'Smelled like kimchi?' Veteran actress Sunwoo Yong-yeo recalls racial discrimination in the US

Veteran actress Sunwoo Yong-yeo revealed that she experienced racial discrimination while living in the U.S.

On Wednesday, a video titled “The shocking racial discrimination Sunwoo Yong-yeo endured for 8 years in the U.S. (Resentful LA)” was uploaded to her YouTube channel, Soonpoong Sunwoo Yong-yeo.

In the video, Sunwoo revisited her old home in the U.S., where she lived 40 years ago, and recalled her experiences. “I used to live on the ninth floor, and I regret choosing it,” she said. “One time, while taking the elevator, an American woman complained about the smell of kimchi. She looked at me, held her nose, and went ‘ugh.'"

Sunwoo continued, “I wondered why she was covering her nose when looking at me. But as she got off the elevator, she gave me a middle finger. At that time, I didn’t even know it was a curse, but later, I learned it was considered one of the biggest insults in the U.S.”

She added that she later confronted the woman about her behavior. “I purposely waited for her in the elevator one evening after dropping off my kids. When I met her, I said, ‘The smell of cheese isn’t pleasant either. It’s the same, so don’t do this anymore.’ The next day, she greeted me while holding her breath,” Sunwoo said, adding with a laugh, “That’s when I first learned about perfume.”

This article from Xportsnews is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.