Korean Canadian artists explain the blessings — and costs — of living between 2 cultures
Jennifer Yoon | CBC News | Posted: May 23, 2023 8:00 AM | Last Updated: June 15, 2023
Being an immigrant and juggling two cultures is a common experience in Canada, often seen as a blessing.
But there's also a cost to that balancing act.
Kevin Park Jung-Hoo and Jin Hee Woong recently meditated on this subject at an exhibit called Migrant Instability at Montréal, arts interculturels.
Park was born in Toronto and grew up in Quebec City, before moving to Korea in his youth.
Jin was born and raised in Korea, and immigrated to Montreal in 2017, where he is raising his two kids.
Park says that this sense of being split between two worlds feels like "you're always a few inches above the ground."
In a candid conversation with the CBC's Jennifer Yoon, also a Korean Canadian immigrant, they discuss how being both Korean and Canadian has given them opportunities, while also bringing feelings of loss and isolation.
To mark Asian Heritage Month, CBC Quebec connected with Asian communities to ask them: How do you carry your cultural heritage, in big ways or small? Learn more about the series here.