Finding the Silver Lining 

Interview by Cailey Beck and Cheyenne Kim

Could you please introduce yourself?
My name is Abigail and I am 17 years old. 

How do you think Koreatown is going to influence you throughout your life?
Koreatown has definitely taught me a lot of lessons about the world and about myself. Koreatown has really been a large factor in shaping what I want to study in college and what I want to do with my life, because I saw a lot of homelessness.

Growing up and seeing all the drug abuse and the marginalization that occurs in minority communities instilled a strong sense of justice inside of me. I know that Koreatown has really influenced that, so in the future I feel like I’ll do something for my job along those lines.

With college in the near future, how does that change your perspective of your hometown?
Koreatown will definitely continue to be the place that I call home. But I am looking forward to moving out of the city, getting a change of scenery, and really just finding myself in a new environment. I feel like I’m so familiar with this area that I need to be pushed out of my comfort zone in order to really become the person I am.

Recently Koreatown Plaza (KTP) got a new owner and people are really unsure about what that means for KTP and the future of Koreatown in general, because it feels like it’s changing so much. With your imminent leave, how does that make you feel?
I didn’t know that KTP had a new owner. That’s interesting. While Koreatown will continue to evolve and change as it has been doing so rapidly these past few years, the essence of it will still be the same. Future K-Town students are still going to go play pool at the billiards hall and go to the karaoke rooms and eat Korean food somewhere. I’m not sure where that will be [in the future], but the essence of it will be the same. 

I was talking to this pastor whom I interviewed for the Los Angeles 1992 riots, and he was talking about how everyone in Koreatown used to go out late at night and smoke and go play pool and that kind of thing. It just sounded so similar to some of the individuals that I know. Koreatown has a very specific character that is very individual to our town. And no matter how many changes we face, I feel like that will still remain the same.

What kind of experiences are you hoping for?
I’m looking forward to becoming an adult and just really embracing the independence and self-sufficiency that comes with going to college. It’ll be a learning experience and I want to be able to study the things that I want to study and be with the individuals that I want to be [with]. I’ll have more choices when it comes to the things that I need to do or the things that I want to do.

Would you ever consider coming back to Koreatown?
Probably as a last resort. I feel like if I do go out of state, I’ll just want to stay in that area. Who knows what’s gonna happen, but I don’t really have plans to come back to Koreatown specifically. Maybe to visit my parents, if they’re still living here.

What was it like doing your college apps during quarantine?
So much easier. If things had been normal, as seniors, we would have had to be juggling SATs, subject tests, financial aid, supplementals, college applications, and our GPAs. And then there’s sports and extracurriculars on top of that. Quarantine has definitely made it easier to finish my college applications and write all of my essays.

Has this COVID-19 pandemic changed you?
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed me in a lot of ways. Through this pandemic, I’ve had a lot of self growth and self reflection. I learned how to manage my time more. Especially now that school is online, I have to juggle extracurriculars and classes and all that kind of stuff on my own. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught me to become more responsible and more independent. It allowed me to learn more about myself. In the beginning of the pandemic, I was super negative. I hated that the world changed instantly and I hated not being able to go out as much as I could. I hated having to stay home. I feel like through the negativity that I experienced, I’ve learned to embrace what life has thrown at me and I accept that. Whatever happens, happens and you’ve got to make the most of it. 

I could have been sitting around complaining and not really trying to get anything from this experience but instead I really learned a lot more about myself. I found new hobbies. I grew more accustomed to the turbulence of life. Nothing’s ever going to be steady, so you kind of just have to be always ready to suck up what comes at you and there’s always going to be opportunity for growth if you let there be. The COVID-19 pandemic, though it was difficult, really helped me as an individual. 

What’s different in how you feel now versus the beginning of quarantine?
I remember I just felt so sick of being at home and I hated feeling trapped. But I feel like I’ve learned to appreciate the things that I have, and to really make the most out of what I’ve been given. Because, sure, COVID took away our homecoming and probably our graduation and prom, and we’ve probably missed out on the senior year experience, but COVID didn’t just take things from us. We’ve gained so much more, and it just depends on whether you recognize it or not. I guess I realized finding the silver lining of everything is really important.

Is there something that you would give anything to have the opportunity to do?
I really want to go to the movie theater and watch a movie. I want to stand in line, buy a Slurpee and KitKats, and go into the theater with a bunch of people around us with no masks. I just miss that feeling so much. Amusement parks, too. Once COVID gets a lot better, I really want to go to Six Flags or Disneyland. I didn’t take enough advantage of the things that we could do pre-COVID.

Do you have any advice for other people about time management?
Keep a planner. I have a random notebook and I write down everything I have to do at the time and the date that it’s going to happen. Also, your phone is going to take up a lot of your time, even if you don’t expect it. Sometimes I’m on Instagram, where I talk for hours, and my entire day passes, you know? I tried uninstalling those apps that distract me the most when I have something really important to do. That’s another piece of advice.

What kind of impact do you think COVID will have on later generations?
More people are going to start being more mindful of germs. Because at school, I didn’t even wash my hands before eating lunch or I’d sleep on the bus or on the tables at school with my head down. 

I’d grab a hand railing on the bus and not wash my hands. I don’t know, I just feel like everything was so unsafe. Like with birthday cakes, when we blew on it
and the spit would get everywhere. When people sneezed, and they didn’t cover their mouths. It’s just gross.

COVID has really shown us how unsanitary we are. Even if you don’t have COVID, what if you have the flu or strep throat and just spread it unknowingly? I hope people continue to wear masks, even when COVID is gone, because it’s good protection for yourself and individuals around you.