If you are not an Asian, it may be difficult to see how much Sung is acting like an authentic Korean or if he can even speak Korean fluently. From what I've seen online, it appears he categorize himself as KoreAm = Korean American. I guess that works for people like him. And from his past works, I can tell he can actually speak Korean pretty well. Even compared to some Korean American kids I know, his Korean-speaking level is not bad. But he does have an English accent and all Korean people from Korea can tell he is not 100% comfortable when speaking in Korean. I think it is just like me speaking in English. Well, maybe not. For me, English is completely my second language. For Sung, Korean is probably not a second language, but first language he spoke in his life. But he just did not have a chance to keep it up while he was grown up in Georgia.Besides the language skill, how much is he still a Korean? I think his stomach is more than 50% Korean. I don't know what he eats every day. But from what I've seen online and from the fact that he is running a Pan-Pacific restaurant, I think he eats Asian foods more than non-Asian foods. I may be wrong here. But I think his meal comes with a bowl of rice most of the time which is the case for me.
Now, how about non-Asian side of Sung? Hard to say since I don't really know him in person. But I think he does not smoke is a good example of not being a typical Korean. Of course, not 100% of Korean guys are smokers. But the stereotype image of Korean ajussi, which means over middle age male in Korean, is a heavy smoker.
After all, one thing I feel he is really really Korean is, of course, his appearance. He is 100% Korean in his blood wise. His Korean feature is getting stronger as he aged. In some of his pictures I can see online, he is just like any other Korean ajussi. I should call him ajussi next time I see him in person. I can tell he is Korean by looking at his eyebrows and lower jar line. That's how we typically discern Koreans from Chinese or Japanese.
I do have a plan to go to LA next Friday. Well, just as my flight connection place. I won't go outside of LAX. Obviously, I don't get a chance to visit his restaurant this time. :( It's my business trip to Phoenix. I'm connecting my flight at LAX around 8pm on Friday, and I only have a little over an hour there.
One last thought. I wonder which country's team Sung is cheering during this Worldcup. South Korea, USA, or maybe North Korea? :D
