I immigrated to the United States at the age of fourteen with my sister, leaving behind my parents and other members of my extended family. In the process, I accepted a new lifestyle and a different environment, and lost the opportunity to grow up with my family and friends in Korea. In a personal exploration, provoked by the contrast of my two cultures, I realized over time that I walked two paths.

This early studio work combined memories of my childhood in Korea with contemporary images from my life in the United States. To retrieve the essence of my Korean heritage, I returned to my memories to recapture the years lost in Korea. The constant presence of my Korean past and American present was perplexing and ultimately leads to thoughts about who I really am.

The purpose of this body of work was to acknowledge and explore the bi-cultural experience condition and to bring attention to the struggle individuals experience existing in a culture distinct from their own.