The Book of Korean Self-Care

In 2011, I had the opportunity to be stationed in Seoul,

Umma tells me that she cried all the way to the U.S. as she processed the abandonment of everything familiar to step into the unknown indefinitely.

After several decades, all but two of my aunts and uncles traveled one by one to the U.S.

Despite hailing from a wealthy family in Pyongyang, Harabuji and my grandmother left their riches to escape to the South.

Although I lived with Harabuji until I was 18, my relatively limited Korean did not allow us to communicate about his past in depth.

It represented a collective hero’s journey of escaping a war-torn country, settling in South America, and eventually immigrating to the promised land of America to ensure a better life for our family and descendants.

Koreans realize that outer beauty is more than just skincare and makeup—it’s a reflection of inner health.

There’s no doubt that creating a skincare routine can get overwhelming with so many different products available. When you start out, focus on the key basics: a cleanser, serum, moisturizer, and sunscreen. When drying, pat, don’t rub.

healthy skin is one’s natural makeup.