Martial arts style

A pregnant Jin Kazama and Hworang commission

They weren't actually related but she came to Korea looking to find dojangs to train at and grow having a substantial amount of wushu training and kickboxing. But Korea is not an easy place to live she was laughed out of most places and was coming at her limit. Meeting Hwoarang they initially don't get off on the right foot but after he realizes just how much bias he has he wants to do better. They start training together under Baek Doosan the first man to actually take her seriously as a brown foreign woman.

They end up becoming as close as family. She considers him like a brother and they share everything. Hwoarang and Baek are very lonely people and very much outcasts in Korean society. My writing was very much relating to my experiences and feelings as a poc in Korea as my self inserts always reflect who I am.

They were happy but unfortunately had their own problems as they were afraid of losing her and kept her as second fiddle to Hwoarang not letting her fight in the Iron Fist Tournaments. She more or less becomes a cheerleader and forced to deal with Korean paparazzi and their standards. She eventually rightfully gets angry and demands better for herself.

That was many years ago now and with the new Tekken coming out there's suddenly an uptick in those very old posts. Looking back on them it's like a time capsule on who I was and who I was trying to be back then. How I did actually get laughed out of a Dojang and how I struggled with being a token every single day. How I was growing and very slowly becoming more confident in myself and unlearning so much self internalized hate. But dealing with Korean standards definitely didn't make that easy.

I must have been 20 or so in this photo at the old guesthouse I lived and worked at. I remember being terrified of being too exposed and risque in this which is of course ridiculous but internalized misogyny and self hate is a crazy drug for 20 year old women

My relationship with myself and with Korea was very apparent in the writings. And the hopes of being accepted and making true friends and family. Now so many years later I'm a completely different person looking back on it. And with the new game coming out I'm so excited to be able to write more and create a whole new chapter with Meg and the universe just like how my life actually has.

She comes back having left Korea to pursue her own training. To grow and find herself. A new stronger, mature and ready person. Whatever the new story is for Tekken 8 will be amazing I'm sure and fun to work with.

It's just fun and interesting to see how much fandom and media can be reflections of who we are. Especially as a self insert person who's grown and changed so much with my writing as an outlet. Korea was a huge change for me and also one of my hardest obstacles in life that forced me to grow. I look back on it and almost don't believe that's who I was and I'm proud of how far I've come.

Hwoarang,