Event

Abstract: This project examines the recent literary memoirs of Korean American writers Grace M. Cho, E.J. Koh, and Don Mee Choi, whose works explore the intergenerational nature of memory-making. She investigates how han—a Korean word that refers to feelings of “unresolved resentment against injustice” or “knotted grief”—propels efforts to reconstruct memory in literature. Through these writers’ struggles to fill in the gaps of complex family histories and bear witness to military atrocities that have been suppressed by U.S. empire, they aim to write erased stories “back into existence” and interrogate their own subjectivities as Asian Americans. Her research ultimately considers the transformative potential of han in understanding how our personal lives are deeply intertwined with collective experiences of history and resistance.

Bio: Jean is a junior from Valencia, California studying English. With a commitment to collective action, Jean finds joy in building and being in community. On campus, she is currently involved in 34th Street Magazine, the Asian American Studies Undergraduate Advisory Board, and the Penn Association for Gender Equity. She enjoys reading, trying new desserts, and going to the beach in her free time.

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