For a long time, Asian cultures have interested me, especially the Korean culture. I'm fascinated by everything from the language itself to the unspoken code of conduct of the people. Learning to read and write Korean has turned me into an avid fan of the culture. Although I may be open about it now, having an interest in Korean Pop music (Kpop) has been a constant struggle for me during school. Battling with embarrassment because it is uncommon for teens, especially African-American teens, to be as interested in Asian culture as I am. This has led me to feel like the oddball with my family and my group of friends. I was afraid to indulge in my passion because whenever I talked about Kpop or the recent Kdrama I watched, all I would get in reply were judgmental stares. For the sake of not being teased, I began to just keep it to myself. I started putting forth the …show more content…
It left me empty and I felt like I had nothing to offer. That is when I figured out that I was lying to myself about who I really wanted to be. Trying to fit the mold and standards that the people around me set made me feel worse than I did before. Upon reaching high school, I was able to meet other people who shared an interest in Asian cultures. Even if they weren't as interested in the culture as I was, it gave me a place where I could feel safe, welcomed, and share my interests with others. Social media was a huge factor in giving me the opportunity to communicate with others around the world that enjoyed Korean culture just as much as I did. Recently I attended the Houston's annual Korean Festival where they exhibit the Korean culture. There I met tons of new people and got the chance to experience the foods that I always seen on the Korean shows. That was the happiest I had been in a long time. Just being free to talk easily about things made me feel at ease, rather than feeling dejected from my