Finding CHAEFinding CHAE

Mayumi Mori, a journalist for a newspaper, is a third-generation Korean-Japanese born between Korean mother and a Japanese father. Currently she left her job and staying in Korea while studying Korean. The death of her grandmother, CHAE Ok-soon, served as an opportunity to reflect on her identity as a Korean belatedly. As if her grandmother had completely forgotten Japanese, the image of her speaking only in Korean before she died is deeply imprinted on her mind. Her grandmother immediately moved to Japan with her husband after marriage to make money, and successfully ran a Makgeolli place. She has worked harder than anyone else. When she was alive, she always wanted to visit her family cemetery in Gangjin, South Jeolla Province, which was the main reason for Mayumi’s visit to Korea. With the help of Korean friends, she stands in front of her grandmother’s family cemetery. The journey to find her grandmother’s history was also a process of retracing her roots. It will be a milestone in the future for her living as a Korean-Japanese, narrowing her relationship with her grandmother, who she respected but difficult to understand. (KIM Kyung-tae)