This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Eva Chow, chair of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) Art + Film Gala and founder of the soju brand KHEE. She splits her time between Seoul and Los Angeles. The following has been edited for length and clarity. I was born in Seoul and moved to the US with my family when I was 16. I built my career in New York as a fashion designer and later owned and operated Mr. Chow , a luxury Chinese restaurant chain that operates worldwide. I