Growing Up Korean American | My Struggles 

Happy Friday, everyone! Today I share my experience as a Korean American. I would love for you guys to share your stories as well by answering a question or two from the tag. I really love reading what you guys have to say and we can all learn from each other. ❤

I cried hearing your story about your mother... So many people look down on low-income immigrant parents who can't speak English, without caring to know their stories of sacrifice and determination. Growing up, my dad worked as both a librarian and a janitor at night in addition to being an international student trying to earn his PhD. My mom was a stay-at-home mom who raised me and my brothers, doing her best to teach us piano, math, Korean, and help us with homework despite not knowing English well. One time, she was in a minor car accident with a White woman. A White police officer who arrived at the scene listened to the other woman, let her leave right away, and proceeded to write my mom a ticket. He ignored her attempts to explain and when she tried to show him her driver's licence, he threw it on the ground and left. No language barrier can EVER justify treating someone so disrespectfully. If the adult me now could go back in time to that moment, I would totally go off on that officer!! Looking back now, I am constantly flooded with admiration for my parent's strength and gratitude for everything they endured to give me and my brothers the best life they could, for always putting us first so that we could dream big and believe anything was possible

I am crying listening to your mom’s story. Your mom has the sweetest spirit even when she doesnt speak much in your videos :( God bless her always!

People need to realise English is just a language! Not a scale of how intelligent you are. My dad can't speak English well but he is the most intelligent man I know.

부모님이 이민 1세대이기 때문에 고생을 참 많이 하셨을 것 같아요. 슬프네요...그래도 그 덕분에 지금의 삶을 살고있는것이기 때문에 참 감사하지요.

Last year, I tutored a 10 year-old Korean girl whose family moved to America for a year. One day, I showed her one of your videos as part of a grammar lesson-- I think it was your morning routine from years ago. She had some self-esteem issues because her english wasn't as good as her younger brother and she had glasses that she hated wearing but I wanted to help her feel more confident. She often felt discriminated against by teachers and classmates and I felt so bad. I showed her your video and told her about how you're Korean American and I that I thought she was going to look like you when she grows up. I wish you could have seen how she lit up! I truly think it meant a lot to her and you became someone she could look up to. I just wanted to share this with you in hopes that it makes you happy! This girl may have been able to relate you a young Jenn and I hope it feels great to know that, as an adult, you helped a girl in a similar situation. I love you and I teared up with you in this video!

Jenn, you are crazy articulate in your videos and for me that is a huge part of what distinguishes your content from a lot of other creators’ out there. It’s so surprising to find out that you feel like you’re not good at expressing yourself! Your voice has always been so genuine and candid in a sea of manufactured beauty/entertainment content, which is what I think has built you a huge following. This video in particular showcased that incredible ability of yours to emote and engage your audience. Shout out to Amy’s thoughtful questions, too! Thank you so much for making this video. As a non-American Asian living in the West, I have my own struggles as an immigrant, but it was really inspiring and educational to learn about you and your family’s struggles and resilience as Asian Americans. It’s so great that you’re putting in effort to learn Korean now, never too late; our relationships with our parents will definitely improve with time, improved communication, and patience. I wish you guys nothing but the best in the future!

We adopted our youngest daughter from Korea as a baby. She is now 39 years old and a pediatric nurse. We are so proud of her and it was so interesting to hear your story, your struggles, and your joys!

Jenn, I highkey started crying right when you mentioned the curry rice story. As a Korean American myself, I remember in Kindergarten when I was first struck with the notion that I am different from my peers, when I came to school with my kalbi and rice and saw how disgusted my lunch mates were. I remember coming home crying, yelling at my mom for packing me asian food, for having a Korean name no one could pronounce, for me looking different. Little did I know that my mom had her struggles too, that she was afraid to leave the house, for she was fully aware that she couldn't defend herself and that her language barrier made her vulnerable. I regret those days when I lashed out to my mom whenever she couldn't understand me, through both language and culture. I get mad at myself for complaining why she always asked me to help translate things or asked me to spell something for her. I'm disappointed that I'm fluent only in English, because I know theres so much that I want to tell my family and my family wants to tell me, but the language barrier prevents that. Its hard to identify as Korean American. Everyone either thinks you're a fob or you're white washed. Why can't people just like me for being me? Why does my race/ethnicity have to play such a big part in how people accept me? Growing up in America was really a tug of war between cultures. I got mad when I was put in an inferior position, but what made me mad the most was how I couldn't stand up for myself. Just like you mentioned, standing up for yourself is scary. But now I realize standing up for yourself is the best thing you can do for not only yourself, but also for others who are going through the same struggle as you are. It may be scary, but its necessary. It was definitely stressful to put up with people who didn't know what I was going through. But now, I can't really complain about all of my early, negative memories about my ethnicity, because back then, people just genuinely didn't know what Korea was. I'm proud that Korea has been gaining light through multiple perspectives. But all in all, its our responsibility to teach about our culture and to be open and learn from each other. You can't have unity without diversity, right? Thank you for sharing and embracing your experience Jenn❤

한국에 사는 한국인으로서 한국인이라는것에 자부심을 가져주시고 있다니 고마워요. 어린시절의 상처와 어머님의 사고가 트라우마로 남지 않아 다행이에요. 아직은 세계속에 작은 나라이기에 무시 당하는 아픔도 있지만 인터넷을 통해 알고 있겠지만 점점 좋아지고 있어요. 국력도 올리고 있어요. 그러니 한국인으로서의 자부심을 놓지 말고 가슴속에 담아주기 바래요.

I am at a loss for words really, you’ve said everything I’ve been feeling about my Vietnamese American identity for the longest time - the discrimination against my parents (a similar dangerous situation happened with my parents’ small businesses too), the inability to articulate what you want to say, and having to go to church and Vietnamese school and not really retaining it all. I’m really glad you made this video

모야 눈물나는 이야기인줄 알고 힘이 되어주려고 들어왔는데 희망찬 구독자 245만명 이였자나!!

I feel ya when it comes to articulating what's in your mind. I can never express well enough because I'm not that great in all the languages. There's always a barrier between my feels and my words! 😂To be honest, I always think that you are such a great speaker, in your videos and also in real life. Yeah the bullying part definitely sucks, mine started quite a bit later since I moved to Australia after high school. I wish I had to courage to shut them up then as well. lol. Look at you now! So proud of you ! ❤

omg jenn... i had no idea what happened to your mom. i have no words. im just sending you and your family all the love i can. youre a wonderful woman!

I almost cried listening to your mom's story. It must have been so tough for your parents to settle down in America. I think their hard work has already paid off. Look what a great person you are now! You are inspiring all these people from all over the world!!!

I just found out about this video and I cried. I feel every word, every word you say. My parents from Uzbekistan and I was born and live in Russia. I play like a Russian, but I don't look like a Russian obviously. So, I'm an alien in Russia and in Uzbekistan. I was bullied because of how I look and my name (my name is not Russian) and all these things that came along with. And I'm so so thankful to my parents and I also want to thank them back for everything they did and do for me, but with all that COVID-19 situation happening in the world right now, I lost my job... and I feel that I am an asshole loser, I am trying to stay positive and keep pushing, but it's hard. Thank you for your video, it gave me the motivation to not give up.

I'm so sorry about what happened to your mum, it breaks my heart into pieces. I related to you so much when you said that if your language isnt good enough people tend to underestimate you, it's so sad and should definately be changed :(

I'm sorry about what your mom went through. Your words n honesty about growing Korean American is inspiring. My parents are the first generation American so when you talked about the shit that they go through to have a better life for the next opened my eyes. I'm proud to say that I'm a Vietnamese American and I live who I am n my culture. Love you JENN!

오늘 처음 봤는데 미소가 너무 아름다우세요 부모님 강도 얘기 들었을땐 같이 울컥했어요 해외에 체류한경험이 있어서 봤을때 정말 1세대는 오직 자식들을 위해 더 좋은환경을 주고자 헌신하고 희생하고 고생하는 모습에 후에 철이들면 그걸알게되죠 앞으로 구독할께요

부모님이 정말 힘드신 시간이셨을텐데 특히 트라우마를 가질만한 사건이 있으셨던 어머님께서.. 그래도 따님이 이렇게 잘 자라줘서 자랑스러우실거에요 응원합니다

i am mexican american and I can relate to so many of the things you experienced. glad you made this video!

I remember I brought kimchi to elementary school one time and people made fun of me saying it stunk. After that I told my mom to only pack ham and cheese or pb and j sandwiches. Now, everyone is loving the kimchi! I hope my future children don’t have to go through what we did. That little boy who called kare rice poop is missing out! But these things made us who we are now. My family has a similar story to yours; they came to America and worked three jobs at the same time to make ends meet so us kids could have a better life. My parents always got discriminated against because their English wasn’t perfect, but they always stayed strong and carried on. We should be so proud of our parents! 😄

Thank you for sharing your story with us Jenn! Especially the story about what happened to your mom, i actually teared up

저 진짜 울면서 봤어요...눈물, 콧물 다흘리면서...ㅠㅠㅠ 진짜 부모님께서도 너무 힘드셨을 것 같아요.. 저는 미국유학때문에 시험보러 한달간 다녀왔었는데 말이 안통하고 영어를 잘못해서 무시하는듯한 느낌에 소심해져 있었거든요..근데 jenn 부모님께선 계속 거기 사시면서 일도 하시고 사람들과 부딪히는 일도 많으셨을거고...너무 고생하셨을 것 같아요...

OMG GURL I CRIED WATCHING THIS VIDEO, I'm so sorry that your mum had to go through that. You also had a lot of difficulties thinking that you'd never satisfy "the Asian standards", but you parents must be SO SO SO proud of having such a smart and beautiful daughter like you!!! Lots of love Jenn! from Korean Canadian

I cried when you mentioned your moms story :( thank you for this video, this is so relatable

oh man, I wasn’t ready for the waterworks. you’re such a role model jenn. we love you 💖

As the son of Italian immigrants in Canada, I can truly relate to your story. It brought me to tears thinking back about what we went through. Today, I am a proud Canadian, but also so proud of my Italian heritage. It's my soul. What an amazing video Jenn. Thank you. Bless you girl.

Oh goodness, Jen. I loved this and of course your Mom’s traumatic story made me cry. I appreciate you sharing your growth and experiences because it has been something that I have been to expressing to friends and people around me, saying that not everyone was born “woke” or aware of themselves in a cultural aspect, specifically in America. We need to give ourselves space to grow because life can be so hard on us, even at an early age. During my childhood, assimilation was shoved down my throat as an African American too and even though I am not first generation (but a proud descendant of those in chattel slavery), and I was hit hard with the “model minority” stereotype for the opposite reasons. People always thought I was less smart and put me in lower classes, and I worked my butt off to show my smarts while at the same time thinking that later in life I would be properly rewarded for all the work that I had done (and you can guess how that went in college). Either way, I am extremely blessed to be where I am at now, to have all that I have (not just my degrees), and to claim my heritage as a Black American, and wouldn’t have it any other way. As for the other questions, I am Black American and I have not always been proud of who I am but now see the beauty of my culture and my people, who make me proud every day. Because I was born in CA and lived there long enough to get the accent (yes, Californians have accents), I dealt with the stereotype of being told I talk like a white girl, and this mostly came up in middle school since I lived in Baltimore, MD (from a white guy nonetheless 😅). I resented it because of a few things. 1 - Just because you have an accent, speak Ebonics and/or broken English, does not mean you are less educated. 2 - Just because someone has a Californian accent doesn’t mean they are smart. 3 - There are different kinds of intelligence out there that is necessary to survive (book smart, street smart, etc) and speech does not always denote that intelligence in ways that you expect. And 4 - Black people speak in all different kinds of languages, accents, etc just like everyone else and there is no way to speak “white”. It’s a classist and racist stereotype that needs to end. Either way, we were young and I hope he stopped saying that cuz I just gave him a dirty look as a kid. I didn’t have time for it. 😂 It should not only be the way that negative stereotypes (racism, classism, sexism, etc) affect us that unites people, but our personal internal struggles, defeats, victories, and triumphs. And it takes so much grace and vulnerability to share these stories so I appreciate you sharing yours, Jen. I am happy continue watching your journey as long as you choose to share it with us on here. Much love. 💛

한국인으로서 응원해요

Jenn, your story about your mom and how it impacted you lit a fire under me as well. I can totally relate as a Korean-american with a korean mom. This inspires me to do my own tag. Thanks for sharing. 화이팅!

Seeing the way Australians treated my spanish parents growing up was really hard. The lack of respect and unwillingness to help made my heart break for them

Such an amazing video! I was born in Korea, but adopted by an American family when I was 7 months old. I grew up in a rural area of Idaho that had zero Asian people. I had a difficult childhood of being bullied, getting into fights because of being bullied and having to grow up fast when my parents got divorced when I was 8. I never felt accepted by Asians or Americans. As I have gotten older, I have pretty much created my own path. I don’t really allow one thing to define who I am. I am many things and that makes me unique. I embrace my differences and hope to travel to Korea someday with my daughter, so we both can experience that part of our heritage together.

I never really comment on videos and I only shed 2 tears watching Les Miserables but damn... you had me tearing up hard when you shared what your mother went through! For myself, race/ethnicity has always been an awkward subject at best.. I'm a bit over half Native American and the rest white (Italian, German and Irish). My white relatives are fairly recent immigrants, so I got a decent amount of cultural immersion on all fronts. My father's side is mainly native and I grew up on pow wows and fry bread. He is an excellent beadwork artist and has even had me help him pluck a porcupine (it hurts. Like, a lot. LOL) It's always been weird for me though because, for one, people very often mistake me for being Asian. Being Asian isn't necessarily bad, but.. I'd like to be recognized for what I am, and those who get it right are usually other natives. Go figure! What's also weird for me is that I am in my own native country, yet I've seen less natives than anyone else. There's not a big enough native voice to deflect the misrepresentations and stereotypes about us. It's a damn shame to me, honestly.. The constant media focus on race issues can be a bit overwhelming these days, I won't lie, but I do hope that it will all come full circle in a positive way and that people will dismiss harmful stereotypes rather than perpetuate them. Stir the pot enough and hopefully things will all mix smoothly! Because optimism!! 😂😂😂👊💖

Loved this video, your mom's story was very sad and touching. I am Greek/Dominican and there was a time when I was younger that I didn't take pride on my ethnicity. Let's just say that kids can sometimes be assholes. I didn't feel neither greek nor dominican. Now as I've grown older I could not be any prouder for both of my backgrounds and this mixed culture that I have obtained.

It's so heartbreaking. That's why it's very important for parents to teach their kids about cultural, ethnicity and race diversity as well as respect and compassion.

You are so strong to tell that story about your mom and it shows that even if she was a fearful person. She was strong because of her love for her kids. I started crying because I feel the same way with my parents with my mom running a food service store. Love ya Jenn From a Vietnamese American

First-generation struggles, man. I feel you. I'm first-generation Mexican American.

I’m in tears 😓 mi corazón feels so much for your mama. I really relate to first generation struggles our parents face and it saddens me that similar experiences have occurred to my family as well. We are resilient people. I appreciate you so much for your courage. For your words. For your existence. This is for them. ✊🏼

와진짜너무예뻐요..그냥 외모 칭찬이 아니라 사람이 예뻐요 사람이.. love you❤️

I am so sorry that something so traumatic happened to your mom. I am so thankful that she stayed strong and continued to raise you in that fearful time.. I was born in Cambodia but moved here when I was 5... I had a hard time adapting because I loved speaking my languages, mandarin, teochew, and Khmer, but here in California, nobody I knew spoke those so I didn’t want to adjust. I remember in elementary school we had to write out numbers and such, I had already learned to do that back in Cambodia when I was much younger, but I refused to write the American numbers... so I wrote in Chinese instead. Adapting and accepting a new place was hard for me but in the end, it had to happen for me to “fit” into this world.

Oh my gosh, I can totally relate to your mortification over food. Even though it may seem trivial, at that age it really is tough being different from others.

Everyone needs to watch this video!! It's so awesome reading through these comments and seeing how much positive impact you are having. I can see people in the comments being instantly more proud of their heritage because of you! I really hope in this country we are becoming more open minded and accepting of different cultures and just being more kind to everyone we meet.

hey, I am korean American too (1st generation) I was born in Korea but lived out here for the rest of my life since I was a baby and whilst watching your video, everything linked up because I am not great at explaining things and you had the exact same struggles as me and it felt like you told the world who we actually are and things we desperately want to say. Every single sentence and word you said were relatable. It felt like you were telling my story. I just want to say thank you for doing something that I've always wanted to do, but couldn't. You don't know how much it means to me❤️

Thank you for posting this video

"Where did those years of Korean school go?" GIRL I RELATE I used to go to Chinese school every Friday evening - FRIDAY EVENING I HAD TO GIVE UP MY FRIDAY EVENINGS that's social suicide for a teenager - and my Chinese level is probably about the same as your Korean level.... Watching the news is a STRUGGGLLLEEEE

한국인들도 Jenn이 자랑스러워용

영어 공부하면서 우연히 영상접했는데 처음엔 톤이랑 발음이 넘 멋져서 배우고싶다고해서 쭉 봤는데 예전 영상들을 보니 성장과정들이 많은시행착오끝에 이렇게 올수있었구나싶더라구요 멋져요 멀리 한국에서 누군가는 당신을 닮고싶어하는 사람도있으니까요 응원합니다!! 잘해왔고 지금도 잘하고있으니까요♡

I grew up in Paris, I was born in the South of France and my parents are coming from Senegal (Africa) and Guyane (South America). I to-ta-lly resent you when you said that in Korea you are considered American and vice versa. It was exactly the same when as a kid I was in Senegal and people on the street once called me "a white french person" because I couldn't speak wolof (Senegal's main language after French). Now, as a grown women, I am also planing to learn wolof because I feel like I am finally ready for it. I really want to thank you for sharing this experience because you are right : our parents paved the way for us to integrate in the country they choose, they went through a lot to integrate as immigrant, and for that we have to show them gratitude every single day. I wish you the best Jenn, this video made my day.

So much love girl!! Growing up 1st generation Australian from a Vietnamese family I can totally relate to what you've been talking about so far. The world needs more videos about peoples ethnic stories like this! And let Ben know we've been missing his videos too! Xx

젠!! 언제나 응원하고 있어요💕 한국어 공부 열심히 할거라니 기뻐요💘❤

I was adopted from Korea and I am interested in learning more about the Korean culture. This was a very deep and personal look at your experiences and I appreciate the time you took to create this video!

I actually shed a tear when you started talking about your mother. I am from a completely different country but completely relate to you as a first gen british from Africa - I was relating to every single point you were making even the language issue. Our parents have done so much for us

My son is Japanese American. I’m sure he will go through the similar situation as yours, but I will keep telling him that his ethnicity is not the thing he need to be ashamed of, but something really shines him up. Thank you for sharing this video, Jenn. You always inspire me so so much. Love from Japan.

Thank you so much for this video ❤️ you’re truly inspiring in every way

I am Chinese American, age 70, and I find a lot of similarities that you went through in your youth. I am writing an article now on Asian wine professionals (I am in the wine business). I just interviewed to Korean American winemakers and what you are saying resonates. Thanks for doing such an honest, real-life RU-vid. Keep up the good work, this is important for all of us, and I mean everyone include in white and black Americans.

It's crazy how almost every Asian American I've seen online (including me) has had a story similar to your curry rice one. I'm Japanese American and my mom used to always packed me bento boxes in elementary school and while some teachers loved them and would tell me how cute they were, my classmates and friends would comment on how it smelled bad or looks weird. I was so embarrassed by the attention my food got I eventually told my mom to stop packing me lunches altogether. I felt bad because I loved my mom's cooking and she prides herself with it so for a long time she wasn't aware of the real reason I asked her to stop, she believed my little lie about how the kids would take my food and eat it. Throughout my K-12 life I would rarely bring lunches but I always made sure they were more "acceptable" to eat in front of the kids who would only bring/buy sandwiches or pizza for lunch. She's aware now why I actually asked her to stop making me bento boxes and thankfully she isn't hurt or offended but I do wish I didn't miss out on some amazing lunches haha.

I was crying when you were crying because I felt your pain. My parents owned a small grocery store and worked very hard, 7 days a week and one day, while my father was at the store alone, 2 men came in with guns and robbed the store. My dad was hit across the face with a pistol and locked inside a walk-in refrigerator box. Til this day, I cry when I think about it and it breaks my heart. I'm also "Korean American" and I related to a lot of your struggles, especially communicating with my mother. You're right, things always get lost in translation and even though I consider myself fluent in Korean, it's hard for me to articulate my feelings in Korean and I always felt misunderstood. I was NOT good in school and it didn't help that I was painfully shy and so I use to hate it when people would expect me to be good in math etc. Also, the cultural difference between home life and social life was a struggle for me. As a kid, I absolutely hated being Korean American but now, as an adult, I'm proud to call myself a Korean American and it took me a long time to get to this place.

I just can't help but tear a little because I could actually feel how much you love your mom and how much you want to protect her.. My mom pass away when I was 7 so I do wish I was older back then to love her more in any ways I could. But that aside, you're such a ball of sunshine!!! Don't ever let anything brings you down! 💞

와 저도 한국인이예요! 왜인지는 모르겠지만 그냥 끝까지 보게되었어요..

I was born and grew up in Portugal as a Chinese, I found this so relatable. When I look back to my younger self, I hope there was more strength in me and just be confident with who I was. Specially when you are younger it is hard no to absorb what others say and think about you, I would tell people who are experiencing this kind of cultural diversity within themselves now, just to know that this is a gift. You are opened to new ways of thinking and being, you can be so much more! This world is becoming more integrated and globalised, so be proud of who you are. Close-minded people should open their minds before opening their mouths! Express yourself, be proud of who you are

I'm not even Korean-American, but your stroy encourged me a lot because of the fact that you're still a warm and bright person even though your childhood has been very tough for you.

So sorry that happened to your mom 😔 immigrant parents are truly the hardest working people. And I’ll always be grateful that my grandparents made their way to the states to escape the secret war. Love you sooo much Jenn and Thanks for making this video! ❤️

Seeing you vulnerable and crying felt like a real face to face connection with you. I appreciated this so much. Thank you for being you!

Aww SO happy you made your version of this video, Jenn.❤️ it was comforting in a way when we chatted and you told me that you also had a very similar experience in elementary school b/c I thought I was the only one... (i would’ve totally shared my sushi with you if we went to the same school in Cali😂) Thank you also for speaking about your very personal story. Lots of love & power to you, your amazing mom, and family for being so strong and full of love. Keep shining!!💎✨

This has honestly hit home for me so much! It's so amazing to know that you let your experiences mold you into such a beautiful strong person. I'm also a first generation in my family. I'm Hmong American. My parents met & got married in America, but they have also live through the Vietnam War and immigrated here to the States in the mid 80's. In my childhood, it was always hard for me (as a kid) to explain to people 'where I come from' since Hmong people don't have their own country and my parents didn't teach me the traditional customs either. They left the old beliefs/practices and became Christians before they got married. When kids did ask, I didn't have clue and people often mistook Hmong as Mongolian. Hence, I started asking questions to my parents about Hmong people's history and what it means to be Hmong and it gave me a foundation to be proud of my identity. So from then on whenever people asked me about my ethnicity, I also asked their ethncity to see if they're proud of their identity and question them too. I didn't take American as an answer. There were times where I did feel insecure about my ethnicity since it was not well known to people but I have gain patience to tell people about my ethnicity whenever they ask. Thank for opening up to us Jenn!

어머니 얘기할때 저도 눈물이 주루륵 흘렀어요. 당신이 한국을 자랑스러워 하는것처럼 나는 한국계 미국인인 당신이 이렇게 큰 유투브 스타가 된 것이 자랑스러워요!!. 영상 항상 잘 보고 있어요. 아침 출근전 이쁜 미소보면서 저도 화장하고 출근한답니다. 기분좋게요!I love the way you are! Wish you come to korea and have a fan meet up! Happy that you are proud of being Korean American ;)

와... 저 아무생각없이 유튜브 들어와서 보다가 처음으로 유튜브 보다가 진짜 대단하다고 느꼈어요 먼가 세상에 개념없고 생각없이 살아가는사람도 많은데 이렇게 그것도 어릴때부터 그런상황을 경험하고 이해하고 받아드린다는것이 정말 놀랍달까.. 14분안에 되게 값진 영상 본것같아요 감사합니다 구독누르고 영상 다 챙겨볼게요 코로나 조심하시구..

Being a 17 year old Vietnamese Dutch girl born and raised in the Netherlands, I could totally relate to your stories. You are wonderful and inspiring ❤️

Thank you for sharing your experience Jenn! I really relate to your struggles and thoughts, especially having to try harder to provide for your parents and make sure they don't live through that bad experience again (That hit me hard.) Similar to you, I also remember being disconnected with my culture (almost to the point, hating my own culture) because of some people's upbringing of negative ideas, which almost made me disconnected with it. Lucky for me, I don't hate it anymore.

Thank you for opening up about this Jegg. This video was lovely and made me even more proud to be a Korean American! ❤️

Wow, this is amazing. My daughter is half korean and she is so proud of being Korean. Me too.

😭 Beautiful video Jenn! Made me tear up. I'm Native American and was born and raised on the Navajo reservation. Love you and your content. ❤️

I'm so glad you made this video?? It's personal, &real, &honest in a way a lot of recent videos feeding off of the trendiness/profitability of kculture/kpop are not. I'm Korean American. I loaathed the racist jokes as a kid (the pee in your coke rhyme, the ch*nk slur, the eye-related gags, the "dog eater" insults), & how people always assumed I was Chinese. But I related to your struggles w the model minority myth, too, just from a diff POV. I did well in school, but it was always attributed to my vague Asian ethnicity. No matter how hard I worked, or what individual talents I might've had, it was all bc I was Asian - it didn't count. My peers resented me for "making them look bad" when I tried my best & good grades only confirmed how different I was. On the other hand, if I slacked off & didn't stick out academically, then there was something wrong w me - I wasn't Asian enough. Further, bc Asians were somehow seen as a different breed, I & other Asian students were evaluated at a higher standard. We were compared to each other, & expected to constantly exceed while competing w each other. I also felt your struggles w your parents were Relatable AF?? I was raised by my immigrant mom who at times worked multiple jobs, & spoke fragmented english. My desire to assimilate & fit in other kids was already driving me apart from my heritage when I saw other adults disrespect my mother for having an accent, working in retail, & looking like a small Asian woman. It was hard to recognize my mother as the incredibly strong & hardworking person she was/is when I only saw people looking down on her & when I couldn't talk to her. It was hard to communicate with my mother, who was busy with work, had a different education/cultural upbringing, & spoke a different language. Oh, & I was also sent to Korean school for a short time in 4th or 5th grade, but transportation was difficult, & I didn't mind quitting bc I was embarrassed to be in classes with 5-6 yr olds learning the alphabet. Nowadays, I code switch like I imagine you do. 😓 I'd still love more Asian American visibility in western media (like you!), but it's nice to see kpop/kbeauty/kdrama/kmedia grow out here, & to know this growth has positive effects on Korea's economic/political stability. Uh, I think this essay is enough. Thanks for sharing you experiences so candidly. I hope your parents are well, and your mother is happier nowadays. Love&support. 💕

Jenn! Even crying, you're still so articulate and your words are still so well thought out. I love you and I'm so proud of how far you've come

The story about the curry made me so sad because my mom is Korean (dad's white) and everyone was really mean to me and they called me crazy whenever my mom packed my lunch. It really sucked

I completely identified with the part where you talked about how you had a disconnect with your parents because you simply couldn't vocalize the correct words. I still remember many times I couldn't express disappointment, hurt, disrespect, shame. It was rough for sure.. I feel you

What a beautiful video Jenn, thanks so much for sharing ❤️ I’ve always struggled with being “too black” in some situations, mainly in white spaces and “not black enough” for others, mainly with my extended family. I imagine it’s kind of similar as being viewed as American in Korea but Asian in America. It sucks that so much of our emotions tied to our cultural heritages is dependent on how others respond to us. It’s definitely led me to have a pretty negative view of myself in the past. But, like you, I’m trying to be proud of my heritage as I get older. Even though it sucks to have these negative experiences, I think it makes us more empathetic and well-rounded as we move into adulthood.

Thanks for sharing Jenn! My ethnicity is Sri Lankan but I was born and grew up in Scotland where there aren’t a lot of brown people. It was frustrating growing up with people automatically assuming I was Pakistani, Indian or even black (not even the right continent! 😂). It’s also annoying when people ask the question “where are you from?” Because the answer is “here, just like you” but I would always just say “my parents are originally from Sri Lanka”. I think most of us first gen kids come into ourselves eventually and realise it’s actually really cool to have 2 or more cultures that you can call your own :)

I love the Korean culture and the food and I’m originally from Somali❤️ We have to accept who we are regardless of our background because it wasn’t our choice to be born black, white, Asian. All human beings are amazing regardless where you are from. Peace and love and unity❤️❤️

Growing up as an Asian and wanting to be an artist was the hardest thing. The asian STEM genius stereotype and the perception of what was success for my parents made it so hard for me to pursue my dream. It took a while and a lot of hard work, but I am glad that I am able to hold onto what I want most and pursue my career.

Hey Jenn- thank you for sharing the story about your mom. I'm so sorry it happened. I am Latina and I hear you 100% about how our parents had to do the hard jobs. They are also my inspiration. They are my everything!!! ❤️❤️

Thank you so much for this video Jenn! 💕 I definitely didn’t experience the racism you did in school because my school was half white and half Asian, so I never felt uncomfortable because of my race, but I have experienced a handful of microaggressions in the city which made me start being insecure in college, because I didn’t know whether or not my peers viewed me differently because of their upbringing. This video helps to know that other Asian-Americans have felt this this insecurity and identity crisis, whether it’s to your extent or as mild as mine, but it helps to know that I’m not alone. I hope this conversation only gets louder because we have been silent for too long and so many of the points you made don’t get brought up enough. The model minority mindset you brought up is something I have definitely felt and others probably have as well, and it’s so toxic for our mental health to be pressured to be perfect.

This is so honest it makes me cry. I can connect with you on so many levels. So happy that you found your peace!

Jenn. One of the thankful things in my life is that I found you online so that I could watch your videos whenever I want to. I've been wathcing yours since 2013. It was life changing moment. I am Korean-korean living in Korea. L Your influence is worldwide. I love you because you are such a warm hearted and caring person who makes people feel warm inside. I love you because you love yourself as the way you are. You deserve a better life as it is now. So many things I want to praise about you.. Jenn you are the BEST. Love from South Korea. (Wish I lived in LA :( want to be your korean tutor)

Hi Jenn, despite being the loyal subscriber I am, never had I considered writing my own comment until now. The reason is closely connected to what you said in the video -- I'm a terrible writer. I usually don't have the motivation to write out my own thoughts because there's always a better representation of my feelings in the comments section. A simple like seemed to save so much time, and that way I wouldn't have to struggle to find the appropriate words that could describe my mixed emotions. But after hearing your most personal stories about your mother and battles that first generation parents undergo in general, I realized how reflective they are of my own family's struggles. I'm connecting with you on so many more levels than ever before. I'm glad your heart is settled in a beautiful place now. Those ups and downs I'm sure served as a robust foundation for you today just as your parents had hoped for. They must be so proud of you. And as a Korean American who hasn't reached your stage yet, I'm filled with an immense measure of hope to continue to pull ahead after watching this video. I know we've never seen or interacted with each other in real life but please know that your positive energy constantly inspires people from all around. Love you always.

This was an amazing video that I think hit home to a lot of your viewers, including me. Growing up desi (Indian-American) was rather tough in a neighborhood where there weren't as many people like me and because of that, I desperately wished I wasn't Indian at all. But now, as a 20 year old, I've definitely been piecing back together the culture and traditions and all of that and am finally becoming proud of who I am. The whole thing you said about immigrant parents having to do all the shitty jobs and all that- that also hit home for me. It sucks to be put in the position but I certainly know it's allowed us all to grow a lot more. Thank you for the video!

Thank you for this video. I didn’t grow up in America - but I am a Vietnamese-Australian. I was born and raised in Australia. I’ve had to deal with a lot of racism and bullies as well, growing up. Thank you for sharing your story, it made me cry when you spoke about your mum. Made me really miss my mum - who passed away when I was 4 months pregnant with my first child. Currently I’m going through such a difficult phase in life, but what you said towards the end of the video has pretty much slapped me in the face! It’s reminded me how hard my parents worked to give myself and my two brothers a better future. It’s reminded me of the tough and low-paying jobs they worked, all kinds of crap they had to deal with...all for a better future for me and my brothers. Therefore.. I cannot give up. Thank you Jen. Thank you.

I'm asian too, not asian American, but a course I took at my college called: asian American literature really gave me a lot of insight into not only asian Americans, but also the asian mentality and struggle. your lunch story reminds me of the scene in Fresh Off The Boat! He wanted lunchables as well!

wow I just watched your may vlog about how people say that you're no longer genuine or whatever and it's honestly HYSTERICAL that anyone would even say that to you when you literally put your whole life out on the internet and are SO vulnerable with your audience so that people can see the real you and learn from your experiences. so just some encouragement and a thank you for being so real and for using your platform for things that are important to you!!

I never really comment on videos, but wow, this one just really struck me. I'm currently a junior in HS and I'm a korean american like you. I go to a 97% caucasian school & while I never have exactly experienced bullying, it's like the small comments about asian stereotypes that always somehow build up and affect me. Luckily, the friends I've made are the ones that are actually really interested in korean culture and it makes me so feel so much more welcome. As for family, I HATE the fact that I can't speak korean well. While both my parents can speak english, it's the fact that I can't communicate with my grandparents that hurts me the most-- I feel like I don't get to hear their childhood stories or gather their wisdom and this always breaks my heart.

저도 한국계 미국인인데 이 영상이 감동적이었어요. 이야기 해줘서 감사합니다! 저같은 한국계 미국인을 유튜브에서 보닌가 자랑스럽네요. 새로운 구독자가 생겼읍니다 ^^ 응원하겠습니다! I'm a Korean American, too and this video resonated within me and made me emotional. Thanks for telling your story! I'm proud to see someone like me who is successful on RU-vid! I'll cheer you on!

thank you jenn. your voice has been so incredibly strong in my experiences growing up. after watching this i realized that you helped me grow up as a korean-american. i was able to watch your positive videos as i’ve grown up and i am so so proud of myself now. thank you so much i will always support you ❤️

OH MY GOD THAT PICTURE OF YOU WHEN YOU WERE SMALL IS JUST TOO ADORBZ 😍😍😍

Genuinely moved and touched by your story, Jenn. The way you able to be so transparent and vulnerable with your emotions is truly inspiring. As a Korean American, I completely resonate with points you made - Thank you for sharing your story

As a Korean currently living in America, thank you for sharing your experience. Tears came out when I heard about your mom. Jenn, you must be your mom's greatest pride. Look at you, you are so nice, wonderful human being. Also there are some comments like everything in my head comes out of a language that I've been thinking about-- thank you all. for sharing your stories.

영상 잘 보았습니다 잠시 해외에 체류하였을때 이민 1세대 부모님들이 얼마나 많은 고생들을 하시는지 이해 할 수 있었습니다. 그리고 간혹 외국에서 자란 교포들을 보면 잘못된 편견으로 인해 한국인이라는 것을 창피하고 부정하는 사람들은 볼 수 있었는데 젠은 자신이 한국인이라는 것에 자랑스러워하고 또한 뷰티유투버로서 좋은 영향력을 끼치는 인물로 잘 자라주어서 저 역사 매번 영상을 볼 때마다 얼마나 뿌듯한지 몰라요 젠의 저의 뮤즈에요!

I cried listening to your story. Nothing is bigger than the love of the parents. Sending you big hug from Korea.

My heart hurts so much. You have a reason to be full of energy. I admire you and your mother who raised you. You and your mother have the same smile. I want to see those smiles for a long time. Thank you for the beautiful video.

This made me cry. I love your honesty and how genuine you are. Your love for your mom is amazing