ArcaMax

A. When I was really young and my parents told me we were moving to America, I really hated the idea. I didn't want to leave all my friends and everything that I knew. But now that I think about it, it was a really good move, because in the States, we had all different kinds of cultures and races. That gave me a wider viewpoint. Later when I toured, I was able to explore even more different cultures and it was just amazing. The experience of living in America made a huge impact on me socially and politically. But it also influenced me to want to see more. I like to travel a lot, because I like the melting pot and seeing new people in different places. It's really fun and a big inspiration.

Q. If the Atlanta Braves were playing against a Korean baseball team, who would you root for?

A. Maybe we should skip this question. (Laughs) There are certain sports where I have to root for Korea, like soccer or baseball. But if it was basketball, I would definitely root for the U.S.

Q. If someone was waffling about whether they should visit South Korea, what would you say to encourage them to get on the plane?

A. Oh, wow. I want to be their tour guide -- free of charge! Korea is a safe country and a lot of places are open 24 hours. There are lots of taxis and buses and subways that are easy to take. The food here is great. If you have jet lag at 3 a.m. and are hungry, you can grab some delicious food from a street (cart). There are lots of good-looking guys and beautiful ladies, so it's fun to people-watch. And liquor's cheap! (Laughs) For foreigners, visit Itaewon, which has lots of (expats). Young people go there to check out the clubs, which have everything from jazz, to hip-hop, to R&B, to EDM.

Q. Do you consider the music you make to fall under the K-Pop umbrella?

A. I just call what I do music. But if you want to put it in the K-Pop category, I'll take it, because K-Pop is just the shortened term for Korean popular music. Korean hip-hop is part of Korean music overall, so I guess I'm part of it. I'm honored to be part of it.

Q. What is left on your travel bucket list?

A. The list is too long, because there are more countries I want to see than countries I have been to. I'm thinking of going to Europe for a month or so, maybe with my brother. It is my dream. I would want to start in Italy and just move around from there. The specific countries don't really matter as much a being there and exploring, because I have never been to that part of the world.

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(Jae-Ha Kim is a New York Times bestselling author and travel writer. You can respond to this column by visiting her website at www.jaehakim.com. You may also follow "Go Away With..." on Twitter at @GoAwayWithJae where Jae-Ha Kim welcomes your questions and comments.)

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