Crying in H Mart discussion

Hello Ladies,

I thought I had posted last month about our second book and I can't find the thread. I am looking forward to hosting our meet up on this Wed. February 21st at 6:30pm. My address is 4403 Chowning Way, Dunwoody, GA 30338. My number is 770-686-0452

I will have tea, beer and wine and I am going to make Korean Gimbap! Feel free to bring refreshments to share.

Here are some discussion questions from Medium.com to consider before we get together.

Book Discussion Questions:
1. What’s one thing you liked about “Crying in H Mart”?

2. Were you well-versed in Korean food before reading this book? What’s your favourite Korean dish?

3. Do you have any foods that bring you back to a person, a place, or a memory?

4. What does this book reveal about the complications of growing up mixed-race? Have you ever felt stuck between different identities?

5. What do Chongmi’s habits and beliefs reveal about her?

6. The book says, “What I never seem to forget is what my mother ate… I remember these things clearly because that was how my mother loved you, not through white lies and constant verbal affirmation, but in subtle observations of what brought you joy, pocketed away to make you feel comforted and cared for without even realizing it… She remembered which banchan side dish you emptied first so the next time you were over it’d be set with a heaping double portion.” Growing up, how did your parents express their love? How do you tend to express your love?

7. Like Michelle’s mother, a single person can often be the key or link to engaging with a new culture. Have you ever experienced this?

8. What did this book teach you about Korean culture?

9. What’s your cultural heritage, and what do you do to feel connected to it?

10. Are there family dishes you grew up with that you still love to make?
What did this book teach you about caregiving? Have you ever been a caregiver?

11. What’s your family’s go-to “sick” meal?

12. Do you see Kye’s actions as more callous or caring? Why do you think Michelle had complicated feelings about her?

13. The book says, “Every time I remember that my mother is dead, it feels like I’m colliding with a wall that won’t give. There’s no escape, just a hard surface that I keep ramming into over and over, a reminder of the immutable reality that I will never see her again.” If you’ve ever experienced grief, do the book’s descriptions resonate with you?
If you haven’t lost anyone close to you, what did this book teach you about grief?

14. What do you think about Michelle’s relationship with her dad?
To what extent do you think blood ties matter?

15. Michelle says near the end of the book, “[My mother] would have been so tickled to have seen the past few years, me dressed up and shot for a fashion magazine, watching the first South Korean director win an Academy Award, YouTube channels with millions of views dedicated to fifteen-step skincare regimens.” What are some other ways Korean culture has recently been recognised on the world stage? Is it becoming more recognised in our country?

16. According to Michelle, beauty is an intrinsic part of Korean culture, and she’s praised for her “small face.” How are beauty standards so different across different cultures? How do they affect the way we live?
Michelle describes H Mart and the surrounding strip mall as a gathering place for Koreans, where a hotspot of Korean culture has sprung up around a communal place. What’s your favourite “cultural hotspot” in your city?

17. Where do you get good Korean food in your city?

18. Do you have any favourite cooking channels or personalities, like Michelle’s favourite, Maangchi?

19. Have you listened to Japanese Breakfast?

20. Which food in the book was the most memorable to you and why?

21. Why do you think Michelle ended the story when she did?

22. What was your take-away from the book?

See you soon!
Christina