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Contents ( 9)
  1. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  2. FOREWORD
  3. INTRODUCTION
  4. PHOTO INSERT
  5. REFLECTIONS ON KIM’S CONVENIENCE From Stage to Screen
  6. Ivan Fecan Executive Chair of Thunderbird Films
  7. Jean Yoon Actor, Playing the Role of “Umma” in Kim’s Convenience, the TV Series
  8. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  9. ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

하나님 말씀 전한다 해도
그 무슨 소용있나
사랑 없으면 소용이 없고
아무것도 아닙니다

[What meaning is there even in sharing
the message of God
if it is shared without love?
Anything, without love,
amounts to nothing.]
[Based on 1 Corinthians 13:1‒2]

UMMA’s church sanctuary at night.

UMMA: You remember church family singing contest? You was eight years old. Janet was six. We is stand up here in church. You, me, Appa, Janet, all together, hold hands. We win first place. That is my most happy memory.

JUNG: What about the time when I was born, Umma?

UMMA: That is my most painful memory. You work today?

JUNG: Yeah. What’s with all the decorations?

UMMA: This Sunday is last day. Last day for our church.

JUNG: The condo thing? They bought it?

UMMA: Yah.

JUNG: 3.2?

UMMA: $3.9 million.

JUNG: Wow. Now you guys can move to North York. Buy a church with a parking lot.

UMMA: Our church is not moving.

JUNG: What, you guys gonna be at the bottom of the condo?

UMMA: They is closing our church.

JUNG: Who? The condo company?

UMMA: Church head office think waste of money to build new church. Not enough people. So, they closing our church and using money for mission work in North Korea. Bible say time to start, time to finish. Now is time to finish. When Moksanim first start church, only six Korean church in Toronto. All downtown, small, no money. Now, over two hundred Korean church, all move out of downtown, big building, lots of money. We is last Korean downtown church.

Beat.

JUNG: Here, I got something for you.

JUNG gives UMMA a photo.

UMMA: Wah! Sonam. He is get so big. Two months?

JUNG: Yeah.

UMMA: Looks like six months old.

JUNG: Yeah, people say he’s really big for his age.

UMMA: Looks just like Janet when she was baby.

UMMA offers the photo back.

JUNG: Keep it. It’s yours.

UMMA: Appa should know he is halabujee now.

JUNG: How’s Janet doing?

UMMA: She is still single, ready to mingle.

JUNG: Hey Umma, you ever think Janet might be “the gay”?

UMMA: The gay? If Janet is lesbian, that’s okay because then at least I know reason why she has no boyfriend. (UMMA gives JUNG the envelope.) For baby.

JUNG: Thanks, Umma.

JUNG kisses UMMA on the cheek.

UMMA: What’s wrong, Jung?

JUNG: I’m not happy.

UMMA: Can’t always be happy, Jung.

JUNG: I don’t like my life, Umma. I was at work today — do you know what Facebook is, Umma?

UMMA: Facebook?

JUNG: It’s a website on the Internet. It’s kinda like email, but it connects more people. And friends can find other friends and there’s lots of photos — you remember Mike from church, long time ago, he was on the soccer team?

UMMA: 깍두기 아줌마 아들? [The son of that woman who makes that radish kimchee?]