Seoul Food: Short Stories of a Korean American Living in Los Angeles - Softcover

Koo, Sarai

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0990775011 ISBN 13: 9780990775010

Publisher: Project Spices, 2019

Synopsis

Seoul Food is a creative non-fiction book about the lives of second-generation Korean Americans growing up in Los Angeles County–the Mecca for diversity of cultures. Targeting a young adult readership, Seoul Food captures snapshots of Korean lifestyles of as well as an inherent, sometimes shameful, dysfunctional family and lifestyle created by the disconnect between Korean-born parents and their American-born children. The book not only infuses the work with credibility, but also brings to light quintessential aspects, including universal issues confronting many youth of many cultures. Stories of Korean Americans’ private experiences may go unnoticed, or their lives may be misinterpreted. Most often, media portray Koreans as the model minority. Seoul Food wittingly and subtly unpacks these perceptions with a candidness and humor that will cause readers to rethink their assumptions. As Korean music, drama, culture, and food have spiced the lives of many people across the globe, Seoul Food is a literary work that will find its home in your heart.

About this title

About the Author

Sarai Koo, Ph.D. is a transformative speaker, culture change engineer, coach, author, and community leader. For more than 18 years, Dr. Koo has helped organizations and corporations to transform their workplace cultures. Her unique expertise focuses on helping clients: reassess their core value systems to align with organizational goals and vision; reduce or eliminate organizational and individual barriers affecting productivity; build essential human resource leadership skills to help the workforce become motivated, productive, and committed to achieving the organizations desired results. Dr. Koo has delivers numerous leadership, organizational, behavioral change services, training, and presentations across various industries. She uses her SPICES Paradigm™, a process-oriented, decision-making approach to develop diverse people to become productive; assist workforce personnel to explore their respective strengths, recognize and maintain positive relationships and work-life balance; become aware of and release hindering behavior, and design a life plan that fulfills their potential. She provides proprietary programs and services for people and companies through coaching, consulting, training, and speaking engagements. Sarai works and consults with companies, government leaders, educators, and individuals throughout the world. She is a published author, speaker, and lecturer to various groups and has successfully developed innovative leadership and mentoring programs for more than 15 years. In 2011, Dr. Koo, was chosen as one of the top 25 Korean-American community leaders under the age of 40 nationwide.

Review

"Seoul Food peels away the mask that all Korean Americans are expected to wear in public and eloquently exposes what's underneath. As a Korean American preacher's kid of a prominent pastor that later "fell away from the faith" and became a stand up comedian, Seoul Food spoke to me in a very real way. I highly recommend it."
Paul PK Kim, Founder of Kollaboration, Co-Founder of Liberty in North Korea

Beneath the entertaining and lighthearted tales of her childhood lies the true message of her book, which is the importance of family, the search for identity, and love for humanity. Seoul Food is a must read, especially for 2nd and 3rd generation Asian Americans.
-Katherine Iniba, "Halo Halo with Kat Iniba" Host/Producer

"Refreshingly written, wittingly articulated. Seoul Food allows you to taste the bitter sweetness of immigrant life."
Steve Myung, Writer and Director

Edition details

• Publisher: Project Spices
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 0990775011
• ISBN 13: 9780990775010
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 202