Nighttime Seoul
Interviewee: Anonymous
Interviewer: Dima Galanin (’27)
Synopsis
This interview is with a Korean-American woman who was born in Seoul and now resides in the New York City area. In her youth, she and her family made several significant moves, and she discusses in the interview what these transitions were like. She reflects on Korean school, her awareness (or lack thereof) of the 1980’s political demonstrations, and how she and her family adapted to new circumstances in Seoul. Additionally, she describes the evolution of societal norms and cultural tastes in South Korea and her husband and daughter’s relationship to South Korea. This interviews covers historically significant topics like political and cultural development, immigrant and emigrant experiences, and South Korean heritage. I was introduced to the interviewee by a family member, and we conducted the interview over Zoom. The interview was conducted by Dima Galanin, a third year History major at Colby College, who is interested in economic and cultural evolution within historical contexts.
Biography
The interviewee was born in Seoul in the mid-1970s. Her father was a banker, and her mother stopped working after having children to care for her family. The interviewee’s family moved often during her youth, going back and forth between London and Seoul. She had an international education, attending school in Korea, the UK, and the United States. She now lives in New York City with her husband and daughter, where she is involved with Korean organizations.