Why a Korean Mom in Berlin Took the Clippers: A Quiet Rebellion
Creatrip Team
a month ago
Park Ha, author of the memoir "Why Did the Berlin Mom Pick Up Clippers?", recounts her struggle and recovery after moving to Berlin with two children. Unable to speak German and cut off from her career as a preschool teacher, she faced high hurdles—medical appointments, bureaucracy, and social invisibility—that eroded her confidence. In a small act of defiance she shaved her hair (bariggan: electric clippers), which became a symbolic, calming rebellion and a turning point. Rather than a dramatic success story, the book shows how tiny daily commitments—ten-minute tasks, copying favorite phrases, sticking German vocabulary on Post‑it notes—led to real change: she drew webtoons, earned a German language certificate, and later taught Korean at an adult education center. The memoir also compares Korean and German childcare values, exploring how motherhood and personal identity can coexist. The clipped hair grows back, and so did she—offering gentle courage to anyone facing a new start or life disruption.
