Lauren Kim is an urban planner from Orange County, California, who strives to bring joy to community and cultural centers. Born in Long Beach, she considers Irvine her hometown, though she reflects on how growing up among manicured, material landscapes left her searching for a deeper sense of place and connection.

Jung Sook Choh, mother of KoreanAmericanStory.org’s co-founder Theresa Choh-Lee, passed away peacefully on June 28th, 2025. Ms. Choh was interviewed for our Legacy Project series, released on January 6th, 2016.

Dr. Brandon Sae-Joon Oh is a doctor of traditional medicine in Los Angeles, California. Born in Seoul, South Korea, in 1965 as the eldest of three children, Dr. Oh tells us that as a child, he was unusually gloomy and depressed, with his nose in books to get his mind off the monotony of life (though today, he describes himself as a free-spirited, fun-loving individual). He recalls how his childhood dream was to become a doctor, and if he was unable to do so, to run a nursing home.

Dr. Junwoo Kim is a doctor of Oriental Medicine who also serves as the OMC Director at Dongguk University Los Angeles. Born in 1985 in Daegu, South Korea, he recalls having a rather peaceful childhood both before and after he immigrated to the United States as a high school student. When asked about his hometown, Dr. Kim tells us that he considers La Mirada home, and Los Angeles his second hometown.

In Memoriam. Grace K. 금순 Lee passed on May 4, 2025. Ms. Lee was interviewed by her daughter, Marie Myong-Ok Lee, for our Legacy Project series, released on November 12th, 2015.

Sion Kim, whose Korean name is Kim Seokhyun, is a retired pastor who calls L.A.’s Koreatown his home. Born as the fifth of six children in 1937, Sion spent most of his childhood in Icheon, Gyeonggi-do, a small mountainous rural community.