Interviewee: Paul Koo
Interviewer: Elodie Koo
Synopsis
My father, Paul Koo, is a 51-year-old South Korean immigrant currently living in New Canaan, Connecticut. In this interview, Paul shared his experiences, emotions, and perspectives on different topics regarding Korean food, as well as his own life. He also was gracious enough to discuss his father’s death, a subject that provides insight into relevanthistorical and present-day race relations. This interview covers topics such as religion, racism, immigrant experience, and death. The interview was conducted via Zoom to accommodate travel restraints and timing circumstances. The interview was conducted by Elodie Koo, a first-year student at Colby College who is interested in developing a deeper understanding of Korean identity and history.
Paul Koo is a 51-year-old South Korean immigrant currently living in New Canaan, Connecticut. He is the father of the interviewer and three other children, and he is married to Lucy Koo, who is also a South Korean immigrant. Paul has one brother, referred to as “Uncle Pete,” and a mother, the grandmother of the interviewer. His father passed away when he was 16-years-old, the result of a racially motivated hate crime. Paul has since carried on thestrength and admirability of his father throughout the course of his adolescence and adulthood, and he has been gracious enough to share such events in his life, the memories of his childhood, and his experiences with identity as a Korean.