Where’s Your Seoul? It’s Sai-gone!

I’m a Korean-American working as a cashier at a liquor store, and I am in my mid-twenties. I have grown up and lived here pretty much all my life and I run into these types of encounters with customers at least twice a month. This type of situation happens frequently with older white males.

Me: “Hi. Did you find everything okay today?”

The customer just stares.

Me: “Yes? No?”

Customer: “Where are you from?”

Me: “Excuse me?”

Customer: “Where are you from?”

Me: “I live here in Minneapolis.”

Customer: “No, where are you really from?”

I know where this is going and want to be a smarta**.

Me: “I grew up in a small town about thirty miles north of here.”

Customer: “No, no, you know what I mean.”

Me: “Nope, I’ve lived here for almost 25 years of my life.”

Customer: “No, no.”

The customer makes motions around his face with his hand.

Customer: “This! Where were you born?”

Me: “Well, I was born in Korea, but I moved here when I was about eighteen mon—”

Customer: “I see, I see! Yes! When I was stationed over in Vietnam, I saw all kinds of Oriental women from all over Asia, and I always thought Korean women were the most beautiful women. They were so delicate and shy! You just remind me of this one woman I met in Hanoi; I think she was Korean or Vietnamese or something, and she was the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen!”

Me: “…”