Coming Home Again

When Chang-rae (Justin Chon) learns that his mother's cancer has taken a turn for the worse, he takes a leave of absence from his job in New York and travels to San Francisco to be with his parents. He tries to take on as many nursing tasks as possible himself, even though his mother (Jackie Chung) insists on maintaining her independence.

With New Year's Eve approaching, Chang-rae to prepare all the Korean dishes his mother excelled at for a family feast. Organizing the dinner brings with it memories of the times he spent in the kitchen taking in his mother's culinary wisdom, along with memories of their arguments over questions of cultural assimilation and the difficult life choices both of them have made — and will make. However, at one point soon, Chang-rae's mother will need to decide whether or not she wants to continue receiving treatment.

Based on the personal essay by award-winning Korean-American author Chang-rae Lee.