Spanish | Korean
I am not entirely sure how my parents met, but I’ve been told it was love at first sight. My Dad travelled to Korea for the first time for work, where he met my Mum. Turns out she studied Spanish at her university so that they could communicate in Spanish. The rest happened fast, like something out of a rom-com film; they explored the world together and lived in Korea, Spain, and Hong Kong.
Especially while living away from my home country, I feel more Korean, as my teenage years were spent in Korea. Thankfully, I see this emotional transition as a positive one, as I used to hide my Korean identity. Now that I can embrace this part of myself, I find great joy in it. In my younger years, I was able to adapt to my surroundings, I absorbed both cultures like a sponge. Compared to today's society, where we encounter diversity more frequently, my experience was drastically different. I grew up in a small town in Lleida, Spain, where everyone knew each other. Later, I lived in Seoul for most of my life, a place that is much larger and busier. One thing remained common: very few people were accustomed to seeing someone who looked like me. And the beauty standards in both countries were opposite.
The challenges I encountered that shaped who I am today primarily revolved around castings for acting and modelling. All of these experiences occurred within five years, during which I faced several obstacles. I remember some agents encouraging me to change my name because they found it difficult to pronounce. There was one director who rejected me, stating that if I were a bit more Caucasian-looking, I would have landed the role. This was a hard truth to confront, given that I am half White and half Asian, but my mixed heritage is not always visually apparent. As a result, I found myself facing limitations based on looks, with most roles being stereotypical and often out of reach, which discouraged me in the industry. I also feel conflicted about 'diversity castings and hires'. Are we being chosen solely based on our appearance, or are we being evaluated on our skills like other actors?
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