Patrick Yoo
Externally, its clear that I’m Asian no matter how you look at it. My parents are both from the peninsula of South Korea and so are their parents, but I don’t identify myself as solely Korean. I can speak the language and cook the cultural foods, but my cultural ties mainly lie with those of America. No matter how much I may love eating rice everyday for dinner, I’m always down for a good cheeseburger with Mac sauce from the nearest McDonalds, which is the pinnacle of American culture, right? During the Olympics, I didn’t cheer for the South Koreans who won gold for rifle shooting and archery. I don’t even consider archery relevant. I rooted for the American Basketball team, full of players from the NBA. And I didn’t revel in the sudden obsession with Psy’s Gangnam Style as some of my other Korean peers did. I mean, its great and all that Korean culture is spreading at rapid pace, but I’d much rather listen to Jay-Z and Nas, though I do admit that Gangnam Style is catchy and hilarious. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with Korean culture or that I hate it, because I love Korean culture, but I also do believe that when there are cultural dualities, there exists an inclination towards one culture.
Though my ethnicity is what is apparent on the most superficial level, I am firstly and foremost a Christian. Growing up Catholic, my views on religion have shifted and changed over the years but now I identify myself as a Christian who attends a non-denominational church. My religion has shaped how I think, how I act, and of course, what I believe in.
I also identify myself as an athlete. In high school, I played football and volleyball, taking both sports seriously. I played halfback and took pride in my ability to run in between the tackles and bounce runs to the outside, but my days of high school football were cut short by foot fractures and shoulder injuries. Still, while no longer playing sports in competitive leagues, I enjoy playing sports recreationally, whether its basketball or bowling.
Lastly, I identify myself as a musician, or at least somebody who pretends to play music. I learned how to play the clarinet and bass clarinet at an early age, something that would later spark a fascination with music in my later years. I am a guitarist and the occasional singer now, but lately I’ve taken a liking to composing instrumental and orchestral pieces. Music, while something I may not be looking into professionally, provides as a source of solace and also as a cathartic outlet.
