Tag: korean war

Joy Lee Gebhard was born in Tokchon, North Korea, during the Japanese occupation. When she was one and a half years old her family moved to Pyeongyang, where she remembers spending her childhood around the massive royal tombs near her home, as well seeing their exhumation and excavation by the Japanese Army. Upon liberation, her father slaughtered the family’s single cow, which had been used to work farmland, to hand out cuts of meat to the community in celebrating their independence. During the Korean War, she was brought to the South Korea by a South Korean man visiting Pyeongyang in search of his family, promising her mother that she would be able to live a fuller life south of the 38thparallel; this would be the last time she ever saw her mother. In South Korea, she found herself at a military nursing school in Busan, where both South Korean and American soldiers were fascinated by the fact that she was from the North, at times treating her with suspicion. She worked a variety of jobs to study at Busan University, one of which was as a morning news broadcaster, before receiving an unprompted invitation by a minister in Texas to come to the United States; apparently, news of a “North Korean” nurse in Busan had circulated around the world. She emphasizes how it was never her intention to come to the U.S. as it would further separate her from her family; even from America, her search for her family continued as she sent countless letters to the embassies of countries which maintained diplomatic relations with the newly partitioned country. Upon the invitation of the North Korean government, she was briefly reunited with her family in 1988, and has gone back multiple times since then.

Jung Ja Lee, who sometimes goes by “JJ,” was born in Seoul in 1945, growing up with three older sisters, an older brother, and a younger brother. When the Korean War broke out, she remembers how her uncle unexpectedly arrived at her home with his own family, warning them that it was time for them to head south. Their family sought refuge at Pyeongtaek City, located in the south of Gyeonggi Province, a journey that took 9 days of walking by foot on country roads to avoid running into soldiers. Upon returning to their home in Seoul, Mrs. Lee found that while her home was intact, their furniture had been stripped of its drawers, presumably by individuals who were unable to flee Seoul but needed fires to burn. Later in life, she operated a Baskin Robbins in Toronto, Canada, with her husband, and she continues to call Canada her home. When asked by her daughter, Vivian Lee, if she has a message she’d like to tell her grandchildren, Mrs. Lee says that she wishes to spend more time with them… and that she is a confidential bearer of their secrets!

Chown Soon Cho was born in Bugok-ri, Gochang-gun, North Jeolla Province, during the Japanese occupation. When she was three years old, her mother gave her to her eldest aunt to raise as her own, a common practice at the time. It wasn’t until she was ten years old that her grandmother revealed that she had been adopted by her relative, a surprise which, at the time, developed into feelings of betrayal. Soon after, the Korean War forced Mrs. Cho to shelter with her grandparents, rather than seeking refuge elsewhere. She recalls seeing the North Korean enter her village, as well as the traumatic experience of being held hostage by them. After the war concluded, she married and had eight children before immigrating to the United States in 1984, with her children following her later. Although her life has been filled with moments of profound sorrow, she tells us that today, she finds joy in her children and grandchildren, asking for little more than their own happiness.

Lana Yu was born on March 14th, 1952, in Korea during the middle of the Korean War; after fleeing Seoul for Daegu, she and her family returned to Seoul when she was five years old. She recalls how life after the war was difficult, as food was often scarce, but she found some joy in music and singing. In 1976, she and her family immigrated to LA, where despite initial difficulties with English, Lana worked a variety jobs including at a bank, the Los Angeles City Hall, and even as a casino dealer in Las Vegas! The most formative experience of her life in the U.S., however, was when her son came out to her; tearing up at the thought that he didn’t feel like he could come to her sooner, she reminds us that “there are way people who understand you than you think,” and encourages all of us to find the people who can support us.

Kyung Wan Kim was born in 1940 in Yeondeungpo-gu, Seoul, during the Japanese occupation of Korea. When she was 2 years old, her father was offered a job in Hwanghae Province, which today is a part of North Korea. The family lived in Hwanghae Province until 1945, when Korea was liberated, after which the family moved back South to a rural part of Gyeonggi Province. She recalls how, around the age of 16, people began expressing interest in marrying her, and that because food was so scarce, her parents tried to wed her to a stranger; eventually, she ran away to her uncle who resided in Seoul. Her uncle enrolled her in school, but because of a shortage of funds Kyung Wan had to find a way to make money, which she did by offering tutoring services. She graduated with a license in typewriting, and soon began working for the National Assembly Secretariat, where she stayed until the 5.16 coup of 1961. In 1967, she married her husband who had just quit his job; with no source of income, Kyung Wan made and sold banchan for 2 years, after which she took up tutoring again. Soon thereafter, her sister—who had moved abroad to Chicago—invited Kyung Wan and her husband to come to the US, and in time the couple moved to New Jersey, where Kyung Wan became a licensed therapeutic massager, opening up her first clinic in Flushing with her husband as her assistant, and then a second one in New Jersey. Even in retirement, people still visit her at her home for her massages, sometimes bringing small gifts and fruit. Though her life has been marked by many ups and downs, she reminds us to remember that whatever happens—good and bad—will all pass one day; it’s better to find your footing in the present, and just follow the flow.

Hyung Chang Kim recounts the memories of his father, the late Gi Suk Kim, who was born in 1926 in Namcheon-ri, Eunyul-gun, Hwanghae Province which today is located in North Korea. Gi Suk Kim had been a teacher when the Korean War broke out, but as an act of resistance against the mandatory rules carried out by the People’s Army, he joined the Guwolsan Guerilla Unit (part of the KLO), an American-led guerilla warfare unit whose soldiers took commands from American military officials. He, alongside some of his colleagues, had come under suspicion by the North Korean government for their anti-communist activities, and were captured and imprisoned; it was through the saving grace of his uncle, a high-ranking official in the North Korean government, that Gi Suk Kim narrowly avoided execution. After the end of the Korean War, his unit remained in operation in Jirisan, where he was told North Korean operatives were in hiding, to suppress the operations of remnant forces. He eventually settled in Uijeonbu, Gyeonggi Province, where he had Hyung Chang Kim, the eldest of three sons and two daughters. Hyung Chang Kim recalls his father’s acute longing for his hometown, often taking his son to accompany him on visits to the Hwanghae Province Central Residents’ Association, or the Northern Five Provinces Committee, while he reminisced with other Koreans whose hometowns were in the North of their childhoods. Though he had been healthy for his entire life, his father passed suddenly at the age of 60, having spent much of his later life longing for his home, and regretting that reunification couldn’t happen sooner. Hyung Chang Kim, who is now older than his father was when he passed, has inherited the deep sorrow caused by ideological divisions between the North and South. He wishes to meet his family in Hwanghae one day, greet them on behalf of his father who spoke of them often, and hopes that they remain healthy so that he might visit as soon as he can.

Jung Sook Han was born on August 2nd, 1935, in Pyeonggang County, Kangwon Province, Korea. Her father was a schoolteacher who was regarded highly by his community, and she grew up with older siblings as well. She remembers fondly her oldest sister as well as her brother-in-law, for whom she’d act as a courier of sorts, delivering messages and love letters between the two. Growing up in the highlands of Pyeonggang in a township called Sepo, Jung Sook and her family would farm radishes and beans which grew abundantly in the alpine climates of the Taebaek Mountains. She recalls how her brother-in-law would often shake chestnuts—a Kangwon-do staple—out of their trees as she sat under them. When Jung Sook was ten years old, she and her family moved to Hongcheon county, a county in the southern part of Kangwon (sk: “Gangwon”) Province, while her sister stayed in Pyeonggang with her in-laws. Though she received word that her sister had had a child, she never met her niece or nephew; a couple of years later, she visited her hometown with a friend to find that her childhood home had been replaced by farmland, her sister and brother-in-law gone. She did manage to find her sister’s father-in-law, who told her that the young couple had been taken further north by North Korean soldiers. Although she has accepted that she may never see her sister or her brother-in-law again, she holds out hope that she may one day meet her sister’s child in a unified Korea. She wishes to tell them where they’re from, and that they should always love and protect their country so that it—and they—never be separated again.

This interview was filmed on July 31st, 2023 in Duluth, GA.

Nancy Cho was born in North Pyongan Province in what is today North Korea, spending her early childhood there. At the age of six, she and her family moved to Seoul, and only two years later had to flee to Busan to escape the violence of the Korean War. She completed middle school in Busan before moving back to Seoul with her family to attend high school, after which she began college at Ewha. After graduation, she met her husband and had their first child, later moving to Houston where her husband had been attending business school. Restless, Ms. Cho studied to become a keypunch operator, passing her licensing examination at the top of her class. In December of 1968 she had their second child, and her husband began working at Houston Natural Gas, though as their family continued to grow, she couldn’t help but notice how barren of Koreans Houston was at the time. Four years after having their third child, the family decided to move to Los Angeles after hearing of its Korean community from a church elder. Living in Koreatown, she remembers thinking that “LA felt like Korea,” from hearing Korean being spoken on the streets to how she could get her hair done at a Korean salon. She worked with her husband at his CPA practice for forty-five years while taking care of their family, and today finds much joy in cooking at home following Korean recipes on YouTube.

Jaesook Kim was born in 1948 in Seoul, Korea, just before the Korean War began. Although she was too young to remember the conflict in detail, she remembers how her older brother was drafted into the war, never to return. Despite her family’s impoverished conditions after the war ended, they managed to continue living in Seoul; specifically, Mrs. Kim recalls living in shack near Dongdaemun Gate. Through all of the hardship, her mother desired for her to one day become a teacher, and so sent her to a special elementary school far from home which was affiliated with a teacher’s college—eventually, her mother’s dream came to fruition, and Mrs. Kim taught as a teacher in Korea for 20 years. During this time she met her husband who, after encountering business misfortunes, asked to move to the United States. At first, the couple moved to New York, but Mrs. Kim never quite felt at home in the busy city. They then moved to Los Angeles which she loved, describing it as feeling like her hometown. After experiencing some setbacks while working in the restaurant industry, Mrs. Kim decided to try to find work where she could interact with children, seeing as she’d been a teacher for all those years in Korea, eventually babysitting for children with an appetite for Korean food. Her husband passed in 2005, and she occasionally feels lonely—at times, she longs for Korea as well. Yet feels that living in America has been a blessing as well, and feels lucky to have had this life.

Keum Ja Park was born in Cheongpyeong, South Hamgyeong Province, to a family who made their living by farming. At a young age, her family was evicted from their home because what they owed in taxes was much more than what they could farm, and moved to Heungnam City. One day, soldiers approached Park’s home telling them to get evacuate the city; her mother initially said they couldn’t go until her father returned home from work. Upon realizing that he wouldn’t make it back by the time the final boat left, Park and her mother boarded a boat that was so packed that they had to find space in the top level of the ship. After a nauseating voyage, they arrived on Geoje Island, Gyeongsang Province, in the South. In 1995, Park and her mother made a visit to North Korea to see her father, flying first to Beijing to catch a layover into North Korea. They ran into delays while in Beijing, and so at the urging of their guide, a Korean Chinese woman whose sister had lived in the North, they bought food to bring into North Korea in case their families didn’t have enough to eat. When they finally landed in North Korea, reuniting with their family, Park was surprised by how effective the regime’s ideological indoctrination had been: despite reports that much of the country was starving, her family insisted that food was bountiful in the North. Her father had remarried, and so Park met her half-siblings for the first time as well. Although she had heard stories of reunions filled with tears, she herself did not cry, feeling strange in front of her father whom she had last seen when she was too young to remember. They would continue to stay in touch via short phone calls until her father passed.

This interview was filmed on July 19, 2023, in Pasadena, CA.

Myung Ki Min was born on March 10, 1940, near Haeju, Hwanghae Province. Growing up in a little village by the countryside, he lived with his family near a hill where, in spring, azaleas would bloom. He got along with his siblings, with whom he’d get into various shenanigans—including the one time they almost burned down his house. He had just started elementary school when the Korean War broke out, and although it wasn’t difficult for the family to decide to flee to the South, rumors circulated that moving in large groups would risk raising suspicions with the North Korean military; thus, he was told to head South with his mother and siblings, while his father would join them later. Before he left, however, his father told him to register their family to the Korean Red Cross, should they ever require organizational assistance in relocating their relatives. Min and his siblings never saw their father again after crossing the 38th, and he realizes that most family members he had in North Korea have likely passed away; before it’s too late, he hopes for the American and North Korean government to “put politics aside” so that they may hold humanitarian discussions on the topic of reuniting divided loved ones.

This interview was filmed on July 23rd, 2023, in Centreville, Virginia.

Sung Joo Kwon, 84 years old at the time of recording, was born in Unheung-ri, Hamheung, South Hamgyeong Province. His memories of his hometown are entangled with those of his oldest brother, Hyung Joo Kwon, from whom he remembers being gifted much love. He recounts how his brother loved classical music, playing recitals in community centers around Hamheung; he recounts, too, how his brother would take him up Banryongsan Mountain, for vocal exercises. Though he cannot play an instrument, he attributes his love for music, as well as his strong voice, to his brother. Soon after war broke out, Sun Joo and his brother were separated following the Heungnam Evacuation in December of 1950—what the UN had called a “3-day promise,” or the promise that families would only need to temporarily evacuate their homes, turned into a permanent separation. Sun Joo caught the last train out of Hamheung on December 23rd, 1950, then the last ship out of Heungnam, which took him to Goeje Island in Busan; afterwards, he moved to Seoul, where he lived for 38 years before moving to the United States in 1988. Stating that a hometown is one where a family had resided in for three generations, he wonders if his brother had children of his own, with whom he would be bound by blood. He hopes to meet them someday, reunite with his brother, and step foot in his hometown once more. This interview was filmed on July 19th, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Sang Chul Kim was born on September 4th, 1932 in Changyon, Hwanghae Province. The eldest son of his family, his memories of life in Korea revolve around his parents and his younger siblings; in particular, he recalls how it was his younger brother who took care of him, the older one, more. He holds a deep reverence for his parents, who he describes as parents anyone would be proud to have, and reminisces about his mother took care of him during his schoolboy days, before the war—he was unable to say farewell to his family when the war began, as he had to rush to the dock to board a fleeing boat. In 2000, he was given the opportunity to travel to North Korea by the Overseas Korean Committee where he was briefly reunited with his siblings; together, they spent a day in Sinuiju, North Korea, before traveling to Pyeongyang the next day. It has been over 20 years since he last saw his siblings in Korea, and he wishes for little more than to see his homeland reunified, and his own family reunited, so that his parents might rest in peace.

This interview was filmed on July 25th, 2023 in Philadelphia, PA.

Doh Kuk Kim was born on May 10th, 1941 in Sariwon, Hwanghae Province, North Korea. Growing up in Sariwon, he recollects a childhood filled with fond memories of friends, with whom he’d often climb nearby Jeongban Mountain to pick and eat azaleas, which grew in abundance up and down the mountainside. In first grade, he was designated the class president after dragging his neighborhood friends to school, encouraging them to register for classes; they’d start the days off by counting off in Russian. He’d come home from school to a loving father from whom he feels as though he received a “lifetime of love,” being the youngest child in the family. During the January Fourth Retreat, Kim, with his mother and a few siblings, left Sariwon for Seoul with the intent to return after a week, but as fighting continued, the separated family found itself living in the South with no hope of return. Kim, who realizes that by now the siblings he left in North Korea would have had children and families of their own, wishes for nothing but for them to remain healthy so that he might see them one day, on the soil of his hometown.”

This interview was filmed on July 30th, 2023 in Suwanee, GA.

Hyo Sun Yang was born in 1945 in Manwol, Kaesong City. Her father, a surgeon at Kaesong Provincial Hospital, continued his work there until the Korean War escalated. Hyo Sun recalls the hospital being a refuge for many during the war. At the war’s peak, her father was captured by the North Korean army, and she never saw him again. His fate remains unknown, leaving her hopeful yet uncertain, wishing for both his well-being and eternal peace. In response to growing political tensions, Hyo Sun, along with her mother and brother, relocated to South Korea. They eventually made their way to the U.S., where she and her brother now reside. This interview was filmed on July 19th, 2023 in Glendale, CA.

Chung Soon Ahn was born in Pyongyang, North Korea, before the outbreak of the Korean war. She lived comfortably next to the Taedong River until her father’s friend informed them that they should move to the South, as the family was at risk of being targeted by a government purge. In 1948, the entire family relocated to Seoul, where Chung Soon was enrolled in school. During the war her family left Seoul, but returned after it ended. Chung Soon, now a university student, returned to school, and upon graduation found work at the YWCA. While working she met her husband, with whom she moved to Japan, following his career. Though her husband’s company wanted to relocate him to an American office in Atlanta, Chung Soon suggested that they move to D.C. instead, and in 1964 she and her husband moved to the United States, where her husband found a new job as an engineer and she as an airline interpreter. Looking back on her life, she remembers fondly the comforts of her childhood in North Korea, but is above all grateful for both the opportunities and the struggles which pushed her to start a new life in America as well.

Seung Hie Kim was born in Seoul, Korea, during the Japanese occupation. Recounting her childhood memories, she describes what school while under imperial control, such as how penalties would be imposed on students who spoke Korean in the classroom—not even an “Um-ma! Oops!” went unnoticed. She speaks of the Japanese name and identity given to her (“Ido Hoshiko”), and feeling sadness and confusion while listening to Hirohito’s surrender broadcast as she’d considered herself to be Japanese by the war’s end. After liberation, her family was subjected to kidnappings and arrests owing to her siblings’ Communist ties, and during the Korean War she fled from Seoul to Yeoju-si. Shortly after the war ended she met her husband, who had returned from military academy in the United States. The couple married in 1957 and later moved to the U.S. in 1972, settling in Baltimore where fortune granted them a business opportunity in managing a large department store in the greater Baltimore area.

Hung Kyu Bang, a 95-year-old born in 1929 in Bangchon-dong, Pyongyang, carries vivid memories of his childhood and family despite the years. He fondly recalls his older sister, who cared for him during a severe illness at age 14. Although they were separated, with his sister remaining in North Korea, Bang visited Pyongyang in 2014, hoping to reunite. Tragically, he discovered that she had passed away. He reminisces about their walks to school, a one-hour journey during their elementary years. With deep historical awareness of the hardships during the Japanese occupation post-WWI, Bang advocates for the reunification of separated families and yearns for improved relations, including direct flights between the U.S. and Pyongyang, to strengthen family bonds across borders. This interview was filmed on July 14th, 2023 in Millbrae, CA.

Dr. Chun-Kyu Lee was born in 1928 in Jeollanam-do, South Korea, and experienced the hardships of WWII during 8th grade when he was forced into labor instead of schooling to support the Japanese army. Following Japan’s surrender in 1945, Dr. Lee returned to academic life, only to face the outbreak of the Korean War shortly after starting college in Seoul. This led him to transfer to medical school, where he trained as a doctor to aid war efforts, later extending his medical expertise to Uganda during a doctor shortage. In 1972, Dr. Lee moved to the United States to pursue further training in psychiatry, working extensively in Korea, Uganda, and later in Cleveland, Ohio, despite language barriers. After retiring, he settled in Maryland, cherishing the proximity to his family as the happiest period of his life, reflecting a journey marked by resilience and dedication to serving others across continents.

Seung Suk Byun, born in 1929 in Hwanghae Province, North Korea, grew up in a poor farming family. Despite a strong desire for education, economic hardships forced him to leave school after the third year of middle school. He only continued his studies thanks to his uncle’s financial support, which included paying for his school fees and gifting him a bicycle.

The outbreak of the Korean War dramatically altered Mr. Byun’s life during his 6th-grade year. Faced with the chaos and danger of the conflict, Mr. Byun and his family had to make a desperate escape. Initially hiding in mountains and forests due to the lack of space on escape boats, Mr. Byun vividly recalls the perilous moments of hiding in manure to avoid detection. His eventual escape was fraught with danger; only by the aid of friends was he pulled to safety onto a boat after nearly being left behind, resulting in the loss of the only provisions he had, two packs of rice, due to the hasty departure.

Mr. Byun’s connection to North Korea remained strong through his family ties. He was in an arranged marriage with a woman who, during the war, became pregnant with another man’s child and gave birth to a daughter. While Mr. Byun escaped, his wife, pregnant at the time, stayed behind in North Korea. Tragically, she passed away at the age of 28. In 2005, Mr. Byun had the opportunity to return to North Korea, where he brought 2000 antibiotic pills and suitcases filled with gifts for his family, leaving behind everything but his clothes and a toothbrush for his return journey. His daughter remains in North Korea, maintaining the familial link to his homeland despite the geographical and political divide.

This interview was filmed on July 18th, 2023 in Los Angeles, CA

Born in Hongcheong-un of the Gangwon province, Dae Duck Cha was forced to flee to Seoul at age 6 due to the Korean War. His father led a March First Demonstration in 1919 in his hometown and this passion of his was handed down directly to Cha. Growing up amidst the war was rough for Cha, he had a hard time keeping up with academics due to frequently moving around and living with his older sisters. Through this period, drawing became his solace, leading him to pursue art at Hongik University and eventually join the Peace Corps as an artist which brought him to the United States. He continued to go through many more changes and relocations in his life until eventually settling in Houston. Recognition and fame within the Houston Korean Community came slowly, with his artworks showcased in galleries of others and also his own. Cha’s story reminds us of the importance of being passionate and pursuing our dreams no matter what comes our way. 

Dr. Sam Jae Cho was born in Seoul in 1949, just a year before the War broke out. When he was just a year old, his family fled to Daegu, where he resided until he returned to Seoul to study at university. He details the trajectory of his academic career, starting as an undergraduate at SNU studying Mineral and Petroleum Engineering, to completing a PhD at UT Austin after receiving a government scholarship. After finishing his studies, Dr. Cho sought to return to Korea but upon feeling that the position he was offered wasn’t a right fit, he made the critical decision to remain in the United States choosing instead to work at energy companies where the efforts of his dissertation could be better realized. Even still, wanting to contribute to the advancements in energy technology for his home country, Dr. Cho worked at creating an organization which would provide a platform for Korean students studying energy sciences in Texas to come together, share discourse, and propose emerging technologies in energy management to their home. In his golden years, Dr. Cho remains steadfast in his conviction that we can inch toward a better future through scholarship.

Ki Shin Lee, born July 5, 1934, in Haeju, Hwanghae-do, lived a life marked by the Korean War’s division. Fleeing during the 1951 January-Fourth Retreat, he left behind his parents and siblings, believing he’d never see them again. Risking return, he was captured by the Chinese army, last hearing from his father to escape southward. Decades later, in 1992, Lee discovered his parents were alive through a classmate who visited North Korea, overturning years of mourning. Emigrating to the US, he sought reunion, and in 1997, he met his sister and brother but couldn’t visit his hometown or his parents’ graves. Their thin, aged appearances at the reunion brought him to tears, highlighting North Korea’s harsh realities. This encounter in 1997 would be the last time Lee saw his family, maintaining a fragile connection through one or two letters a year, with each letter taking six months to reach him. Despite the pain and separation, Lee’s story is a plea for understanding and empathy towards the people of North Korea. His life, marked by loss, separation, and eventual partial reunion, underscores the human cost of geopolitical conflict and the deep-seated desire for family and homeland connection amidst adversity. Lee’s narrative is a powerful reminder of the personal stories behind historical events, urging a compassionate view of those on both sides of the Korean divide.

This interview was filmed on July 25th, 2023 in Philadelphia, PA.

Bark Bo Moon was born in Seoul in January 1945, just before the Korean War. He reminisces on his journey during the war to finding refuge in Masan-si alongside his family and being faced with much violence and hardship. Airplanes that flew above them would shoot down and have to protect themselves, but the family still spread warmth to one another. After the War, he went back to school and focused on his academics, especially English. Time passes and he joins the Korean Army and experiences the Vietnam War. He highlights how during his service he was able to use his English to help his peers connect. After moving to America, he was faced with a lack of job opportunities until one day he accepted an offer to enlist in the US Army after a recruiter visited the local church he was attending. After more changes in his life in homes and occupations, he now is retired but still lives with a drive to help others for the greater good. He emphasizes that his goal in life is to give smiles and spread kindness, and warm gestures.

Marn J. Cha, born in 1937 in Gangdeok, North Korea, spent his childhood in South Korea before moving to the United States in 1957 to study political science and public administration. In 1969, he became a professor of Political Science at California State University, notable as one of the few professors of Korean descent in the U.S. at the time. Invited by North Korea to give a lecture, he seized a unique opportunity to visit his hometown, rekindling connections with relatives who vividly recalled their shared past.

During his visit, he experienced a heartfelt reunion, marked by a special meal prepared by his relatives at an unusual hour, highlighting the depth of their familial bond. For about two decades, he maintained sporadic communication with his relatives in North Korea, often wondering if the financial aid he sent was received amid suspicions of governmental interference. Despite losing contact, Cha remains passionate about his family’s well-being and is committed to teaching his children about their North Korean heritage, holding onto the hope of one day reuniting with them.

Soon Ki Bae, who also goes by Simon, was born in Japanese-occupied Korea in 1935 in South Jeolla Province. He recalls how the country was liberated while he was in the third grade, but political turbulence continued for much longer. The Korean War broke out when Bae was in middle school, and wartime anxiety followed him around. He was weary of police during the day, partisans at night. Political unrest would continue to spur anxiety even after the war’s end through the April 19th Revolution, and the following May 16th Coup in 1961. By chance, it was during the coup that Bae enlisted in the military to fulfill his mandatory service. After decades of turbulence at home, Bae moved to Germany to work as a contracted miner, relocating to Chicago with some friends he had made in the new country at the end of his contract. Slowly, the former miners opened restaurants, groceries, and other small businesses, building a Koreatown on the North Side of the city. Along the way, he’s been actively involved in cultural efforts such as the formation of a performing samulnori troup and even a saxophone sextet. Despite his hardships, Bae reminds us that the key to staying vibrant in one’s golden years is to continue seeking out activities that encourage youthful enthusiasm.

John Anthony Ranum was born in Pyeongyang, North Korea just as the Korean War was about to rear its head. Separated from his mother amidst the conflict, he wandered down the peninsula to Daegu, where he was placed in a number of orphanages. It was in Daegu that he’d meet his adoptive brother, an American GI stationed at Daegu air base. Adopted into a family in Chicagoland, Anthony himself would end up enlisting in the United States Air Force with hopes that he’d be able to find his mother while on duty in Korea. While stationed at Osan air base, Anthony met his wife, with whom he moved back to the United States to start his own family; today, he takes immense pride in his three daughters and five grandchildren.

Myung Kun Park’s life mirrors Korea’s tumultuous history, celebrating liberation from Japanese occupation in 1945, only to face the peninsula’s division soon after. Challenges under Communist rule and his father’s arrest prevented them from moving to the South. Amidst suspicion, Park reluctantly became an informant, navigating the Korean War’s outbreak and his brother’s disappearance. Later Park joined the South Korean army, where he endured injury before excelling in medical school. His story is one of adapting to various identities under flags like Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Canada, and the United States. Today, he reflects on a guiding force that led him through difficult and dangerous times, as well as happy times.

Issun Park’s life has been shaped by unexpected relocations and experiences. Born in Kaesong, North Korea, she spent most of her childhood in Seoul. At the age of 8, her family had to leave Seoul urgently, crossing the Han River just before it was bombed. They managed to escape the city safely. Later, her father found a job with the US Army stationed in Tokyo, where they lived for seven years before eventually moving to Okinawa. In 1962, Park emigrated to San Francisco to join her older brother. It was there that she met her future husband through a mutual friend, got married, and had three boys together. Despite her diverse background, Park never felt out of place in America and has embraced the liberal values instilled by her father.

While fleeing for their lives, Kwon Sook Young vividly recalls the evacuation journey with her family from Andong to Busan aboard a freight train. Amidst the chaos, a heart-stopping moment occurred when Young found herself surrounded by bags of rice as a large water kettle came crashing down upon her from a nearby bomb explosion. Her motionless body led her family to believe she died; however, against all odds, they discovered her crawling out alive and breathing.

From attempting to sell Korean pears to nearby soldiers to her father narrowly escaping execution, the Korean War served as just one chapter in Young’s life of survival. Young eventually relocated to New York, and a profound sense of displacement enveloped her as she grappled with the challenges of language barriers and cultural shock.

Today, Young’s thoughts often gravitate towards themes of mortality and aging, contemplating how to gracefully navigate the inevitable aftermath. Despite the passage of time, she continues to reside in New York alongside her family, desiring nothing but the best for them and hoping they may lead long and healthy lives.

Dr. Samuel Sang Gook Lee was born in Daegu, Korea in 1935 during the Japanese occupation. Recalling the Emperor’s Oath that Korean students had to recite every day in school, Dr. Lee reflects on feeling shame for obeying Japanese rule. He was forced to learn Japanese and obtain a Japanese Sur name during the occupation. His local church was the only place where he found community and positivity.

Later when he was 15 years old, Dr. Lee served as a house boy for 3 years where he ran errands for the U.S. soldiers on their military base. It was during this time that he suffered from severe depression and anxiety, which he carried with him throughout the rest of his life. Since immigrating to the US, Dr. Lee continues to pray every day to bring healing to himself and his family impacted by generational trauma.

Born in 1950 during the Korean War, Kyung Koo Park was the weakest child in her family. They didn’t have much, but Mrs. Park recalls never going hungry and being thankful to her mother for raising her to be a strong and proud person. In this Legacy Project recording, Mrs. Park also shares her journey and what it was like living as an immigrant in South Carolina during the 70s and 80s. She has learned not to make assumptions and hopes future generations learn and communicate with the different communities around them while never forgetting their roots.

Born in 1935 during the Japanese occupation of Korea, Choong Shik Cho recalls constantly struggling and facing hunger. When the Korean War broke out, he was 16 years old and spent the first three months hiding in a dark basement because his family feared he would be drafted. Although his family didn’t have much, he remembers his parents’ deep devotion to providing him and his seven siblings with food and support.

Hee Shin Suh was born to a noble, or yangban, family in 1924 in Jangsu, Jeollabuk-do. Mrs. Suh grew up with hired help and openly shares she wasn’t familiar with household chores when she immigrated to Ohio. She even recalls giving her kids under or overcooked rice multiple times and struggling to cook Korean dishes. Seeing her neighbors working and feeling unproductive at home, she found work as a seamstress and continued to work there for the next 20 years.

Dr. Kee Ok Cho’s father firmly believed that women should have access to education. While attending vocational school, Dr. Cho knew she had to go to school in Japan like her sister in order to get the best education possible. Plans quickly changed when Japan began to lose the war. She instead had to attend school in Korea to reduce the chances of being taken to become a comfort woman. Soon after, the Korean War breaks out.

Nam Young Park, born 1931 in North Korea, describes his childhood throughout Japanese occupation, recollecting what it meant to be Korean at that time. After Korea’s eventual independence, Nam began his dream of becoming a lawyer at Korea University. To his dismay, the Korean War broke out just one month into school and he was quickly recruited as a young soldier.

“Sangsun Yaksu (상선약수, 上善若水) Flow with water, flow with nature” are the words that Dr. Casey Youn continues to carry with him as he flows through his own life; taking any opportunities that comes his way. Born just 7 years before the Korean War broke out, Dr. Youn developed an altruism to give back to community after seeing the aid that the U.S. gave back to Korea during a time of devastation and need. To this day, Dr. Young uses his various work skills – which range from chemical engineering to coffee shop owner – to give back to his Korean American community. He now acts as President of the Korean American Association & Community Center of Houston.

Sang Hui Juhn was born in 1932 in Wonju, Korea, and attended six years of primary school under Japanese occupation. She recalls not being allowed to speak Korean at school and working to provide supplies for the Japanese army instead of studying not fully understanding what was going on. Most of all, she remembers the name she was given – Kiyomoto Eiko. The occupation ended once World War II ended but soon after, conflict began to rise between North and South Korea.

Pak Myung Sook was born in 1929 in Seoul, South Korea, during a time when the country was under Japanese rule. During the outbreak of the Korean War, her father, who had worked as a police officer, was kidnapped, leaving her mother to care for her four younger siblings on her own. Ms. Pak’s mother sought strength in her religious faith, helping her entire family to become devoted Christians After growing up during a time of cultural and social repression, Ms. Pak then experienced the horrors of war, suffering the loss of her child when she fled to seek refuge. After the war, she immigrated to America when her husband’s company went bankrupt and began to build a new life with her family. Her stories depict how important it is to find comfort and strength in one’s family and keep moving forward, no matter what.

It happened to me on a day in early July 1950. I was a student in the first grade of Bosung Middle School located in Hyaewha Dong, Seoul, Korea. At this point, I will explain Korean political and military situations.Korea was emancipated on August 15, 1945, out of Japanese occupation for 35 years since August 29, 1910. Korea has been divided between South and North Koreas soon after the Japanese Surrender on August 15, 1945, and South Korea established the Democratic Government on May 10, 1948, under the leadership of President Syngman Rhee. There was the complete and permanent division of the Korean Peninsula across the latitude of the 38th Parallel North and hostilities between these two divided Countries including the frequent military clashes.

It happened in the year of 1950 during the summer, possibly in late July. My mother, sister, and I were treading in a lonely country road heading to the village of Yongmun, Gyeonggi-do, where my sister and her family were living.

Stella Gill was attending kindergarten and learning how to play the piano when she recalls the Korean War breaking out when she was just 4 years old. After several years of living as refugees, her family finally returned home only to find that their father never came back. Stella went on to get married and settled with her new family in America. However, 25 years ago, she received a mysterious letter in the mail sent from North Korea that turned out to be her long lost father. Communicating through letters until his death, she describes the emotions she felt at that time learning about her father’s new life and family.

Born in 1944 in the city of Harbin in what was then called the Manchuria region of China, Regina Park experienced the hardships of the Korean War at a young age. Her memories of the war include fleeing from Pyongyang, North Korea to South Korea with her family in the dead of night and receiving milk porridge from American soldiers on the street in order to survive. After meeting her husband through her uncle, Ms. Park applied for a green card and moved to the U.S. in her late twenties to start a new life. Her story is one of incredible resilience, courage, and tenacity.

Jeannie Wang was born in Busan, growing up in the middle of the Korean War during which she recalls sharing food and resources with refugees fleeing from the combat up North. Ms. Wang’s dreams of becoming an international ambassador eventually led her to America, where she worked at a wig shop while still studying in school. Due to financial difficulties, she had to quit her ambassador dreams, but soon found another path in tutoring and education through her children. Putting all her energy into her children’s future inspired her to start a Kumon tutoring business with her husband, where they worked together for over 20 years. Ms. Wang shares with her daughter her gratefulness in that her children were able to adjust and live well in America despite the cultural differences and difficulties they went through.

James Jin-Han Wang was born in 1940 in what is now the capital of North Korea, Pyeongyang. Mr. Wang recalls the long and difficult journey of fleeing on foot to the South with his family when he was just ten years old. When the Han River Bridge was bombed down in an attempt to prevent North Korean soldiers from further invading the South, Mr. Wang’s father was separated from the rest of the family. His pregnant mother was left alone with three young children, of which one died shortly after contracting polio, and her newborn son died shortly after birth due to starvation. After graduating from Seoul National University, Mr. Wang worked in Korea for a few years before coming to America with big dreams of a new life for himself. Now having owned various different businesses and retiring, his biggest wish is for his daughters and granddaughter to simply be happy.

Mary Kim, born in North Korea, grew up in Seoul during both the Japanese occupation and the breakout of the Korean War. Ms. Kim shares her memories of being punished for speaking Korean and hearing rumors about women being recruited as comfort women in her hometown. She also recalls the difficulty of trying to stay alive during the war with vivid memories of scavenging and rationing out foods like potato powder and barley. Ms. Kim’s husband was able to immigrate to America, rare at the time, through his medical research work. Ms. Kim soon followed with their children with the dream of securing their family’s safety and future lives.

Ms. Hee Yung Chang was born in Seoul, Korea, experiencing the Korean War as a young child.

Jin Young was born in 1937 in Manchuria which was also under Japanese occupation at the time.

Fighting poverty and homelessness never stops for Jean Kim.

Born in 1935 in what is now North Korea, Jean Kim lived through the Japanese occupation and the Korean War, losing her language, family, and home.

Seungjin Lee takes us back into his family’s story before his move to the U.S.

Pastor Myungja Yue recalls how her father took on the incredible feat of swimming across the Nakdong River back and forth 6 times

Dr. Yoon Soo Park, recognized internationally for his research in science and technology, recalls the less public memories of his life during the Japanese occupation and the Korean War.

Dju Hyun Park recalls her harrowing escape from North Korea to South Korea.

Dju Hyun Park grew up in a wealthy family in North Korea, but affluence did not ensure an easy life.

Kim J Chung shares how she met her husband, and how the two were an unlikely pair.

Kim J Chung shares how her family crossed the border from North Korea to South Korea.

As a professor with over forty years teaching political science at the University of Georgia, Han Shik Park shares his thoughts on North Korea,

Han Shik Park is no stranger to war. Born near what is now Harbin amidst Chinese civil unrest, Park eventually moved to South Korea after the surrender of the Japanese.

Sang Soo Park, born in 1929, recounts the days in Korea when everyone was starving and his immigration to the United States to join his brother who worked at a chemical factory.

Civic activist Aiyoung Choi recounts her father escaping to China to avoid being forced to research new technologies for the Japanese war effort

In this week’s special episode of Korean American Story with 87.7 FM KRB, Queens residents Myung Hee Chun and Jin Hee Choi talk about their family’s rich tale of resilience during the Korean independence movement. Through their eyes, learn what it was like to be born and raised in Manchuria during the Japanese occupation, and live through the liberation period and Korean War.

Chung Yun Hoon, born in 1930, describes his childhood and family life in China, how seeing a picture of the Empire State Building inspired him to learn English.

Han Sung Park grew up in a rural part of Korea as the youngest of four daughters to her mother, who faced a lot of social stigmas as a widow.

Sungdo Park, born in 1933, gives an intimate look at the major events of his life.

Jwa Kyung Shin was born in 1914 in Korea. She was 100 years old at the time of the interview.

Victori was born in 1943 in a small peach farming village outside of Seoul, Korea.

Mrs. Jungsook Choh was born in 1935 in Uhrae-Jin, Hamkyung-Namdo, which is now in North Korea.

This is the story of Thomas Park Clement, an abandoned bi-racial Korean War orphan, who was adopted by a white American family in 1958. He overcame many obstacles to become a successful entrepreneur and a humanitarian.

Late one evening while mourning her late husband, Pega Crimbshin (nee Ock Soon Lee), 81, of Cabot, Pennsylvania, found a box that he had handcrafted and shown to her in January 1954. He had informed her that they contained important papers.

Since junior high school, Kang Lee’s aspiration was to become one of the greatest scientists Korea has produced. His father, who was the chairman of the biology department at Seoul National University, was kidnapped by the North Koreans during the Korean War. His mother was left to raise 6 children on her own. Kang Lee managed to find scholarships which allowed him to attend his junior high school and high school, and eventually worked his way through Seoul National University as a private tutor. He came to the USA to attend MIT, where he received his PhD. In 1984 he founded Aspen Systems, where he is still the CEO today.

This is an amazing story of struggle and resilience in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. Despite a lifetime of struggles and successes, Kang Lee remains an incredibly optimistic and humble person.

“You know how sometimes you meet someone and it just clicks,” Kleisley said. “That’s how it was when I first met Mark.” That 1951 chance meeting near a stream in Korea blossomed into a 60-plus-year friendship for the Marine from Rochester, N.Y., and the former homeless kid from North Korea.

Legacy Project video of Dr. Byoung G. Choh of Cleveland, Ohio interviewed by his daughter, Theresa Choh-Lee.

I’m not sure what it is about being a hyphenated American, but nearly every immigrant group seems to claim two qualities for themselves that set them apart from mainstream Americans. The first is that they’re not punctual. The second is that they’re cheap.  Indeed, ethnic stand-up comics often joke that their respective immigrant group functions not on regular time but on (Korean / Indians / Jamaican/ etc.) time and that their (Korean / Indian / Jamaican/ etc.) father was so cheap he would only let them use x sheets of toilet paper per bathroom visit.