HeyJaredExploring with Jenna Lee Kim
An American transracial, Korean adoptee exploring identity and belonging through connections and storytelling while living in Korea.
- Indexed issues, last 90 days
- 7
- Latest publication
- Sep 16, 2026
- Audience
- Checking…
- Earliest in this view
- Jul 13, 2026
Latest issues
*Paid Subscriber Exclusive* - “Crashing” (opens the original)
Read excerpt
Please enjoy the following: an excerpt from my future memoir, exclusive to paid subscribers of my newsletter. To those of you reading: thank you. This essay explores the raw, everyday moments, emotions, and difficult reality of returning to life after meeting my birth family in Korea for the first time. None of us knew it then, but the life everyone needed me to return to Before I left was over. Read more
Healing Happens Anywhere (opens the original)
Read excerpt
The companion audio version of my essay: “Healing Happens Anywhere”… because sometimes, it’s easier to listen to the essay than read it. Be sure you’re subscribed to this newsletter and “follow” me on Spotify so you never miss an episode! Thanks for sharing this episode with a friend. Read the transcript at jennaleekim.substack.com.Questions? Comments? Please comment below or send me an email at jenna.tae.hee.k
Healing Happens Anywhere (opens the original)
Read excerpt
Listen to the audio version here!When I first sent PK a text, I knew he had no idea who I was. He responded with a vague and polite message with the textual tone of Bill Lumbergh. Something like: “Yeah, it was great meeting you, too. Hopefully, we run into each other again one day.”Cut to a week or so later, he sent another reply.“Ahh I got it now! You’re Byung’s wife, Abbie’s friend!”Knowing him like I do now - conscientious and intentional - I imagine he spent time wonde
Korea: The Struggle to Adjust (opens the original)
Read excerpt
The companion audio version of my essay: “Korea: The Struggle to Adjust”… because sometimes, it’s easier to listen to the essay than read it. Be sure you’re subscribed to this newsletter and “follow” me on Spotify so you never miss an episode! Thanks for sharing this episode with a friend. Read the transcript at jennaleekim.substack.com.Questions? Comments? Please comment below or send me an email at jenna.tae.
Korea: An Intentional Struggle (opens the original)
Read excerpt
Here’s what I think happened:After 36 hours of nonstop traveling (a dear friend driving me to the airport in Philadelphia, catching a flight to Atlanta for a layover, 14+ hours in the air to Incheon, arriving at 4:00 a.m. KST, switching airports in Seoul via the metro to puddle jump down to Jeju Island only to end with an erratic, hour-long cab ride to the very southwest point of the island where I live…)… my body and brain were so tired.And unprepared.It’s not just that I didn’t give it
Publishing over time
Last 90 days. Choose a month to open its work.
Recurring subjects
Named in the text we hold. One piece can cover several.
Audience
No verified audience measurement yet.
About this data
Counts cover the work we have indexed. Tone needs enough text and a confident classification. Excerpts and episode notes are not full articles or transcripts.
Identity or attribution wrong? Suggest a correction.