Gowoon Lee
Age: 22
Occupation: Student at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.

How did you end up in Kansas?
“That’s a great question. I don’t know. But here’s what my dad had to say when I asked him about it. So, apparently, when I was younger, about 2 years old, my dad first moved here alone just to check it out while attending Wichita State. He apparently approved because a couple months later, he moved the family out here. We’ve lived there for about 20 years.”

How many times have you been asked the above question?
“Every single time! But for some reason, it never gets old. Some of the completely oblivious comments and questions I get keep the experience interesting. If it’s not ‘Do you live on a farm?’ or ‘Have you seen a tornado?’ it’s usually ‘What’s in Kansas?!’”

Where do you get your Korean food and groceries?
“There is one small Korean grocery store, but most Koreans know not to shop there because everything they carry is expired. It’s really depressing sometimes. It’s available, and sure you can eat it, but you’ll pay for it later. I guarantee it. If that doesn’t sound appetizing enough then most folks make the two-hour drive to Oklahoma. Yes, Oklahoma.”

Describe your Koreatown.
“What Koreatown? I mean, there is that one lonely Korean restaurant and that Korean grocery store no ones shops at, but otherwise, I can confidently say there is no Koreatown.”

Where’s the hang-out hot spot?
“That’s definitely the movie theater. There’s really no form of entertainment in Wichita besides watching movies and eating a whole lot.”

What do you like about your city?
“I like that I can drive from one end of the city to the other in about 30 minutes, with traffic. It’s nice because you can go practically anywhere without worrying about getting trapped in traffic.”

What do you dislike about your city?
“Growing up, I’ve always wished more Korean Americans my age would move to Wichita. There were only three Korean kids in my high school — my brother and I were two out of the three.”

Plans to leave?
“I’m definitely planning on moving. There just aren’t many opportunities in Wichita.”

Describe the Korean community.
“The Korean community in Wichita is fairly small. There are three Korean churches, each with about 50 members. I’d estimate roughly that about 300 Korean people are living in the city, and they all know each other. It’s a bit stalker-esque, but when a new Korean person moves to the city, all of Wichita hears about it. There’s also a sizable international student population who come to study at the universities. All in all, it’s pretty boring.”