American melancholy: The real loss in “Past Lives” isn’t love

In the Academy Award-nominated film “Past Lives,” the Korean concept of inyeon is used to lead viewers into believing that Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae-sung (Teo Yoo) are destined to be together – if not in this lifetime, then in the future. Or perhaps they were together in a distant past that neither can recall. The introduction of the word leaves moviegoers hoping that these two can have a happily-ever-after ending, despite his living in Seoul, 7,000 miles from her apartment in New York City.

Go Away With … Raymond Lee

“It’s always interesting to me the weight that [some Asian Americans] carry around from not having grown up with people who look like them,” said “Quantum Leap” star Raymond Lee. “I was fortunate enough to grow up in Koreatown and Glendale, where our star quarterback was Asian and the smartest three students in our class were Asian.”

Go Away With … KEEHO of P1Harmony

“When you’re in a new country by yourself, there’s nothing greater for character development than putting yourself out there,” said P1Harmony leader Keeho. “Having traveled so much as a kid helped me adapt to new environments. Honestly, it was not difficult for me when I moved to Korea. There was some culture shock, but it was overall just fun for me.”

Go Away With … Pictoria Vark

“My favorite memory from my travels was when we were on tour in 2022 in Ventura, California, and I went paddleboarding by myself between load-in and soundcheck,” said Victoria Park, who performs under the moniker Pictoria Vark. “It was in this weird harbor and I thought it wasn’t going to be that cool because it wasn’t out on the ocean, but there was a whole family of seals resting on the docks and barking at each other. I got to be way closer to them than I would’ve otherwise. It’s a cherished moment I have just with myself.”