But she was not going to follow in their footsteps and give anything up for someone else.
And based on her tragic dating history, she just wasn’t going to find a man who could handle her as she was and the level of success that came with it.
When being too much was the reason you weren’t enough—a memoir.
“So I’m done even trying. For the time being, I’m off the market. Mr. Malibu called it. I am, officially, undateable.” Family-values investors and Korean aunties be damned.
“Anyways, I’m not opposed to buying my aunties’ silence about it for a few hours if I can,” she said, eyeing the large gift bags.
“Well, I think it’s a solid plan. You always take such good care of your family.” Sonia walked over to the glass product cases that lined one side of Julia’s office. She grabbed a small container and lifted it up to Julia, an eyebrow raised in question.
“Our new shea butter hand cream in primrose. Try it. If you like it, ask Annette to grab you a couple on your way out,” Julia offered.
“Hey, what about me?” Rachel asked.
“You won’t like the scent. A little too sweet for you. You should try the body scrub in sandalwood,” Julia said.
“God, you’re sexy when you talk free products,” Rachel said.
“Anyways,” Sonia cut in, still rubbing the hand cream in her palms, “you are the CEO of one of the hottest new cosmetics brands. You’re featured inForbes‘30 Under 30.’ You’re a guest lecturer at Stern and Wharton business schools. You’ve beenbusy.”
“Thanks, Sonia. Can you come with me to Halmoni’s birthday party and read my list of achievements to my family? Maybe they’ll believe you. As it stands, as far as they’re concerned, they won’t be impressed until I have a fat diamond engagement ring or get a shameless product placement in a new K-drama.”
“It’s our fate. It’s the Korean han, our cultural burden. All Koreans always carry around the shame of somehow not feeling good enough and then putting it onto the generations after them. Stuff your face with birthday cake and tteok and just nod when they start asking questions. You’ll get past it.”
“Plus, you’ve got Oprah now. If anyone can help turn the tide during your dinner, it’s Oprah,” Rachel added.
The three of them raised their glasses for another toast.
“To Oprah,” Julia offered. “May the news magically render my family silent from their nagging.”
“To Oprah,” her friends answered.
“And if that doesn’t work, here’s hoping those will,” Rachel added, looking over her shoulder, lifting her chin. “To bribe bags.”
Julia took a deep breath. She lifted her glass with her last bit of strength, hoping that this plan would, indeed, end up working. Julia was the CEO of a multimillion-dollar company. She had handled the choppy, aggressive, unforgiving waters of the business world. She could handle one night with her family, right?
“To bribe bags,” she said, downing the rest of her champagne.
2
Makgeolli and Tears
Julia
Standing at the front door of her childhood home, Julia’s feet itched to turn around, get back into her car, and head up the freeway to her place in Los Angeles. She could justnotshow up for her grandmother’s eightieth birthday party, right?
She let out a deep breath and reprimanded herself to suck it up. She tightly gripped the gift bags she’d prepared for her mom and aunties, hoping desperately that the contents were impressive enough to make them forget everything they were about to say to Julia, and walked in.
All eyes turned to her and without even a brief reduction in volume, she was suddenly the center of attention.
“Julia, you’re here. Why are you late?”
“Julia-ya! It is good to see you. Did you gain weight?”
“Oh, oh, it’s good, Julia came. Your hair is too long to wear down. Tie it up.”
“Are those presents? You should get a bangs perm like all the girls in Korea.”
