Native Speaker

Kwang brings Henry to a Korean restaurant, where a beautiful hostess brings them to a private dining room. Henry asks him if he plans to run for mayor, which Kwang deflects by referencing the myriad rumors in the press that it looks like he’s gearing up for a mayoral campaign. The city faces several challenges, such as high crime, professionals moving to New Jersey, race riots, and high taxes, and a new leader like Kwang may be the solution the city needs. But any position that Kwang takes necessarily alienates certain groups of people. Kwang worries about the role race would take in his potential campaign. As a Korean man, Kwang knows that neither the white nor the Black communities completely trust him.

Henry notices that Kwang can drink a lot without loosening up. Henry drinks too much; part of his job is to be more sober than his subject. They’re interrupted by Sherrie, whom Henry finds intimidating. Sherrie doesn’t want to talk about the office’s finances around Henry. Henry sees Kwang touch Sherrie’s lower back and keep his hand there.