Napa Cabbage

As a Korean adoptee raised in a predominantly white American family, one of the most meaningful ways I began reconnecting with my culture as an adult was through food.

Growing up, Napa cabbage wasn't something I came across often. But through a friend who taught me how to make homemade kimchi, this humble little vegetable became something much more meaningful to me.

Kimchi became a portal into my Korean heritage. I learned to appreciate Napa cabbage in its simplest form—fresh, crisp, and delicate—and how it could transform into something so rich, complex, and layered through fermentation, salt, and time.

It's hard to explain how something as simple as a vegetable could give me such a profound sense of identity and belonging.

Over the years, through visiting Korea, meeting my birth mother, and sharing meals and stories with friends, that connection only deepened. What was once unfamiliar became something deeply comforting. A little reminder of where I come from.

In 2017, I began carving a Napa cabbage pendant in purple wax, inspired by that connection. But somewhere along the way, I set it aside to focus on things I thought were more important.

Nearly a decade later, I've finally returned to it.

There's something beautiful about finishing a piece that has grown alongside you. What started as an exploration of my heritage has become a reminder of how much I've learned about myself along the way.

And in a way, returning to this little cabbage feels like coming home. A warm, salty hug.

Hand-carved in wax and brought to life in sterling silver and gold. A little piece of home to carry wherever life takes you. 🤍