The Korean

Single and Obese: Then Kimchi Changed Everything!

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Pub Date 17 Nov 2021 | Archive Date 5 Mar 2022

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Description

Africa Yoon née Engo was about to turn 30. She was a celebrated activist working in Manhattan and around the world when she found she had gained 120 pounds and was obese. She realized she needed a life beyond her work and dreamed about having a husband and children. For her dream to come to fruition, she must work on herself to achieve her goal.

The activist starts on the road toward the greatest cause of her career—to save herself—and decides she will do a spiritual and physical makeover to find self-love in hopes it may lead to true love. One afternoon at the Asian grocery store H Mart, a Korean grandmother calls her fat! After the initial embarrassment of the public moment, the two begin an unusual friendship that leads her to eating kimchi—and that moment changes everything.

This memoir is full of culture, food, inspiration, and travel in this ugly-duckling-turned-swan transformation story, not unlike the self-discovery and romance vein of Sex and the City.

Africa Yoon née Engo was about to turn 30. She was a celebrated activist working in Manhattan and around the world when she found she had gained 120 pounds and was obese. She realized she needed a...


Advance Praise

"An inspiring journey of an activist who discovered that to be of service, life starts with taking care of one's self." Steven Kolb CEO, CFDA

"Africa, an acclaimed pan African activist, reminds us that we are so much more similar than different." Liz Agbor-Tabi VP, Global Policy at Global Citizen "

It is our great pleasure to be part of Africa's journey! It is an inspiring discovery of Korean food and culture." H Mart "

A master class on navigating culture." Marian Lee Dicus VP, Global Co-Head of Music, Spotify

"An inspiring journey of an activist who discovered that to be of service, life starts with taking care of one's self." Steven Kolb CEO, CFDA

"Africa, an acclaimed pan African activist, reminds us...


Available Editions

ISBN 9781662910593
PRICE US$9.99 (USD)

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Average rating from 9 members


Featured Reviews

I would like to first and foremost thank Netgalley for giving me an opportunity to review this book! It did take me a few chapters for the novel to pick up. Other than that, it was a fun read! I really enjoyed the writing style, and loved how descriptive some parts were. Overall I enjoyed this read!

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3.5 African American woman finds her way through life’s bumps with the help of A Korean connection.
Africa is a well traveled woman, since an early age with her diplomate father. Born in Africa, raised around the world. As a young woman she is feeling a bit lost, overweight, unhealthy, unhappy. A chance happening awakens a new path for her one that will change her life. She meet an older Korean woman who tells her “you too fat-uh” it sounds harsh but this elder took her to the store, shopped with her, revived her spirit with food, healthy food. She begins, she challenges herself, goes far and moves the world towards better days.
I loved the first half of this story. I connected with her and her story. The meeting of the Korean elder was wonderful. I wanted more on her. Africa really is a force, she fought and crushed her goals and dreams. I didn’t love the second half as much. It was little things, she called someone she loved “The Korean” this really got old and bothered me on some deep level. She explains it, and it makes sense but still it was there often. This was a very interesting and eye opening story. I’m glad I had the opportunity to read it.
I received a copy of this from the publisher for an honest review.

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Africa Byongchan Yoon tells in this book a part of her personal story. The book starts when she was struggling in some aspects of her life: relationships, food, weight...
Then one blessed day, while at an asian market she was trying to buy some delicious food one “Ahjumma” called her fat and obliged her not to buy the things she wanted to, but to buy vegetables and other healthy korean food to eat properly. It starts a cute, nice journey between Africa and this ahjumma in Korean cuisine and culture.
Then the story goes on with the famous run from New York to Chicago to raise AIDS awareness and meet Oprah Winfrey on her birthday; when she met her husband; when she had her kids…
I have to say that it took me a while to get into her way of “expressing”, I think that her being a “chatty” person also transmits into the way she writes: I felt back at home, my mother was african.
There are some parts when I just nodded: her love for the Kimchi, her gratitude for her husband (he is korean…) etc.
In this book she also highlighted a really important issue for black people: racism. When she was on her run from New York to Chicago she encountered a couple of situations where people were not afraid to tell her they were racist, she just changed her plan; or when she felt really bad she had to literally “scream” to get doctors and nurses to listen to her, to really listen to her.
Last but not least she wrote about how people in Busan welcomed her and her kids and she said that she wanted to tell about this because she would like that the fact she was welcomed, so welcomed, will be not just an exception but the new norm.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for having given me the opportunity to read this book!

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This was an interesting book, and I enjoyed getting a peek into Africa's life. The story itself is captivating, but unfortunately it didn't flow very well. It moved in fits and starts, but the writing is otherwise well done. My heart really went out to her when she discussed her troubled relationship with food. Having struggled with food issues most of my life, I could really relate, and I found her journey inspiring in ways. A great memoir overall.

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