Tag: legacy project remote

Peter Kim was born in South Korea and grew up with a large, close-knit family that worked together at his father’s business. After immigrating to Canada at the age of 10, he soon realized how displaced he was with the rest of society. In this Remote Edition of Legacy Project, Peter sits down with his daughter, Cara, to talk about his journey through his view of the world as a Korean, Korean Canadian and Korean American. He shares his regrets of not teaching his children to be more immersed in Korean culture, but also emphasizes the importance of being an open book and having common understanding. He hopes for Cara to lead a positive and fulfilling life while growing confident in her own identity.

Ashley Baik was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. Growing up, Ashley had a hard time navigating between her Korean and American identities but was able to find support through her church youth group. She soon saw the importance of the two cultures and realized how much her parents had struggled when they came to a new country. In this Legacy Project video, Ashley reflects on her faith and identity and gives gratitude for her parents’ sacrifices.

Najung Hiatt was born and raised in South Korea, and moved to America as a university student seeking to continue her education. She met her husband, who is not Korean, and decided to stay in America to raise a family and pursue her dream of becoming an educator. In this remote edition of Legacy Project, Najung shares how she raised her children to be proud of their Korean heritage and that they should never forget the value of being connected to their roots. She hopes the Korean American community will find their own ways to keep in touch with its cultural heritage, so that it doesn’t slip away.

Dr. Doug Hong was born in Korea in 1941. By the time he was 9 years old, the Korean War had begun. He recalls being faced with extreme hunger that he caught insects like cicadas and flies to eat. As he was fleeing south with his family towards Seoul, bombs destroyed bridges causing them to seek refuge in a mountain in the outskirts of Seoul. His dad and uncle hid in a cave to make sure they wouldn’t be caught and forced to join the North Korean army, while the rest of his family found shelter nearby. Three months went by and UN troops reclaimed Seoul. Dr. Hong still remembers the horrid sights that laid in front of his eyes on his walk back home.

Seonwoong Hwang was born and raised in South Korea into a pastor’s family. From a young age, he realized the injustices in society and set a clear path for himself to pursue politics. As he reached his 20s, he felt a need to reset and took a new path and studied theology in college. Though his goal was to enact change in the world, Mr. Hwang wants to make that change through whatever God’s calling for him may be.

Faith Kim was born and raised in Deerfield, Illinois. She went to a predominantly white school, and struggled with the concept of being both Korean and American. She began to connect with her heritage in middle school when she began watching K-dramas with her mother and learning Korean through Rosetta Stone.