[nat sound in H Mart]
THE SUPER H MART IN NILES, ILLINOIS LIVES UP TO ITS TITLE. THE SPRAWLING ASIAN SUPERMARKET CONTAINS ENTIRE AISLES DEDICATED TO ASIAN FLOURS, SNACKS, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS FOR COOKING IN THE ASIAN DIASPORA. TODAY, THE HUM OF THE REFRIGERATED SECTIONS OF KIMCHI AND SOUPS IS JOINED BY THE SOUND OF A TOUR OF NORTHWESTERN STUDENTS.
[sound of H Mart tour]
THEY’RE HERE WITH ONE BOOK ONE NORTHWESTERN, AS PART OF A PROMOTION FOR THE BOOK CRYING IN H MART.
OF COURSE, THEY’RE ALSO HERE TO DO SOME SHOPPING.
[Jamie Kim] I’m going to ask you really quickly, how many of you have been to H Mart before? Alright, so a lot of you. already know, have you been to this specific H Mart before? All right, great. So we’re just gonna start walking through, feel free to like, pause and take a look at what you want to take a few items that you want
THAT WAS WEINBERG JUNIOR JAMIE KIM, WHO LED A GROUP OF STUDENTS AROUND H MART, POINTING OUT HER FAVORITE DISHES AND INGREDIENTS TO GET.
[nat sound of tour and students debating on prices and commenting and such]
H MART, ALONG WITH OTHER ASIAN GROCERY STORES LIKE 99 RANCH AND JOONG BOO MARKET, ARE MORE THAN JUST PLACES TO PICK UP YOUR FAVORITE BRAND OF INSTANT RICE. TO MANY, THEY CAN BE A LIFELINE TO A CULTURE THAT MIGHT NOT BE ACCESSIBLE WHERE YOU CURRENTLY ARE.
[JK] speaking about getting products in Korea
EVEN THOUGH EVERYTHING IN H MART COSTS A LITTLE MORE THAN IT DOES BACK HOME.
[Jamie and Mika commiserating about how expensive the Niles H Mart is]
IN FACT, THE TITLE “CRYING IN H MART” COMES FROM THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE BOOK, IN WHICH MICHELLE ZAUNER DETAILS HOW THE FAMILIAR AMBIENCE OF AN H MART CAN BRING BACK EMOTIONAL MEMORIES.
SESP SOPHOMORE MEGAN LIN IS ON THE ONE BOOK COMMITTEE FOR THIS YEAR. SHE HELPED COME UP WITH THE TRIP AS A PART OF THE PROGRAMMING SURROUNDING THIS YEAR’S BOOK, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES A TALK BY THE AUTHOR MICHELLE ZAUNER, AND KOREAN DISHES BEING SERVED IN THE DINING HALL. I ASKED HER WHY H MART IS IMPORTANT TO HER.
[Megan Lin] I just like grocery shopping a lot. It just makes me so happy. I’m a huge foodie.
OF COURSE, I ALSO HAD TO ASK THE TITULAR QUESTION:
[Mika Ellison] Have you ever cried in H-mart? Or cried over food?
[ML] like maybe a few months ago? Yeah, like last winter break.
[ME] Was it like coming home and eating food that you like?
[ML] Yes. Specifically, my mom loves making me snails, and some people don’t like snails but I love it.
THE ONE BOOK TEAM ALSO PROVIDED LUNCH FOR THE STUDENTS, ORDERING DISHES FROM H MART’S CUSTOMARY FOOD COURT. HERE’S WEINBERG FRESHMAN HANNAH KWAK DESCRIBING HER PLATE:
[Hannah Kwak] We’re having dumplings, ddukbokki, jajangmyun, and Korean chicken.
AFTERWARDS, STUDENTS WERE SET FREE TO SHOP, PICKING UP DORM FOOD ITEMS LIKE SHIN RAMEN AND SNACKS LIKE POCKY AND CHOCO PIES. ON THE BUS BACK, THE SEATS WERE NEARLY HALF FILLED WITH H MART BAGS AND THE SOUNDS OF STUDENTS ORGANIZING THEIR PURCHASES
[nat sound of students organizing their purchases]
SOME STUDENTS HAVE BEEN GOING TO H MART LONG BEFORE IT WAS CHOSEN FOR THIS YEAR’S ONE BOOK ONE NORTHWESTERN. AFTER READING CRYING IN H MART, MEDILL FRESHMAN SARAH LIN WAS TAKEN BACK TO WHEN SHE WENT TO THE NILES H MART AS A CHILD WITH HER PARENTS.
[Sarah Lin] I felt like really connected to her descriptions and everything because when she was describing it, even like in the beginning of the book, I was like using my little like memory palace in my head thinking about the H Mart in in Niles.
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING ON THEIR FIRST TRIP TO H MART, LIN HAS SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
[Sarah Lin] A lot of them have like very nice snack aisles as you can see there’s where my priorities are. I mean like just try out all the fun Asian snacks.
FOR WNUR NEWS, I’M ANAVI PRAKASH. AND I’M MIKA ELLISON.
