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A gentle content note: This episode includes discussion of sexual assault, rape, consent, and sexual violence. If these topics are difficult or triggering for you, please take care of yourself as you listen. You are always welcome to pause, skip, or step away from this conversation. In this episode, Grace asks: How do we raise good men? After receiving an unexpected compliment from her son’s teacher, Grace begins reflecting on the thousands of ordinary moments in which we shape our children—not just through the “big conversations,” but through what we model, notice, and practice every day. She shares stories from her own parenting journey, including moments on a soccer field, lessons about consent and respect, and something her father told her early on: “Study parenting like it’s your job. Study your child like it’s your job. Observe him.” But noticing our children also means learning to notice ourselves. Grace reflects on the pressure of having to model the kind of person we hope our children become, while remembering that we are human and will inevitably get things wrong. She talks about rupture and repair, a conversation with her nail technician about repairing relationships with her own children, and why perhaps the first step in raising emotionally healthy children is learning to notice and care for our own inner lives. What if part of parenting is learning to notice the small things that are already happening? Head over to Grace's blog www.place-of-grace.com or email Grace at: [email protected] with any questions, comments, and feedback! Music by AudioCoffee (@audiocoffeemusic)

In this episode, Grace explores why she was so captivated by Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey that she went back to the theater to watch it twice—and why the movie sent her down a rabbit hole about excellence, creativity, and the choices we make in pursuit of something meaningful. From Christopher Nolan’s devotion to doing things the hard way to Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000-hour rule, Grace reflects on her lifelong feeling of being a “Jane of all trades,” her evolving relationship with excellence, and what she is discovering about herself as she enters a new season of pursuing podcasting, writing, and art. Beneath the spectacle of The Odyssey, she finds herself thinking about something much more ordinary and personal: What is worth giving our time, energy, and devotion to—and what might excellence look like in our own lives? Head over to Grace's blog www.place-of-grace.com or email Grace at: [email protected] with any questions, comments, and feedback! Music by AudioCoffee (@audiocoffeemusic)

In this episode, Grace shares how falling down the BTS rabbit hole unexpectedly became about much more than music. From BTS’s decision to forge their own path and their choice of Arirang as an album title, to the complicated experience of being Korean American and growing up feeling like she constantly had to explain her identity, Grace reflects on Korean creativity, culture, belonging, and what it means to be proud of where you come from. She also shares the unexpected story of being offered a ticket to see BTS in Boston—and why saying no ultimately gave her something she didn't expect: a reconnection with an old friend. This is an episode about BTS, but it's also about FOMO, social media, success, identity, friendship, and learning not to let fear or someone else's definition of "enough" determine the life you're living. Sometimes, the greatest gift isn't the thing we thought we wanted. Sometimes, it's what we discover along the way. Head over to Grace's blog www.place-of-grace.com or email Grace at: [email protected] with any questions, comments, and feedback! Music by AudioCoffee (@audiocoffeemusic)

What if community isn’t something you find, but something you slowly become part of? In this episode, Grace reflects on moving from Seoul to a smaller city in Korea and the unexpected ways community has grown around her—through school, church, the local library, neighbors, and the everyday people who have quietly become part of her life. She also shares about comparison, FOMO, and the temptation to measure our relationships against what we see on social media. Maybe community doesn’t always look like the friendships we once had or imagined we would have. Sometimes, it looks quieter, more ordinary, and even more intergenerational. A reflection on belonging, staying, showing up, and learning to notice the community that may already be around us. Head over to Grace's blog www.place-of-grace.com or email Grace at: [email protected] with any questions, comments, and feedback! Music by AudioCoffee (@audiocoffeemusic)

In this episode, Grace shares her personal journey of being both a stay-at-home mom for seven years and having transitioned into full-time work outside the home and recently back to SAHM LIFE.  So often, "SAHM v. working mom" is framed as a comparison - but Grace shares her lived experience and the truth seems to be much more nuanced. The emotional weight, the guilt, the tension of wanting to be fully present in every role - it exists in both seasons, just in different ways.  Grace opens up about the realities of her current season: the constant juggle, the shifting identity, and the quiet questions of being "enough".  Whether you're at home with your kids, working outside the home, or somewhere in between- this conversation is an invitation to step out of comparison and into grace.  Head over to Grace's blog www.place-of-grace.com or email Grace at: [email protected] with any questions, comments, and feedback! Music by AudioCoffee (@audiocoffeemusic)

In this episode, Grace reflects on the quiet, unexpected grief woven into motherhood. Sparked by viral “last time” videos and her son turning nine, she explores why even beautiful, wanted growth can ache — how every new stage quietly means letting go of another. Grace unpacks the bittersweet paradox of raising children, why we grieve even the hard seasons, and how love and loss are more intertwined than we admit. With warmth and honesty, she offers gentle permission for moms to name their grief, hold gratitude and sadness at the same time, and learn how to grieve well as their children grow.  Head over to Grace's blog www.place-of-grace.com or email Grace at: [email protected] with any questions, comments, and feedback! Music by AudioCoffee (@audiocoffeemusic)

In this episode, Grace shares about how parenting and counseling are both "working yourself out of a job". She talks about the struggle of letting our kids struggle but how ultimately, struggle is not a bad thing. Listen in to stories of things that have recently happened to Grace that have taught her about how letting kids struggle can bring deep, genuine learning and growth, both for our kids and for us as parents!  Head over to Grace's blog www.place-of-grace.com or email Grace at: [email protected] with any questions, comments, and feedback! Music by AudioCoffee (@audiocoffeemusic)

In this episode, Grace shares about what happened in the "in-between" and what it taught her about parenthood and life- that it takes a village.  Head over to Grace's blog www.place-of-grace.com or email Grace at: [email protected] with any questions, comments, and feedback! Music by AudioCoffee (@audiocoffeemusic)

Welcome back to a new season of "Motherhood in the Motherland"!  Grace shares why starting a new season of the podcast is fitting as she has entered a new season in her life.  Head over to Grace's blog www.place-of-grace.com or email Grace at: [email protected] with any questions, comments, and feedback! Music by AudioCoffee (@audiocoffeemusic)

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Korea, do as the Koreans do. Koreans do "self-care", "upkeep" really well.   In this episode, Grace shares her recommendations of what you should do if visiting Korea. Whether it's health-related, beauty-related or fashion-related, listen to hear what's hot and trending and what you can get done at a bargain in Korea.  Head over to Grace's blog www.place-of-grace.com or email Grace at: [email protected] with any questions, comments, and feedback! Music by AudioCoffee (@audiocoffeemusic)

In today's episode, Grace shares where she's been the last 7 months, what she's been juggling and how she's learning to say no and asking for help as she adjusts to being a "working mom". A shout-out to Dan and Jun over at the Korean. American Podcast Check them out for some really thought-provoking content.  Head over to Grace's blog www.place-of-grace.com or email Grace at: [email protected] with any questions, comments, and feedback! Music by AudioCoffee (@audiocoffeemusic)

In this episode, Grace talks about the recent tragic death of Actor Lee Sun Kyun. Listen in as she shares her thoughts on the dark side of fame and fortune in Korea and what the "bandwagon effect" and Korea's 빨리빨리 (quickly quickly) fast-paced culture has to do with it.  Head over to Grace's blog www.place-of-grace.com or email Grace at: [email protected] with any questions, comments, and feedback! Music by AudioCoffee (@audiocoffeemusic)

In this episode, Grace dabbles in a challenging topic: Korea’s education system. She talks about the Suneung, the College Scholastic Ability Test here in Korea, and why it’s such a big deal.  Tune in as she shares her personal views on education, learning and development, and her hopes for the next generation here in her Motherland.  Head over to Grace's blog www.place-of-grace.com or email Grace at: [email protected] with any questions, comments, and feedback! Music by AudioCoffee (@audiocoffeemusic)

In this episode, Grace has her first guest on the podcast! She gets chatting with her husband, Young about all things home-building. They share their favorite parts of the house, the most challenging part of building from scratch, what age had to do with home-building, and how this all affected their marriage. And finally, "Would they do it again?"  Head over to Grace's blog www.place-of-grace.com or email Grace at: [email protected] with any questions, comments, and feedback! Music by AudioCoffee (@audiocoffeemusic)

In this episode, Grace talks about what led her and her husband to decide to build a house from ground-up in Korea, the process of looking at plots of land and deciding on where to build, designing the house, finding an architect and contractor, and all the bumps along the way. She also shares about how they found out they were pregnant with their third after the initial blueprint of their house and the dilemma of whether or not they would have a room per child.  Head over to Grace's blog www.place-of-grace.com or email Grace at: [email protected] with any questions, comments, and feedback! Music by AudioCoffee (@audiocoffeemusic)