Hyphenated identities : integration and belonging in Korean-Canadian narratives

Canada prides itself on being a multicultural country, and Canadian culture is described by some as a mosaic composed of distinct parts that take pride in their Canadian-ness. My focus is directed towards Korean Canadians and their hyphenated identities. Korean Canadians, like all immigrants, have faced challenges to integrate into Canadian society, reconstruct their identities and find their own sense of belonging. Ann Y. K. Choi's novel Kay's Lucky Coin Variety (2016), Ins Choi's play Kim's Convenience (2012), and a radio documentary (2018) by Jennifer Yoon all explore themes of identity, integration, belonging and hyphenated identities. In addition to being written by second-generation immigrants, these works share similar histories and discuss the struggles that are still facing Korean immigrants in their attempts to integrate (which presents a current and possibly future challenge to Canada in terms of integration and multiculturalism). Aspects like gender, age, socioeconomic status, and generational perspectives all affect the way these immigrants relate to their surroundings and accept their hyphenated status. By examining these factors and studying the autobiographical elements in these works, I seek to understand the creation of the hyphenated identity and what it means to belong and to be hybrid in a multicultural country.