Kate Kim
Kate Kim is a freshman at Hollywood High School and grew up in Studio City. She wants to learn more about how people can be treated and what causes people to use substances. Kate has always wanted to help others who are struggling and learn how to encourage them to seek help. In her free time, she enjoys blogging and writing.
It’s a place Where I Can Be Comfortable
Interview by Penelope Salomon
Where is your hometown?
I grew up living in Studio City. It’s near Universal Studios. I still live there.
Do you go to Universal Studios often?
Yeah. I have a year pass, actually!
Do you feel a connection to your hometown?
The neighborhood is very friendly, and everyone has a good vibe. I feel like I fit in here, and the environment is very positive. Studio City makes me think of my childhood — very much my childhood. It's somewhere I can also be comfortable. I also think of my elementary and middle schools.
Did you like your childhood?
Yeah, I did.
What are your thoughts on Koreatown?
Honestly, I grew up there. I did not [really] grow up there, but my family often goes there. I'm very used to going there, so I don't remember the first time I went. It's just been a place I've been to often. I feel really comfortable there. I can go places where I can speak Korean to other people if I need help or assistance. For example, if I go to a market and can't find something and see a Korean worker, I can talk to them and ask questions. [Korean] is my second language. My parents speak Korean. So I just speak back to them.
I go maybe four times a week. I go shopping at the market or out to eat. It's a place where I can be comfortable with my culture and [where] people understand me. I can also eat Korean food. It's very different from Studio City. There are different kinds of people there. I can also be like, “Oh, let's get this!” and it’s not found at the American supermarkets — that’s very different.
Honestly, I don't think I would live in Koreatown. I think [I’ll] just stay around the Studio City area. Yeah, maybe when I’m 20 or 30 — I think I will still stay here. I mean, depending on where my college is, but I feel most comfortable here.
What's your favorite kind of Korean food?
There’s a lot! Honestly, I love Korean barbecue. It’s so good! There's this place called BCD Tofu House, and it's really good. I like going there at least once a month with my family.
Where is your favorite place in Koreatown?
Let me think about that one for a second! Okay, there is this place called Madang Mall, and I like going to the Daiso there. There's a lot of cute stuff! [The last thing I got there] was a Hello Kitty pouch. It was really cute. I use it for my extra pens.
Do you hang out with your friends in Koreatown? Do they go to Koreatown at all?
Not really, because my friends and I usually hang out at the Grove or the Americana. So, no, we don't hang out in Koreatown. But if we're very close, my mom may take us to [get] ice cream in Koreatown. There's this place, [in] Madang, where there’s — it's called bingsoo (빙수 — Korean dessert) — shaved ice, but it's made out of milk. It's good! I [get] this [flavor] called mixed berry yogurt. It tastes kind of like Pinkberry [frozen yogurt]. It's really good. I think there's one I haven't tried, though: mango. It looks good.
What motivated you to join KORYO?
I wanted to learn more about it, and it seemed like an interesting subject to me. I wanted to learn more about how people can be treated and what causes them to take these substances and [use] drugs.
How did you hear about the program?
My sister, actually! She started [interning] here. I was also interested in the subject, so I was like, “Can you let me know if I can join this program?” So that's how we got in.
How did she hear about it?
I think someone from her school talked about it. They were in a different KYCC program. She got interested, started looking on the website, and joined this program.
What have you learned so far in this program?
I guess I've learned about different ways of treatment. They taught us how, if someone is passed out from opioids, you can use Narcan. That was something I learned that was new.
Do you have any peers who have or are abusing opioids or stimulants?
I used to. Well, I knew someone who was, but then she got treated. Sadly, my best friend — one of my best friends — started using drugs. Other things, too. I think she used antidepressants, and she overdosed on them. She had to go to the psych ward for it. That was very sad for me. It all happened last year, so I wanted to learn more about it [addiction]. [I want to know] how I can help different people to not go through these things.
She's getting better now, though. She came back to school around last March, but she's been asked to go to the hospital to get checkups and stuff. It's really upsetting to see her going through that.
Have opioids had an impact on your community, school, or environment outside of what you just shared?
To be honest, I don't think my school really talks about drug abuse. So, this is a very new subject. I'm very interested in learning.
What are the goals you hope to accomplish by engaging in this experience?
I want to learn how to help other people. I mean, [I want to help other people] get treatment. I want to learn how to talk to and help people who are going through this kind of situation.
That's really beautiful and an admirable way to use what you've experienced to help others. Now, we can move on to more lighthearted topics! What are your interests in school?
I like to write stories, so I've been taking journalism as my elective. I used to do band, but then I realized that, at my high school, it’s not an elective but more of a club you can join. So I stopped doing band this year, but last year I was very into my instrument. I play the clarinet.
What have you done in the journalism class so far?
We’ve been writing on simple topics. We're not doing anything important because it's the first week [of classes]. [The journalism teacher] made us write about how our first week has been and how we can be helpful to next year’s freshmen. I've been learning how to write things in the second person. She said that we shouldn't write stuff in the first person. So, I have to write [differently than I normally would]. She made us follow a chart she gave us; you have to try writing in that style. It’s very different from opinion essays.
What sparked your interest in journalism?
Honestly, I really like to write stories. I'm good at writing informational essays. So, I'm interested in journalism. I can use that as one of my talents in high school.
How did you figure out that you like creative writing and storytelling?Because my English classes assign a lot of essays, I realized how much easier it is for me to write an essay. I don't spend a lot of time on them, and it's very easy for me to think of ideas to write about.
What subjects would you want to explore in journalism? What are you hoping to learn from that?
I want to write about different news happenings at school. Maybe not [about] sports like, “Oh! Blah, blah, blah. This team won a game today!” I don't think I'm very good at that. I'm better at writing, “Oh! This club did this, and it's so cool!” I’m going to be a part of the school newspaper.
Would it be something that you want to pursue professionally?
I think of it more as a hobby, but I think it’s one of the things I can do very well.