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TASTES OF HOME

Food is arguably one of the most unifying and joyful forces of life, and it holds the distinct power to represent and commemorate the cultures we come from. Oftentimes, it can evoke nostalgia of the home country, and for our narrators, it served as a way of making them feel connected to a place they had left so long ago. Each of our narrators expressed a fondness for their country’s cuisine, and we thought it important to thematize this common link, as it helps to explore intersections of the Asian American community that aren’t solely rooted in a shared struggle. 

Naengmyeon

Korean noodle dish

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Japanese egg tofu dish

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Doenjang-jjigae

Korean soybean paste stew

Tamago Tofu

Kang-min Lee

Kang-min has had many encounters with food in his life, particularly during his 18 years in the United States working in the kitchens of Korean restaurants as a cook. In this video, he talks about his first job in a small restaurant in Irvine, and about how excited he was about cooking for his customers. He doesn’t mention it in the video, but he has often talked about how he is the best at making naeng-myun (seen in picture above).

Ann Rubin

Ann's taste of home is Japanese food. In the video, Ann discusses fond memories and feelings she still has when eating Japanese food. Ann forms bond with people that eat the same dishes as her, or eat something similar to here. However, the taste of home can sometime set Ann apart, especially when she first immigrated to the United States as a teenager.

Myung Hwang

In this video, Myung speaks to the sense of nostalgia that she feels with Korean food and how difficult it is for her to forget the taste of home. She elaborates on her love for Korean cuisine, which carried over to her years living in London in the 1970s. Because Myung grew up near the ocean in Korea, she harbors a particular yearning for fresh fish and misses dishes from her childhood that are not available in the U.S. She further touches on the profound connection between food and one’s roots.

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