
I grew up hearing pieces of my grandfather’s stories, but reading his memoir in his own words was a completely different feeling.
He was born in North Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean war. He was a child during the Japanese occupation and later fought as a teenage soldier. His father was taken away for forced labor. So many of his loved ones died. He survived imprisonment, starvation, displacement, interrogations, and torture. To survive while being held in prison, he once told me he had to drink his own urine. He was only able to escape because a prison guard fell asleep.
After surviving the war, he attended law school while selling handmade lotion on the street. My grandparents were so poor that my dad and his younger siblings grew up barely eating. He eventually dedicated his entire life to serving as a pastor. Later in his life, he traveled around the world as a Methodist bishop for revival meetings.
It honestly put so much into perspective for me. The privilege our generation holds and the life I’m able to live now exists because of the sacrifices and resilience of people like him. I’m inspired to live my life with more purpose and gratitude.

I grew up hearing pieces of my grandfather’s stories, but reading his memoir in his own words was a completely different feeling.
He was born in North Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean war. He was a child during the Japanese occupation and later fought as a teenage soldier. His father was taken away for forced labor. So many of his loved ones died. He survived imprisonment, starvation, displacement, interrogations, and torture. To survive while being held in prison, he once told me he had to drink his own urine. He was only able to escape because a prison guard fell asleep.
After surviving the war, he attended law school while selling handmade lotion on the street. My grandparents were so poor that my dad and his younger siblings grew up barely eating. He eventually dedicated his entire life to serving as a pastor. Later in his life, he traveled around the world as a Methodist bishop for revival meetings.
It honestly put so much into perspective for me. The privilege our generation holds and the life I’m able to live now exists because of the sacrifices and resilience of people like him. I’m inspired to live my life with more purpose and gratitude.

I grew up hearing pieces of my grandfather’s stories, but reading his memoir in his own words was a completely different feeling.
He was born in North Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean war. He was a child during the Japanese occupation and later fought as a teenage soldier. His father was taken away for forced labor. So many of his loved ones died. He survived imprisonment, starvation, displacement, interrogations, and torture. To survive while being held in prison, he once told me he had to drink his own urine. He was only able to escape because a prison guard fell asleep.
After surviving the war, he attended law school while selling handmade lotion on the street. My grandparents were so poor that my dad and his younger siblings grew up barely eating. He eventually dedicated his entire life to serving as a pastor. Later in his life, he traveled around the world as a Methodist bishop for revival meetings.
It honestly put so much into perspective for me. The privilege our generation holds and the life I’m able to live now exists because of the sacrifices and resilience of people like him. I’m inspired to live my life with more purpose and gratitude.

I grew up hearing pieces of my grandfather’s stories, but reading his memoir in his own words was a completely different feeling.
He was born in North Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean war. He was a child during the Japanese occupation and later fought as a teenage soldier. His father was taken away for forced labor. So many of his loved ones died. He survived imprisonment, starvation, displacement, interrogations, and torture. To survive while being held in prison, he once told me he had to drink his own urine. He was only able to escape because a prison guard fell asleep.
After surviving the war, he attended law school while selling handmade lotion on the street. My grandparents were so poor that my dad and his younger siblings grew up barely eating. He eventually dedicated his entire life to serving as a pastor. Later in his life, he traveled around the world as a Methodist bishop for revival meetings.
It honestly put so much into perspective for me. The privilege our generation holds and the life I’m able to live now exists because of the sacrifices and resilience of people like him. I’m inspired to live my life with more purpose and gratitude.

I grew up hearing pieces of my grandfather’s stories, but reading his memoir in his own words was a completely different feeling.
He was born in North Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean war. He was a child during the Japanese occupation and later fought as a teenage soldier. His father was taken away for forced labor. So many of his loved ones died. He survived imprisonment, starvation, displacement, interrogations, and torture. To survive while being held in prison, he once told me he had to drink his own urine. He was only able to escape because a prison guard fell asleep.
After surviving the war, he attended law school while selling handmade lotion on the street. My grandparents were so poor that my dad and his younger siblings grew up barely eating. He eventually dedicated his entire life to serving as a pastor. Later in his life, he traveled around the world as a Methodist bishop for revival meetings.
It honestly put so much into perspective for me. The privilege our generation holds and the life I’m able to live now exists because of the sacrifices and resilience of people like him. I’m inspired to live my life with more purpose and gratitude.

I grew up hearing pieces of my grandfather’s stories, but reading his memoir in his own words was a completely different feeling.
He was born in North Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean war. He was a child during the Japanese occupation and later fought as a teenage soldier. His father was taken away for forced labor. So many of his loved ones died. He survived imprisonment, starvation, displacement, interrogations, and torture. To survive while being held in prison, he once told me he had to drink his own urine. He was only able to escape because a prison guard fell asleep.
After surviving the war, he attended law school while selling handmade lotion on the street. My grandparents were so poor that my dad and his younger siblings grew up barely eating. He eventually dedicated his entire life to serving as a pastor. Later in his life, he traveled around the world as a Methodist bishop for revival meetings.
It honestly put so much into perspective for me. The privilege our generation holds and the life I’m able to live now exists because of the sacrifices and resilience of people like him. I’m inspired to live my life with more purpose and gratitude.

I grew up hearing pieces of my grandfather’s stories, but reading his memoir in his own words was a completely different feeling.
He was born in North Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean war. He was a child during the Japanese occupation and later fought as a teenage soldier. His father was taken away for forced labor. So many of his loved ones died. He survived imprisonment, starvation, displacement, interrogations, and torture. To survive while being held in prison, he once told me he had to drink his own urine. He was only able to escape because a prison guard fell asleep.
After surviving the war, he attended law school while selling handmade lotion on the street. My grandparents were so poor that my dad and his younger siblings grew up barely eating. He eventually dedicated his entire life to serving as a pastor. Later in his life, he traveled around the world as a Methodist bishop for revival meetings.
It honestly put so much into perspective for me. The privilege our generation holds and the life I’m able to live now exists because of the sacrifices and resilience of people like him. I’m inspired to live my life with more purpose and gratitude.

I grew up hearing pieces of my grandfather’s stories, but reading his memoir in his own words was a completely different feeling.
He was born in North Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean war. He was a child during the Japanese occupation and later fought as a teenage soldier. His father was taken away for forced labor. So many of his loved ones died. He survived imprisonment, starvation, displacement, interrogations, and torture. To survive while being held in prison, he once told me he had to drink his own urine. He was only able to escape because a prison guard fell asleep.
After surviving the war, he attended law school while selling handmade lotion on the street. My grandparents were so poor that my dad and his younger siblings grew up barely eating. He eventually dedicated his entire life to serving as a pastor. Later in his life, he traveled around the world as a Methodist bishop for revival meetings.
It honestly put so much into perspective for me. The privilege our generation holds and the life I’m able to live now exists because of the sacrifices and resilience of people like him. I’m inspired to live my life with more purpose and gratitude.

I grew up hearing pieces of my grandfather’s stories, but reading his memoir in his own words was a completely different feeling.
He was born in North Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean war. He was a child during the Japanese occupation and later fought as a teenage soldier. His father was taken away for forced labor. So many of his loved ones died. He survived imprisonment, starvation, displacement, interrogations, and torture. To survive while being held in prison, he once told me he had to drink his own urine. He was only able to escape because a prison guard fell asleep.
After surviving the war, he attended law school while selling handmade lotion on the street. My grandparents were so poor that my dad and his younger siblings grew up barely eating. He eventually dedicated his entire life to serving as a pastor. Later in his life, he traveled around the world as a Methodist bishop for revival meetings.
It honestly put so much into perspective for me. The privilege our generation holds and the life I’m able to live now exists because of the sacrifices and resilience of people like him. I’m inspired to live my life with more purpose and gratitude.

I grew up hearing pieces of my grandfather’s stories, but reading his memoir in his own words was a completely different feeling.
He was born in North Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean war. He was a child during the Japanese occupation and later fought as a teenage soldier. His father was taken away for forced labor. So many of his loved ones died. He survived imprisonment, starvation, displacement, interrogations, and torture. To survive while being held in prison, he once told me he had to drink his own urine. He was only able to escape because a prison guard fell asleep.
After surviving the war, he attended law school while selling handmade lotion on the street. My grandparents were so poor that my dad and his younger siblings grew up barely eating. He eventually dedicated his entire life to serving as a pastor. Later in his life, he traveled around the world as a Methodist bishop for revival meetings.
It honestly put so much into perspective for me. The privilege our generation holds and the life I’m able to live now exists because of the sacrifices and resilience of people like him. I’m inspired to live my life with more purpose and gratitude.

I grew up hearing pieces of my grandfather’s stories, but reading his memoir in his own words was a completely different feeling.
He was born in North Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean war. He was a child during the Japanese occupation and later fought as a teenage soldier. His father was taken away for forced labor. So many of his loved ones died. He survived imprisonment, starvation, displacement, interrogations, and torture. To survive while being held in prison, he once told me he had to drink his own urine. He was only able to escape because a prison guard fell asleep.
After surviving the war, he attended law school while selling handmade lotion on the street. My grandparents were so poor that my dad and his younger siblings grew up barely eating. He eventually dedicated his entire life to serving as a pastor. Later in his life, he traveled around the world as a Methodist bishop for revival meetings.
It honestly put so much into perspective for me. The privilege our generation holds and the life I’m able to live now exists because of the sacrifices and resilience of people like him. I’m inspired to live my life with more purpose and gratitude.

I grew up hearing pieces of my grandfather’s stories, but reading his memoir in his own words was a completely different feeling.
He was born in North Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean war. He was a child during the Japanese occupation and later fought as a teenage soldier. His father was taken away for forced labor. So many of his loved ones died. He survived imprisonment, starvation, displacement, interrogations, and torture. To survive while being held in prison, he once told me he had to drink his own urine. He was only able to escape because a prison guard fell asleep.
After surviving the war, he attended law school while selling handmade lotion on the street. My grandparents were so poor that my dad and his younger siblings grew up barely eating. He eventually dedicated his entire life to serving as a pastor. Later in his life, he traveled around the world as a Methodist bishop for revival meetings.
It honestly put so much into perspective for me. The privilege our generation holds and the life I’m able to live now exists because of the sacrifices and resilience of people like him. I’m inspired to live my life with more purpose and gratitude.

I grew up hearing pieces of my grandfather’s stories, but reading his memoir in his own words was a completely different feeling.
He was born in North Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean war. He was a child during the Japanese occupation and later fought as a teenage soldier. His father was taken away for forced labor. So many of his loved ones died. He survived imprisonment, starvation, displacement, interrogations, and torture. To survive while being held in prison, he once told me he had to drink his own urine. He was only able to escape because a prison guard fell asleep.
After surviving the war, he attended law school while selling handmade lotion on the street. My grandparents were so poor that my dad and his younger siblings grew up barely eating. He eventually dedicated his entire life to serving as a pastor. Later in his life, he traveled around the world as a Methodist bishop for revival meetings.
It honestly put so much into perspective for me. The privilege our generation holds and the life I’m able to live now exists because of the sacrifices and resilience of people like him. I’m inspired to live my life with more purpose and gratitude.

I grew up hearing pieces of my grandfather’s stories, but reading his memoir in his own words was a completely different feeling.
He was born in North Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean war. He was a child during the Japanese occupation and later fought as a teenage soldier. His father was taken away for forced labor. So many of his loved ones died. He survived imprisonment, starvation, displacement, interrogations, and torture. To survive while being held in prison, he once told me he had to drink his own urine. He was only able to escape because a prison guard fell asleep.
After surviving the war, he attended law school while selling handmade lotion on the street. My grandparents were so poor that my dad and his younger siblings grew up barely eating. He eventually dedicated his entire life to serving as a pastor. Later in his life, he traveled around the world as a Methodist bishop for revival meetings.
It honestly put so much into perspective for me. The privilege our generation holds and the life I’m able to live now exists because of the sacrifices and resilience of people like him. I’m inspired to live my life with more purpose and gratitude.
I grew up hearing pieces of my grandfather’s stories, but reading his memoir in his own words was a completely different feeling.
He was born in North Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean war. He was a child during the Japanese occupation and later fought as a teenage soldier. His father was taken away for forced labor. So many of his loved ones died. He survived imprisonment, starvation, displacement, interrogations, and torture. To survive while being held in prison, he once told me he had to drink his own urine. He was only able to escape because a prison guard fell asleep.
After surviving the war, he attended law school while selling handmade lotion on the street. My grandparents were so poor that my dad and his younger siblings grew up barely eating. He eventually dedicated his entire life to serving as a pastor. Later in his life, he traveled around the world as a Methodist bishop for revival meetings.
It honestly put so much into perspective for me. The privilege our generation holds and the life I’m able to live now exists because of the sacrifices and resilience of people like him. I’m inspired to live my life with more purpose and gratitude.
I grew up hearing pieces of my grandfather’s stories, but reading his memoir in his own words was a completely different feeling.
He was born in North Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean war. He was a child during the Japanese occupation and later fought as a teenage soldier. His father was taken away for forced labor. So many of his loved ones died. He survived imprisonment, starvation, displacement, interrogations, and torture. To survive while being held in prison, he once told me he had to drink his own urine. He was only able to escape because a prison guard fell asleep.
After surviving the war, he attended law school while selling handmade lotion on the street. My grandparents were so poor that my dad and his younger siblings grew up barely eating. He eventually dedicated his entire life to serving as a pastor. Later in his life, he traveled around the world as a Methodist bishop for revival meetings.
It honestly put so much into perspective for me. The privilege our generation holds and the life I’m able to live now exists because of the sacrifices and resilience of people like him. I’m inspired to live my life with more purpose and gratitude.
I grew up hearing pieces of my grandfather’s stories, but reading his memoir in his own words was a completely different feeling.
He was born in North Korea and was separated from his family during the Korean war. He was a child during the Japanese occupation and later fought as a teenage soldier. His father was taken away for forced labor. So many of his loved ones died. He survived imprisonment, starvation, displacement, interrogations, and torture. To survive while being held in prison, he once told me he had to drink his own urine. He was only able to escape because a prison guard fell asleep.
After surviving the war, he attended law school while selling handmade lotion on the street. My grandparents were so poor that my dad and his younger siblings grew up barely eating. He eventually dedicated his entire life to serving as a pastor. Later in his life, he traveled around the world as a Methodist bishop for revival meetings.
It honestly put so much into perspective for me. The privilege our generation holds and the life I’m able to live now exists because of the sacrifices and resilience of people like him. I’m inspired to live my life with more purpose and gratitude.
Khalil Gibran left Lebanon as a child and spent his life far from home, eventually returning in burial. Somehow this poem finds us again today, more than a century later.
My dad messaged this to me and felt inclined to share in solidarity
“A Tear and a Smile”
— Khalil Gibran, Lebanese-American poet (1883–1931)
/ translated into Korean by my dad

칠전팔기 七顚八起, 2026
glazed ceramic bowl :)
(sad this one broke but gave her a fitting name </3)

칠전팔기 七顚八起, 2026
glazed ceramic bowl :)
(sad this one broke but gave her a fitting name </3)

칠전팔기 七顚八起, 2026
glazed ceramic bowl :)
(sad this one broke but gave her a fitting name </3)

칠전팔기 七顚八起, 2026
glazed ceramic bowl :)
(sad this one broke but gave her a fitting name </3)

칠전팔기 七顚八起, 2026
glazed ceramic bowl :)
(sad this one broke but gave her a fitting name </3)
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