Songs of their lives: A narrative study of three older Korean immigrants in Los Angeles

Abstract

Conceptualized as a narrative inquiry, this study explored how music permeates the lives of older Korean immigrants in the United States. By closely examining three individuals’ lived experiences through the narratives they told, the study aimed to illuminate the complexity, depth, and uniqueness of meanings embedded in the musical lives of older immigrants. Narrative data revealed that while all interviewees had lived in the same time periods and went through many similar life events, each individual used different “colors and shapes” to “paint” their musical lives. Yet, some common themes also appeared from the narrative data: songs in the lives of the older immigrants portrayed their personhood, including who they are, where they come from, and what they like/dislike. Also, as a means of emotional communication, songs were intrinsically related to temporal moments at particular circumstances in the past, often paired with affective reactions. Finally, songs helped make sense of the socio-historical contexts in which the older immigrants have lived.