Minsuk Kang

It’s been four years since I talked to you. I wonder if you would still be here if I had paused my life and put all my energy into helping you get back on your feet. Confused about my own life’s purpose, I didn’t dare to imagine a life without you. I thought you would return to being the father I knew, just as you had after the first big surgery. You were in pain for several years, and all I had to do was invest a few months to be your personal cook, trainer, and most importantly, your…

I’m not a shopper. Ever since I quit my job as an unhappy marketing manager six years ago, I’ve fought hard to avoid buying things that aren’t absolutely necessary for my well-being. That’s why I still wear the same shorts I had in college. That’s why I own only two pairs of shoes. That’s why I’ve used the same phone for more than seven years. Despite my grudge against consumerism, I’m a sucker for products that promise a “distraction-free” lifestyle. Whenever an app claims it’ll help me…

Depression hardly makes sense in hindsight. I felt numb for the past three days. Depression hugged me tight and pressed me flat against the ground. It is embarrassing to examine and explain why I fell into the sticky trap of an emotional downfall. I can only say that this spiral of gloominess encroached upon me once I became entangled in a petty argument with my wife. In the afternoon, as I carried the baby from her bed to the living room, my wife stared at me and murmured, “The baby still…

I’ve been a guardian angel to my baby girl for thirty-five days. Yes, she’s easily the most adorable creature I’ve ever seen. Yes, watching her whimper, squirm, and drowse is the best entertainment I could ask for. At the same time, when her tiny body snuggles into my arms, I wonder how human babies survived over the past hundreds of thousands of years. Babies are biologically engineered to be helplessly dependent. Right now, my wife and I are both fully committed to taking care of our baby. We…

Ten years ago, I used to ask celebrities for pictures. Whenever I spotted a familiar face on the streets of Seoul or New York, my heart would start racing because I immediately imagined taking a selfie with that person. With a bright smile, “Can I have a picture with you?” was my go-to question. After seizing the picture, I would message it to friends or share it on Facebook and wait all day for comments from others. When I got the photo, I talked about meeting these K-pop stars or Hollywood…

In Hollywood movies, heroes at the climax close their eyes or fall off a cliff to say something along the lines of “let go.” This is often the moment when the character discovers her true potential and becomes a superhero. “Let go” is such a cliché, but this kind of character development works for me. Even when there isn’t enough explanation for why the character suddenly experiences a caterpillar-to-butterfly moment, I simply accept the transition because I understand that growth means letting…

South Korea’s local elections are coming up in about a month. Every election season, the media pours all its resources into convincing voters that there are only two choices: either the liberal party or the conservative party. This pattern has persisted for at least twenty years, ever since I started watching how elections unfold across the country. Candidates attract zealots the way K-pop idols do, while politics has turned into a religious battle. In “blue” areas, whoever becomes the liberal…

We’re expecting our baby Koyo to arrive any day now. Our life has already changed so much. We’ve installed a toddler car seat, gotten rid of our sofa to make room for kids’ things, and received so many gifts: clothes, a diaper changing station, toys, loose socks, and small towels. We’ve cleared our schedules and put many projects on hold so we can focus on our baby for the next few months. We don’t make any appointments these days. It feels like we’re waiting for a mysterious guest. We don’t…