Videos

Ninety-year-old Chang Soon Lee sits before a computer to write a letter to the father he hasn’t seen in seventy-five years, a man who remained a distant but precious memory after their separation during the Korean War. Joined by his children, Bora and Bob, Reverend Lee recounts the deep-rooted courage of his own father—a minister who defied Japanese authorities to protect his parish—while grappling with the silence that defined his family’s history. 

Born in Korea during the Japanese occupation, Reverend Chang Soon Lee reflects on a life shaped by faith, displacement, and pastoral care amid the upheavals of colonial rule, war, and migration.

Born in 1938 in the countryside of Icheon, Korea, In Sook reflects on a childhood marked by both natural beauty and the disruptions of war.

Dr. Su Yon Pak and Mudang Sung Park share the story of how they met, the philosophies that guide their work and identity, and how seemingly ordinary people—which both Su and Sung insist they are—leave legacies of hope and perseverance for the generations that follow.

Emmett, Andrea, and Ahri sit down for a conversation on family and joy, as well as their journeys in finding—and making—them. They begin their story in 2017, which Ahri and Andrea describe as a hectic but fulfilling year when their family began to come together. Andrea and Emmett had met through their work in trans advocacy in Texas, with Ahri occasionally accompanying Emmett to the state Capitol in Austin. 

Rev. Sulkiro Song, pastor of HA:N UMC, joins congregants Lia and Paul in a conversation about their faith, their experiences with the Korean American church, and their journeys in navigating what can often feel like an interstitial space between queer identity and Christianity.

Gil Sung Jun is joined by his daughter, Grace, for a conversation on how love is transmitted and received within families burdened with traumatic histories of war.

Vana Kim is joined in conversation with her daughter and granddaughter, Una and Hana, as they reflect on their family’s history of exile and how the legacy of division reverberates through generations.

Haesoon Koh and Moohong Roh are joined in conversation by their son, Michael, in reflections on his grandparents, who were separated from their families during the Korean War.

Jae Hee Jun was born in a small rural village in South Chungcheong Province called Mongiya shortly before the outbreak of the Korean War.

Gil Sung Jun was born in 1947 in South Hamgyong. When he was only two years old, his father, an underground resistance leader, was captured and killed by North Korean secret police.

Vana Kim is a writer and activist based in Los Angeles, California. Born in Seoul, Korea in 1946, her earliest memories are of the Korean War; when Seoul was bombed, her family sought refuge first in a mountain village—a distinctly healing, spiritual experience—and later in Busan for the duration of the conflict.

Part of an annually released mini-documentary series that paints vivid, visual stories of unique Korean Americans and their passions for their craft, NAYA (나야): Shaman Mudang dives into the journey of Jennifer Kim, a practitioner of musok from New York. As she processes her own childhood traumas and experiences, Mudang Jenn shares a story of the spiritual challenges which propelled her towards working on her relationships with family, as well as the active choice to meaningfully work towards healing within her communities. Cultivating tradition to respond to contemporary anxieties, she focuses her talents and calling to address the han latent throughout the Korean diaspora.

Welcome to the whimsical world of Beyond Costumes, owned and operated by Yon Yuh Zweibon for the past 20 years in Yonkers, NY. A Wharton MBA graduate and former accountant, how did this spunky woman end up owning one of the largest independent costume collections on the east coast? In this episode of NAYA, Yon takes us through infinite rows of costumes as she shares her story and the drive behind her passion for running this magical warehouse.

Meet classical violinist David Kim. A child prodigy since the age of six, David fiercely trained to be a world-class violinist under his mother’s intense supervision. In this first installment of NAYA, David graciously invites us to his home and the music hall where we explore his passion for music and the journey that led him to become the concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra. NAYA (나야), produced by KoreanAmericanStory.org, is a mini-documentary series that paints vivid, visual stories of unique Korean American individuals and passion for their craft.

In the beginning of 2021, Mr. Baik and his family made the decision to close down their drop store in Midtown, NYC. March 26, 2021 was the last day. It’s been a year since we followed Mr. Baik, videotaped by his daughter, Deborah, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the second and final part of their story.

For our final episode of Perilla Diaries, we asked Thomas and Andrew where they got the resilience to carry on throughout all these pandemic challenges. Without hesitation, they pointed to the strongest people they know – their mothers. We asked the two restaurateurs to phone them for a short interview about their respective journeys starting new jobs and lives in America.

Julian Kim is an editor, producer, filmmaker, and father of Ian, his 20-month-old son. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many families have experienced a dramatic change within their household when it comes to parenting, especially for those with young children.

Mikey Fresh is the Senior Artist Relations Manager at Genius, a digital media company known for providing unique insight about the stories behind the most popular songs. From showing up awkwardly to a hip-hop magazine interview in a full suit and a fake resume, Mikey Fresh is now one of the top experts in the hip-hop industry. Mikey shares with Julie how he fell in love with hip-hop culture growing up as a young Korean American in New Jersey and how he’s found his way creating a unique career out of his nontraditional passion.

In this #NotYourAverage, Athina and Florence share with Julie Young how they started from just a simple idea to being met with overwhelming demand from their Kickstarter that launched them into establishing their own company.

Marcus Hahm, also known as Avec Plaisir, is an award-winning sound designer, mixer, and music producer who’s worked with national brands and major labels doing commercial work, songwriting and music supervising.

2017 was an extraordinary year for KAS. Here’s a look back at some of our highlights from last year.

What would it be like for 3 generations to travel together in Korea? Walk through one family’s journey of discovering and revisiting where they come from, while passing through the natural landscapes of the countryside and modern city of Seoul.