annyeong!
I’m Kat, a Korean Adoptee on a Mission
Born in Busan, South Korea, I was sent to the U.S. just days after turning a year old to be adopted. I grew up in Iowa rarely seeing any faces who resembled me. Even as an adult, it’s rare for me to encounter other Asians in my day-to-day life. During the pandemic, I discovered Korean dramas on Netflix and they changed my life. For the first time, I got a true glimpse into my home country. Growing up being made fun of and teased for being Korean it feels revolutionary to finally experience not only a sense of curiosity—but pride—in where I come from. In 2022, I returned to Korea on July 11th for the first time—the exact date I left when I was a year old. I spent nearly two months in Korea split between two trips (summer & late fall) and can’t wait to go back. I hope sharing the impact of how K-dramas and BTS have had such a positive impact on the evolution of my identity will help inspire other K-adoptees to take their own journey of self-discovery. My mission is to spend as much time in Korea as possible learning more about the country where I was born. I also want to help others go beyond a storyline or a song and truly experience the beauty of Korea firsthand.
Join Me On My Journey As I Get in Touch With My Korean Roots
From learning the language to trying my hand at cooking traditional Korean dishes, I’m determined to reclaim the parts of my heritage that (under different circumstances) would have been my birthright. So whether you’re a fellow K-adoptee or simply an admirer of Korean culture, it’s my goal to bring you the very best content in all things Korean.
01.
K-Dramas
Can’t get enough of K-Dramas? I’ve got reviews and recommendations to help you decide what to watch next. Don’t forget to leave a comment to join the discussion!
02.
Recipes
Learn to cook authentic Korean dishes with me! From staple side dishes like japchae to mouth-watering desserts like hotteok, I’ll give you step-by-step instructions that any newbie can follow.
03.
Travel
Planning a trip to Korea? Explore my blog for travel tips on where to stay, how to navigate, the best food spots, and sights you absolutely must see!
Youn’s Kitchen switches things up for season 3 with a brand new twist: Youn’s Stay
Youn’s Stay: The Show You Didn’t Know You Needed
Only 29 minutes into the nearly 2-hour premiere of Korea's reality show Youn's Stay and I'm smitten! After the week we just had in America, never would I have thought I could be truly distracted from the issues at hand and find myself smiling and laughing out loud. Unlike American reality TV, the entire premise of this Korean reality show is to have their celebrities…
Let’s Talk
Conversations & Interviews
Clubhouse & Instagram are where you’ll usually find me…
On the blog
Can You Learn to Speak Korean by Watching Kdramas?
The other day on a Facebook post, a friend of a friend said her husband insisted he could speak Korean after watching Korean dramas...
Korean Recipes
Easy, Authentic Hotteok
I make it like Park Seo-Jun on Youn’s Kitchen 2—served with a dollop of ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup!
Easy, Authentic Japchae
Watching Youn Yuh-Jung make japchae on Youn’s Kitchen 2 made me feel legit to see her version was very similar to mine.
Easy, Authentic Bulgogi
I used to buy pre-marinated bulgogi at Hmart but now I almost always make my own from scratch. It's super easy!
My Why
Bringing the essence of South Korea to every corner of the globe.
This is a place for joy and connection—a place where we can discuss the latest K-Dramas, fan over our favorite Korean celebrities, share our most beloved K-Beauty finds, try our hand at new Korean recipes, and support each other in learning the Korean language.
Latest on the Blog
Hwarang: The K-Drama That Birthed the Wooga Squad
Why does that one guy look so familiar? When I went to look up what other K-dramas I’ve seen him in I found it was none other than…
Blue Bayou: Justin Chon’s Film Shines Light On Dark Side of…
From the opening scene of Justin Chon’s film Blue Bayou, I felt seen. Antonio LeBlanc (Chon) is the first character I’ve ever seen in an American movie who…
Pachinko: Lee Min-ho Risks His Reputation For AppleTV…
I hope we do not see the Koh Hansu that Caroline Kennedy has in her head. I was honestly shocked when I read the end of her review for Pachinko…
Learn to speak Korean
Explore the top language resources I swear by
Interested in learning Korean? I’ve been studying the language for over a year now, which has led me to discover some pretty amazing virtual teachers, content creators, and apps. Check out the recommendations that I’ve personally found most helpful on my Korean language journey.