Kate Kim
Kate is a freshman at Hollywood High School and grew up in Studio City. She wants to learn more about how people can seek treatment and what causes them 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, and I still live there.
Do you go to Universal Studios often?
Yeah, I actually have a year pass!
Do you feel a connection to your hometown?
The neighborhood is very friendly. 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.
Did you like your childhood?
Yeah, I did.
What are your thoughts on Koreatown?
I grew up there. I did not literally grow up there, but my family often goes there. I don’t remember the first time I went. I feel really comfortable there. I can go places where I can speak Korean with others if I need 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.
I go to K-Town 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.
Honestly, I don’t think I would ever live in Koreatown. I’ll just stay around the Studio City area. Yeah, maybe in my 20s or 30s, I will still be there. I mean, depending on where my college is, but I feel most comfortable there.
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. 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 bought there] was a Hello Kitty pouch. It’s so 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. 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 [nearby], my mom may take us to get ice cream there.
There’s a bingsoo (빙수 — Korean dessert) place [that serves] shaved ice in Madang, but it’s made out of milk. I get a flavor called mixed berry yogurt. It tastes kind of like Pinkberry [frozen yogurt]. I haven’t tried mango, but 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 [for addiction] and what causes them to take these substances and [start using] drugs.
How did you hear about the program?
My sister, actually! She started [interning at KYCC]. I was also interested in the subject, so I was like, “Can you let me know if I can join KORYO?” 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. [My sister] got interested, started looking at 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 new I learned.
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 treatment. 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 [addiction]. [I want to know] how I can help different people not to go through these things.
[My friend] is getting better now. 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 so 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, my school doesn’t really talk about drug abuse. This is a very new subject for me, and 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 those who are going through this kind of situation.
That’s beautiful and an admirable way to use what you’ve experienced to help others. We can move on to more lighthearted topics now! 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 it’s not an elective but more of a club you can join at my high school, so I stopped doing band this year. 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 just [the first week of school]. [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. The teacher said that we shouldn’t write stuff in the first person, so I have to write [differently than I usually would]. She made us follow a chart; you have to try writing in that style. It’s very different from opinion essays.
What sparked your interest in journalism?
Honestly, I like to write stories. I’m good at writing informational essays. I’m interested in journalism, and 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’ve realized how much easier it is for me to write them. 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 the different news happenings at school. Maybe not covering 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. 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 it’s one of the things I can do very well.