ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how a mixed-heritage Korean New Zealander transformed her identity while learning Korean as a heritage language (HL). It examines the transformative effect of HL learning on the identity construction of a mixed-heritage female university student who was born and grew up in Auckland, New Zealand. The chapter focuses on poststructuralist views of identities to examine HL learning and identity construction. HL learning and educational mobility had a powerful impact on the participant’s identity construction. The participant’s narratives also demonstrate how ethnicity interacts with identity construction and language learning in complex ways. Gina’s increasing cultural and linguistic knowledge positively influenced her self-concept and empowered her to claim her Koreanness. The process of constructing a new identity as a Korean learner and a study-abroad student strengthened Gina’s relationships with her mother and family friends. Given her heritage, Gina felt pressured to perform better than her non-Korean classmates.
