1. One word: Oma.
Before I met my boyfriend’s mom, I thought his endearing timeliness answering her phone calls and questions was just him being a good son. After meeting her and becoming accustomed to the ways in which Korean mothers expect, I realized my boyfriend’s compliance with his mother’s wishes were to avoid certain death.
My boyfriend is a grown 36-year-old man who lives fearfully of his own mother. She is nothing but sweet and happy-go-lucky…usually. But if he is too busy to run an errand for the family or if he passes up on a higher-paying job, we all better make a run for it before getting an earful.
That being said, Oma is the most generous woman and is just about the best cook on the planet. If you have an Oma in your life, consider yourself lucky.