Name: Cody Ray (박기수)

First KAtCH event:
Happy Hour at Miki's Park - June 2024

Where did you grow up/Where do you live now?
I was raised in the small city of Wadsworth, Ohio which is about 50 minutes south of Cleveland. I currently live in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago.

Tell us about yourself:
I grew up in Northeast Ohio and was the 4th child of 5 adopted children - all from South Korea. I was born in Busan and at the time of intake I was diagnosed with chronic subdural hematoma (caused by shaken baby syndrome). This required emergency surgery to place a Y-connecter shunt that would drain the fluid down to my abdomen. Due to worries of development delays and potential complications from the procedure, I was listed as "special needs" and had a delayed adoption. Per my adoption records, my foster mother played a significant role in my recovery. When I arrived in the states, my rehabilitation continued with the wonderful doctors of UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, who (with the support of my adoptive parents) made sure I was able to reach my developmental milestones. 

Growing up, I was always a visionary. I loved pretending to run my own "businesses", I would watch restaurant shows and dreamed of being a chef, and I would spend countless hours in the backyard fantasizing of becoming a professional athlete. I eventually discovered that I had a strong passion for music (specifically playing the trumpet and composing) which led me to pursue both a bachelor's and master's degrees in Music Composition from the University of Akron and Western Michigan University respectively with the hopes of becoming a university professor. In 2022, I came to realize that I had lost my desire to be an academic musician and made a hard occupation pivot into the world of finance. 

Although I'm no longer a practicing musician, I still have a soft spot for classical and jazz music but have grown new interests in lo-fi, indie, british folk music, reggaeton, and K-pop. I like to stay active and make an attempt to go for a run most days of the week. Although I'm early in my journey of exploring my past and embracing my culture, I'm both thrilled and grateful to be a part of KAtCH. I'm excited and honored to further uncover my roots alongside a group of unique, friendly, and all around wonderful individuals. 

You’ll likely KAtCH me doing the following:
Running throughout the city, playing recreational volleyball on North Beach, relaxing at either a Grant Park Symphony or Chicago Symphony concert, taking in the vibes of a Jazz or Blues club, strolling through conservatories and parks, trying new restaurants, catching a local comedy show, or most importantly - spending quality time with the communities I care about and love! (also going on impromptu date nights with my fiancée) 

Why do you enjoy being involved with the KAtCH community?
Growing up I never thought too deeply about my existence as a Korean-Adoptee and outside of my family, I had never been a part of a group of other Korean adoptees. I believed that the experiences and identities I was given during my upbringing - within a suburban (majority caucasian) neighborhood - was all I was. As I grew up and gained new perspectives, I realized that I didn't like that internal narrative and felt that there was more. 

Moving to any big city can be intimidating at first, but I remember reading a comment acknowledging the existence of a Chicago Korean adoptee organization in a general KAD facebook group. I found the KAtCH website and noticed that there was a happy hour event nearby in the River North neighborhood. I was hesitant at first, worried that I wouldn't fit in or I'd be extremely awkward. However, even after the first hour at my first KAtCH event, I could feel an intrinsic sense that I had found a new home. A year later, I'm continually amazed by this community's ability to be a font of thought provoking discussions and a catalyst for meaningful friendships. This is why I enjoy being a part of this community, because of our ability to continually open new paths for both personal revelation and community connection. 

Favorite restaurant(s) in Chicagoland:

Way too many to pick from but I'll give a small list:

  • Marisol (Streeterville)

  • Alpana (River North)

  • Cabra (West Loop)

  • Elske (West Loop) 

  • Kim's Home Cooking (East Albany)

  • Kasama (Ukrainian Village)

  • Pequod's (Sheffield Neighbors/Lincoln Park)

Find me/Social Media:
Instagram - @Code1717
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CodyRay1717