My Korean Mom

By: Mary H. K. Choi

Narrated by: Mary H. K. Choi

Length: 14 mins

Publisher's summary

Every immigrant kid knows the feeling: the horror and embarrassment of watching your super-foreign parents muddle through social situations when you've long sold them out and assimilated into the New World. The anguish, anger, and guilt sucks! But when you're packed school lunches with fermented things and fish with eyeballs when every other kid gets a bologna sandwich, you wonder if you'll ever really fit in.

My Korean Mom is a bittersweet love letter from Mary H. K. Choi to her mother that hopes to convey the frustration, shame, loyalty, and searing adoration that's part and parcel of being the kid of an immigrant. It's not as if she could tell her mother to her face how much she loves her. That's just not how it's done.

Mary H. K. Choi has written for GQ, The New York Times, New York, Wired, and Glamour. She is the former editor of MTV Style and executive producer of the documentary House of Style: Music, Models and MTV. She has also written comic books for Marvel and Vertigo and hosts a podcast on jobs called Hey, Cool Job. It's available on iTunes.

©2013 Mary H. K. Choi (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

what a heartwarming love letter from author to mother

literal perfection. so relatable. love that mary hk choi was fiercely advocating for her self interests from such a young age with her “i told my mom i loved money more than i loved her.” i cry. adore adore adore this short audible original and highly recommend everyone take 15 minutes out of their day to listen to mary hk choi narrate her love letter to her mom <3

read for #koreadathon 2022

Brutally honest writing

MaryHKChoi is so much fun to read because she’s honest about how hateful and how loving the same sweet, infuriating moment or person can be and she’s totally awful and cruel and totally loving and well intentioned just like we all are and so I trust her and admire the eff balls out of her writing. And it’s as strong in text as it is read by her.

Humorous yet heartfelt

Thoroughly enjoyed this story. An easily relatable tale about the different phases of a mother-daughter relationship from childhood to adulthood.

You are ruthless with the emotions... thanks

Congratulations on bringing me to tears faster than any other author... hamburgers. Let me know if you still need that message relayed to your mom. I became a fan after reading EC and easily went on to Oh Nevermind. Keep writing

Beautiful story

I listened to this gem on a whim and absolutely loved it! I laughed and I cried and found the author's raw description of her love for her mom to be relatable- regardless of one's race.

Surprised

The narrative was pleasing, not burning. Interesting point of view from a child's perspective told by the adult that was once the child.

An Immigrant Growing Up in America

This short listen is okay, but I'm sure will mean the most to Asians who have grown up in America or other English Speaking Countries. Some of the situations are common to all teens growing up and are funny and endearing at the same time, and one is universal, I think, that the older one gets, the more intelligent our mothers become, the more we realize that family is everything. The author's style is a little brusque for me, but for the age bracket she is targeting, I am sure that it is right on.