Welcome to 2PKs in a Pod
In the first episode of 2 PKs in a Pod, Annie and Sharon explore the historical and sociological context of why Korean Americans are so Christian. They’ll take you back to the Japanese annexation times and through their immigration journeys to the U.S. in the early 90’s. They also share their personal stories of growing up and leaving the Korean church.
In this episode we cover ::
00:00 - Introducing Annie and Sharon
00:31 - What is a PK?
4:11 - Annie’s background in Korean history and living in Japan
4:30 - Sharon’s background in mental health and specialization working with Korean Americans with religious trauma
4:59 - Why did we make a podcast about the PK immigrant life?
5:59 - How did Koreans become so Christian?
8:00 - How churches impacted Korean immigration to the U.S.
8:58 - Confucianism and Christianity
9:40 - Filial piety and collectivism can cause shame and guilt in Korean families
10:15 - Talking about taboo topics destigmatizes shame
12:44 - Annie’s immigration story and strict, Christian upbringing, and how she left the church
18:06 - Sharon’s immigration story and spiritual journey coming back to herself and culture
24:54 - Sharon’s first time in therapy and how she came out to her parents about not being Christian anymore
27:59 - Annie’s current relationship with her parents - “don’t ask, don’t tell”
31:26 - Next episode preview - VBS and Bible camps
Sharon Kwon, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, psychotherapist, writer, and founder of Bodhi Aware Therapy [https://www.bodhiawaretherapy.com/]. Sharon specializes in working with Korean Americans who have struggled with overcoming religious trauma and spiritual abuse. She has worked in private and community mental health settings with immigrant families struggling with intergenerational trauma. Sharon’s writing has been published in Huff Post, SLATE Magazine, SELF Magazine, and Psychology Today. Sharon is an avid traveller and fan of all things “K”—dramas, food, soccer, etc. She is currently based in Los Angeles, CA. Get to know her on Instagram @talkwithsharon [https://www.instagram.com/talkwithsharon] or via her website: www.sharonkwon.com [http://www.sharonkwon.com/].
Sion Lim (임시온) is a self-proclaimed “Koreanist” with a special passion to learn more about Korean Diaspora all over the world. She goes by her naturalized middle name, Annie. Her desire to connect with her K-side stems from her days as a graduate student at SOAS and as a former educator at Osaka Board of Education and Stanford University. Before becoming a podcaster, Annie's latest career adventure was with Silicon Valley corporations (fun!) ranging from Samsung to video games before the AI takeover. She currently resides in San Francisco with her husband and 3 kitties and would share more with you through her instagram, @sionannielim [https://www.instagram.com/sionannielim/].
If you enjoyed our podcast, please don't forget to rate us and leave a comment! Follow us on Instagram @2pkspod [https://www.instagram.com/2pkspod/] to connect with us.
Episode Credits:
Produced by Sharon Kwon and Annie Lim
Mixed by Abdul Wasay
Music: Risen by Gavin Luke [https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/72f3311e-1aa0-41b3-9366-29c0cbb7e127/] via Epidemic Sounds
Links:
Follow us on our website [https://2pkspod.com/] and on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/2pkspod]!
