Finding Junie Kim

Junie describes art as a release for her emotions and describes the art and doodling she has drawn.

Junie, her older brother Justin, and her parents attend dinner at her grandparents’ home with several Korean friends and family that evening. She describes the Korean food in detail, including meat and vegetable jeon and kimchee, a staple of all Korean households.

Her father tells a story about being chased from a grocery store in Korea for using the wrong Korean word as the family switches from speaking Korean to American. Junie is confused.

Junie introduces the word chama, the Korean word meaning “to endure and suffer through it,” referencing the long history of chama for the Korean people.

A couple at dinner discusses the tax cuts made by the president approvingly and argue against illegal immigration, angering Junie and her family. Her grandfather explains why this view is un-Christian. The couple is politely shamed when he questions whether Jesus would approve of this president.

At home, Junie’s parents ask about school. She tries to avoid riding the bus again without admitting to the bullying. Her brother also suffered but now rides a different bus to another school. He asks if she needs help when they are alone, but she declines.

Junie’s mother wakes her up and questions her about the graffiti. She has made a large breakfast and offers to take Junie to school.

Junie meets Amy at school. Her friends texted about Patrice’s plans all night. Junie does not have a smart phone because her father doesn’t approve. She mentions that she has a landline. Amy argues it is more convenient to text.

Patrice arrives and complains about Junie’s negativity. She reveals that everyone spoke about this over the summer and agreed. Patrice tells Junie they can’t be friends anymore, and Junie leaves, sobbing.

Junie is taken to the counselor and explains she is upset about the vandalism. She asks to sleep in the nurse’s office, avoiding Patrice.

In social studies, Mrs. Medina assigns an oral history interview project about the three older generations, each impacted by a major war: The Greatest Generation (WWII), The Silent Generation (the Korean War), and The Baby Boomers (the Vietnam War). She avoids lunch by speaking with Mrs. Medina about an idea for a video interview of her grandparents.

Junie avoids her friends, who don’t seek her out either, and she hears that another act of vandalism was committed. More racist graffiti was found in the boys’ restroom. She feels sad, as she has for more than a year now.

Junie sleeps after school until Justin wakes her. He asks about school and reassures her that high school is better.

Junie thinks of her friends and draws. She describes her overwhelming sadness as physical and emotional.

Her mother drives her to school again the next day, and Junie continues to avoid her friends. The principal announces more graffiti has been found and clarifies this is hate speech. Disturbed by how happy her friends seem without her, Junie goes to the counselor’s office to avoid Patrice in class. She cries and sleeps.

Tobias is waiting for her at the bus stop at the end of the school day. He continues to use racial slurs and insults before pushing Junie to the ground. Hurt, she walks home instead of getting on the bus.

As she walks, Junie describes her friendship with Patrice and how it has changed recently. At home, she cleans her wounds before looking for ibuprofen.

Junie pours all the pills into her hand and considers suicide. She spills the pills onto the ground. Too tired to pick up the pills, she goes to bed.

Junie and her parents visit a therapist after her mother sees the pills. She is diagnosed with major depressive disorder with suicidal ideation and put on antidepressants. Her parents schedule therapy for her to attend.

Junie admits the problems she is having with her friends to her parents. She complains about not having a smartphone to talk to them. Surprised and worried, they buy her a phone. She rejects the phone and cries.

At home, she sleeps more. Justin wakes her and tells her to talk to him because he is her Oppa (Korean for brother).

Junie attends therapy with Rachel, sharing her feelings and revealing her inability to discuss things with her parents. Rachel teaches her about mindfulness and emotional regulation. She feels a bit better.

Junie admits to her mother that she dislikes the bed her mother got for her when she was younger. She is pleased when her mother easily accepts her choice to change the design of her room.

Her mother explains that she must work this weekend and makes plans to leave Junie with her grandparents. She reassures Junie that they are unaware of her problems.

Junie’s grandmother lays out a large table of Korean food for Junie and her grandfather before going to work. Junie eats with her grandfather and tells him about the vandalism at school.

Grandpa asks if a student could have committed the crime. Junie thinks of Tobias and agrees. She is upset when he asks what she will do, reminding Junie of Patrice. Junie replies that bad people are just bad and racists are evil; there is nothing to be done. Grandpa sadly asks who has hurt Junie.

Junie cries and tells her grandfather everything that she has kept hidden from her parents and therapist. When he asks what she will do about her bully, she replies that she will ignore him.

He tells her a story about a woman returning from the market who meets a tiger. The tiger demands food, saying he will not eat her if she gives him food. She gives the tiger food. This happens repeatedly as the tiger follows her until the food is gone, and the tiger eats the woman. He explains that Junie is the woman. Junie complains the tiger will eat her anyway because it is powerful.

He adds to the story. The tiger dressed in the woman’s clothes and went to her house to eat her children. The children saw the tiger’s tail and climbed a tree, praying for help. Two ropes come down from the sky. The children climb the ropes and become the sun and moon. He tells Junie that she must learn to ask for help.

Junie replies that things are different now, and Grandpa agrees. He says the ideological split in America is like Korea. He explains how North and South Korea became divided through American and Soviet influence, with the Korean people suffering from the conflict.

Junie asks her grandfather to tell her about his life during the Korean War, and he replies that he must also tell her about the Japanese occupation of Korea for her to understand. He explains the people of Korea were all traumatized by the occupation. They committed evil atrocities against long-time neighbors when they normally would not.