Maybe the endgame is learning how to love each other better and how to use what we’re given in the best way we know how. In Kims well-paced debut, 11-year-old aspiring comic Yumi Chung struggles between her dreams and her Korean parents wishes.
This story understands that getting a first chance at your dream, much less a second, is a privilege, and that maybe the endgame isn’t getting what we want. Yumi herself is also not trying to defy her parents or undermine the lessons they’ve taught her, but rather show them that she respects them by figuring out how to balance her values and her comedy as two equal parts of herself. What’s more, even though they may not be able to understand the issues Yumi faces as a first-generation immigrant, that doesn’t mean they don’t care. They don’t want her to have to become a laborer like them, at the mercy of fickle customers.
Being a young Korean-American girl, Yumi isn’t confident that people will connect with jokes about her most awkward moments, and she also worries that putting her “flaws” front and center will go against her parents’ teachings to always put her best foot forward.Īt the same time, the story challenges the stereotypes concerning “tiger parents” and “strict Asian upbringing.” While Yumi’s parents are hard on her, it’s because they want a better future for her. This book really explores comedy as a space for vulnerability, where comedians share intimate parts of their personal lives as a means to connect with the audience, using storytelling to both heal from and make sense of their experiences. As an aspiring comedian, Yumi fears there isn’t enough room on stage for her own experiences and stories to shine-because when all is said and done, comedy is really just another form of storytelling. Stand Up, Yumi Chung! is a heartfelt story all about family and self-discovery.
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