Constrained

I had an international student VISA and faced significant financial difficulties, including paying out-of-state tuition at college. My family even considered returning to our home country, but we couldn’t afford the plane tickets. During this time, I constantly feared that ICE would cancel my visa and deport me. "Constrained" tells the story of a character who constantly fears being forced out of the country. She sees the American dream as a nightmare, yet her desire to stay is strong because she views herself as a survivor.

I related to the character’s struggles, particularly as a woman facing medical procedures that have not been thoroughly studied, as women's health has often been overlooked by science. Egg donation is one such procedure, with the market being poorly regulated and most research based on women undergoing IVF rather than donors. I wanted to depict the entire process, from hormonal injections to the retrieval surgery, revealing the emotional and physical challenges an egg donor faces.

I was also deeply moved by the character's background, her dedication to feminism, and her advocacy for women's rights in South Korea. Despite remaining anonymous for legal reasons, she shared her dilemmas and chose to tell her story. She is compelled to undergo a painful and risky procedure to finance her education, a decision that conflicts with her moral values. Still, her courage ultimately helps her achieve her academic goals.