korea was hard at this time due to the effects of the Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 1953. The country experienced intense political turmoil, and industrialization was much slower compared to other parts of the world. 

While most of the United States had electricity by the 1940s, Song’s hometown was without electricity until the 1980s. She grew up in a house with a straw roof and no running water. 

Song recalled that children were always finding ammunition shells and other debris from the war lodged in the ground when they would go outside to play. This metal was precious to them, so they collected it. 

Sometimes, children or teenagers would come across undetonated explosives. This was exciting because the bombs were made with lots of useful materials. However, bringing them home was dangerous because they could explode at any time. 

Song loved to read, listen to music and explore her family’s farm. She was free-spirited and independent, which are character traits that weren’t always acceptable for a young Korean girl. 

Song immigrated to the United States in the early 1980s. She was barely over 20 years old and pregnant with twins. 

Life in America was much different than in South Korea at this time. Teenagers smoked cigarettes at school and drank alcohol, sometimes even in front of adults. 

In Korea, Song said adults would smack children if they were caught smoking, and it was seen as disrespectful to drink in front of an elder without permission even if you were of age. 

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Song and listening to her story several weeks ago. 

She cooked a traditional Korean dinner of pan-fried zucchini, barbecue pork, rice, kimchi, potatoes and asparagus. The zucchini and kimchi were my favorites. 

Song is my uncle-in-law’s mother. While my aunt and uncle have been married for 11 years, and I spend a lot of time with them, I hadn’t previously spent any time with Song. 

I originally asked Song to meet with me for a class assignment. For COMM 205 Gender and Diversity in Media, students are expected to write reports on multicultural learning experiences of their choosing, and I picked Song because of her South Korean heritage. 

I learned a lot about Song’s background and South Korean history. It was exciting to hear Song’s perspective on both Korean and American culture, especially since I hadn’t known much about Korea before speaking with her. 

But a more important lesson, I learned the value of connecting with family from Song. 

If not for class, I am not sure if I would have met with Song. After the dinner was over, I couldn’t have been happier. 

I wanted to share Song’s story because of how it inspired me. 

Song picked up her whole life and moved to a different country, leaving her family and everything she’d ever known behind when she was younger than I am now. 

She’s kind, freethinking and loves her family so much. I’m honored to now be a part of that family. 

She showed me a new perspective and taught me that there is more to the world than what I see day to day. 

Forging relationships with the people around me is something I don’t want to take for granted again. I never knew what was waiting for me right in my peripheral. 

Everyone has a story to tell, as long as I’m willing to listen. Now, I’ll be waiting with open ears.

• culture
• family
• memories