Hey, folks! It's that time again. We are back with another Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Grace Jung.
Who are you?
Hi, I'm Grace.
What are you?
I'm the author of Deli Ideology, which was published in 2014.
I'm also a translator. My English translation of The Abject (formerly 'Worm Story'/'벌레 이야기') written by Korean novelist Lee Cheong-jun is forthcoming at Merwin Asia Publishing later this year. The Abject is the basis of that epic Lee Chang-dong film Secret Sunshine -- the one that earned Jeon Do-yeon the Best Actress Award at Cannes in 2007. The movie's conflict made a heavy impression on me, which is why I translated the book into English.
I'm also a producer, currently working on a feature doc entitled A-Town Boyz. Oh, we're crowdfunding for post-production funds by the way so that we can all see it together. You can find out more about it on the killer website that my kid brother (I'm also an older sister) made for us here: www.atownboyzmovie.com/donate
My brother's great.
I am into a few hats, as you can see.
Where are you?
I'm in New York sippin' on a caffe misto. (Ay-yo!)
Where are you from?
I was born in Busan, Korea right by the sea. My mom is from Hapcheon and my dad is from Goseong. We spit mad sa-toori.
(Side note on my dad's stomping grounds: Recent findings in Goseong include dinosaur footprints. Isn't that wild? I love dinosaurs. They're so big and hilarious.)
We moved to Brooklyn when I was five and stayed in New York ever since. I'm a Yawka. Lifer.
What do you do?
I write books, I make films, I paint, photograph, listen to podcasts, ask questions, drink, eat, party; here's my website: aechjay.com.
For food, I work at a film distribution company that I've admired since I was a college student going to art house theaters. We champion indie, international and documentary films that commercial distributors don't release. I've been here for three years and I get to see great movies all day, everyday. Life's good.
What are you all about?
(That bass?)
On any given day, I am all about art. I can talk about it forever with another creative. Other than that, I'm all about peace and love, man. Abide. But lately, I am into honesty and confronting the self with it. It is both scary and liberating.
What makes you angry?
In general, irresponsibility.
More specifically, any person's fixed belief in an absolute, which I find dangerous, arrogant and rigid.
Things move, things change, time happens, life happens, people happen, and most things are unknowable for a certainty. Nothing is absolute -- not a belief, an ideology, a thought, an emotion, an identity, a conviction -- all of that stuff is in flux. But when someone insists that their idea is an unchangeable matter of fact, and then hold that idea against me, over me, or use it to manipulate others into doing terrible things, I get so pissed that I can hardly feel my own skin.