I’ve exerted a lot of energy seeking belonging. For the longest time, being Korean American represented all the things I failed to completely access, all the places I failed to fully assimilate, and all those I struggled to get along with. With the 2016 election, I came to a head with this demoralized way of thinking. I saw the precariousness of disparaging something so central to my understanding of self. I saw that in doing so, I was reinforcing the already diminished role Asian Americans take up in the mainstream consciousness. At that point, I chose to be unapologetic. I shifted my focus to what my position as both participant and perpetual interloper generated. This collection comes from the language gathered in this ongoing exploration; from what I find beautiful as an observer and what marks me as distinctly “Korean American”. The ringing quiet of a K-town 노래방 (karaoke room) after a singing session with laser lights still flickering; The soft pinkness of the 사우나 (sauna) uniforms at King Spa; The pastel-filled packaging on Asian beverages at the local Korean market. All these things fill up an experience that is unique and complex, one that is specifically Korean American and broadly Asian American. My hope through this collection is to connect to those who share in these experiences, to those who might through these images feel that sense of belonging I am still seeking.