KoreAm Column: Missing What’s Loved and Lost

First-World Problems

I just realized my bi-monthly KoreAm column was actually posted two weeks ago.  It’s about my favorite local restaurant closing down…

Last week, my wife Dawn and I were two streets away from our home in Washington, New Jersey. We were behind several cars, waiting for the light to change, so we did what we always do—looked to our left, to Russo’s Ristorante, the beige building with a faded red canvas awning. On the door was a taped-up sign: “CLOSED FOR FAMILY EMERGENCY.”

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I just drove by the old place today and a new restaurant has moved in: Juanito’s.  It’ll be a Mexican joint, and it looks like it’ll be opening soon.  I’m glad the space won’t go to waste, but it’s still kinda sad.

First-World Problems, My Column in KoreAm Journal

I’m very proud to announce that I’ve been asked to be a columnist for KoreAm Journal, a magazine I’ve contributed to from time to time.  First-World Problems is what I’m calling it, and the inaugural column appears in this month’s issue.  It is available in print and online, so please check it out.

First-World Problems

Hi there. My name is Sung, and if you’ve been a longtime KoreAm reader, you may have read some of my essays in the magazine over the years. I’m a writer, which means I actually don’t do a lot of writing. Mostly I spend my time staring out a window with a blank look on my face, or Googling something integral to the subject at hand only to find myself an hour later reading about the life cycle of mollusks. (I wish I was joking, but alas.)

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