On Hee Hwang

Interview by Chaerin Sung

Where is your hometown?

My hometown is Busan, South Korea. Busan is known for its ocean, mountains, and fresh seafood. Many young adults and teenagers come to Busan [to showcase] their talents and share Korean culture. In order to see the beach from Seoul, you would have to travel by car for about 5 hours or ride the train. However, in Busan, the beach is right next to you, so you can see or visit it at any time.

I lived in Busan until I was 26, right before I married. A few months later, I moved to Ulsan, South Korea, which is my husband’s hometown. Ulsan is a seaside metropolitan city full of huge factories and companies such as Hyundai. In Ulsan, I lived with my husband, mother-in-law, and his sisters for 10 years. However, after giving birth to my two kids, I immigrated to Los Angeles, California, for my children’s education.

When I first came to the United States of America with my family, I dealt with so many hardships. The main one was the difference between Korea’s and America’s lifestyles and way of thinking. In Korea, people show their respect to elders by calling them “unni” (언니 — older sister) or “oppa” (오빠 — older brother). However, in America, kids call their siblings and elders by their names, which was very unusual for me. Also, for Koreans, we tend to care about how [we’re perceived] by others, but I’ve noticed that many people in America are very carefree and nonchalant. After coming to America and living here for years, I realized that the Americans are more free and open-minded than Koreans.

Korea’s and America’s education systems are very different. Why did you want your kids to be educated in America?

In Korea, private schools are very popular and well-known for being very good at teaching students. The schools are very organized and clean, but for your student to be successful in the future, they would need a separate tutor, which would cost a lot of money. In addition, students would have to spend nights at school studying for their tests and finishing up their homework. I thought my children would have a hard time, and I did not want them to suffer. In America, students are given more freedom and opportunities. I realized that it was important for my kids to have a better education and learn to become more independent.

Do you live or work in Koreatown?

Yes, I live and work in Koreatown. My house is right in front of the Oriental Mission Church, located on Western and Elmwood Avenue. I came to Koreatown because my sister-in-law was already living here. As for my job, I am a co-owner and hairstylist at Tiji Hair Salon, located on Western and Rosewood Avenue. As soon as I graduated from high school in Korea, I looked for a steady job. After long consideration, I chose to be a hairstylist because I thought that it was the safest and easiest. When living in Korea, I worked with more than 20 people at a hair salon for almost 10 years. When I immigrated to America, I worked at a hair salon, located in Koreatown called Kaju Hair, for two to three years for the experience. I created my own business with a good friend who also used to work there.

I wanted to open my own business and not work for someone else. Opening my own business would give me more benefits and provide clients with excellent customer service. When I first opened my hair salon, I was worried I wouldn’t get any customers because not many people would trust a new business without reviews.

What are your thoughts on Koreatown?

When I first came to Koreatown, I thought it was very old-fashioned. However, after living here for a couple of years, many changes occurred in this town. Koreatown was developed by first-generation Korean American immigrants who must have gone through so many hardships and struggles to pave the way for future generations. I sometimes feel their energy embedded in places around Koreatown.

Koreatown is like a place you would never see in Korea. When I first came, it was not city-like. I thought Koreatown would be luxurious, consisting of large buildings, but it was a lot different [from what] I expected. It was really awkward at first. I had a hard time adjusting to it.

Many young adults and youth are now coming to Koreatown. There have been various reconstructions around the city. There are more tall buildings than usual. However, I think the country and city side of Koreatown coexists.

Do you ever regret coming to Koreatown?

I have never regretted coming here. There is no point in regretting things. It’s not like you can go back in time and undo what you have done. My family is happy here in Koreatown, and honestly, that’s all I want.

Where is your favorite place in Koreatown?

I just love my home. Whenever I come home from work and see my family members’ faces, the stressful day at work disappears. My home and family give me happiness and joy. I haven’t really gotten the chance to go to a lot of places. The only places I go around Koreatown are KBBQ restaurants, Koreatown Plaza, and clothing stores. I would’ve loved to visit more places, but because I have to work six days a week, I haven’t gotten the opportunity.

If I were to pick one, I would choose my sister-in-law’s restaurant called Hwang Hae Do, which is a block away from my house. Her restaurant is known for broth bulgogi (육수불고기) and pork belly. Our family reunions, birthdays, and holidays always take place at that restaurant. Their food is great. It’s a great place to get together and have some quality time.

On New Year’s Eve 2016, my sister-in-law decided to open the restaurant and trusted us to work there. Her family and my family came together, and we split up the jobs and started a business. My husband and son were in charge of washing the dishes, while I was in charge of serving the customers. My daughter and niece were in charge of setting up the Korean side dishes at the counter. It was so hectic at first, but as we got used to the heavy workload, we started to form a good team. Usually, the restaurant closes around 11 p.m., but since we got exhausted so quickly back then, we closed at 7 p.m. After that, we were finally able to eat pork belly and kimchi stew at the restaurant, and celebrated New Year’s Eve.

Many people are unable to open their businesses and go outside because of the pandemic. How is this experience different from the other historical experiences you’ve been through?

I have never struggled this much because of a virus. I have always struggled with financial hardships, but I have never dealt with this kind of hardship in my life. Well, Korea went through a phase called the IMF and a virus called SARS, but compared to the coronavirus, there weren’t that many casualties.

Through this experience, did you learn anything?

For two to three months, our family dealt with financial hardships. However, I’ve learned that I needed to be more appreciative of everything that my family has done for me. The chance to create stronger bonds with your family members and spend more meaningful time with them has given me strength and hope that with your loved ones by your side, you can get through anything. But because of this experience, I think many parents are worried. I am definitely [concerned] about how hard it will be for my college-graduate son to find a job later. Also, since we are not allowed to go outside, my daughter is missing the opportunity to go to school and chat with her friends and teachers, so I do feel sorry in some ways.

I heard that your hair salon reopened a few weeks ago, and it is now closing again. How do you feel about that? When you reopen, what are some things you will have to be careful about?

When the second lockdown was announced, I was so worried because our hair salon had just reopened a few weeks ago, and now it’s closing. I was expecting a lockdown to happen. Just not this quickly. Right now, I’m worried about how I’ll be able to financially support the hair salon in the future. We still have to pay rent even when the salon is closed.

Working with a mask on for nine hours a day is very stressful and exhausting. I don’t really get to eat lunch or take a break because we have customers every 30 minutes to an hour. When I am done with one customer, I have to sanitize the chairs, tools, and surroundings. It is a lot of work, but to keep customers and workers safe, I have to do it. My coworker and I have to be careful each and every day. We don’t know who has the coronavirus or not, so it is dangerous and unsafe.