Whether in America or Korea, second generation Korean-Americans are labeled 'outsiders.' Although their passports may say they are American, they are still seen as 'immigrants.' Though they are Koreans in appearance, they are seen as 'foreigners' in the eyes of native Koreans.
Moreover, they find themselves shifting between their Korean home, where they learn about Korean culture from Korean parents, and the life outside the house, where they absorb American culture.
Are second generation Korean-Americans Koreans or Americans? An even more difficult question is, how should half-Koreans identify themselves?
The struggle over the issue of their identity is not easily understood by their parents or even friends. The question of one's cultural identity can only be answered by the individual alone. The answers to these questions vary greatly among second generation Korean-Americans.
In this episode, Korean-Americans share their hardships and how they have overcome the struggles to find their own answers to these difficult questions. |