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Jennifer Lee
Jennifer Lee, 24, recounts her journey from Seoul, Korea, to North Bethesda, Maryland, where she now resides after immigrating to the United States with her mother and brother. She speaks about what it was like to be raised by a resilient mother who worked to provide for her young family in a new country and reflects on the love, support, and sympathy extended to her following the loss of her father at a young age. She talks about navigating college and career aspirations while switching from pre-health to computer science, where she found an interest in Human-Computer Interaction. Although initially conflicted on whether to pursue UX research and design, as this would mean more schooling rather than directly entering the workforce, her mother encouraged her to follow her passions instead of feeling burdened by the impossible weight of giving back to her family. She says that if she could give her younger self any advice, it would be to have confidence in yourself and what you do, because no matter how you feel toward yourself, there will always be those around willing to show you love and care.
Matthias Chu
Matthias Chu, 25, was born and raised in Maryland. His story is one that resonates with many Korean American young adults, with the stresses and pressures of school and adulthood on his mind while also being of the age where he’s coming into his own identity. Part of this journey, he explains, has been navigating through his relationship with Christianity and the church, from interacting with students who attend church to having difficult conversations with his parents about his faith. Another part of the journey has been learning to navigate stress productively while not getting hung up on overthinking. Matthias talks about the guilt he feels from the difference in faith with his parents, as well as dropping out from college and working for two years; in both cases, he explains that he feels bad knowing what his parents want him to be, versus how he sees himself. Nonetheless, he feels grateful that as he grows older, his relationship with his parents has improved and that talking to them has become easier—despite the personal hardships and challenges that come with maturing as an adult, Matthias’ relationship with his family has always taken precedence.
Jacky Lee
Jacky Lee was born in Incheon, South Korea, in 1957. She recounts her early childhood memories living in Korea with her mother and younger sister, recollecting in vivid detail specific moments spent with family while noting that many of those earliest memories are becoming harder and harder to remember. When Jacky was five years old, she and her younger sister were adopted by an American couple who were stationed in Japan while serving in the Air Force. Though living in Japan presented its own set of challenges—she had to learn a new language, for one—Jacky describes feeling a particular bond with her adoptive mother owing to their skin color, and overall recollects her time in Japan fondly. After the family’s period of service was over, they relocated to California where her parents started a church; it was in America that Jacky felt for the first time a conflict in identity, where she was bullied by the other children at church for her appearance. Resentful that her parents were unwilling to talk about her past in Korea and her biracial heritage, Jacky talks about the confusion and shame that accompanied questions she had for herself. In her thirties, however, while visiting a Korean beauty supply store, a worker recognized her as being Korean; for the first time in her life, she felt able to slowly reclaim bits of her Korean identity. In 2014 she visited Korea with a group of other biracial Koreans, where she rediscovered a love for the land of her birth mother. Jacky went back to Korea in 2017 to nurture this connection, and ever since she’s identified herself as Korean, Black, and proud.
Letters to My Hometown
Hung Kyu Bang
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.
Seung Suk Byun
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
Ki Shin Lee
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.
Legacy Project
Grace Lyo
Grace Lyo was born in 1946 in Gyeonggi Province, Korea. While attending elementary school, she moved in with relatives in Seoul, and after completing high school found work first as a government employee of the Treasury Department, then in the actuarial industry where she met her childrens’ father. In 1981, Grace immigrated to Baltimore with her family, which by then included young children. Opening up a store nearby, Grace and her husband worked to sustain their new lives in the U.S. Grace, who had always wanted to pursue higher education, enrolled in the local community college; her husband, who was against the idea, demanded she quit school. The couple separated and sold the store, which allowed Grace to open a new business, starting anew. Soon after, she opened a second store, and then another: at one point, she was running three businesses alone, one of which she gave to her brother when he too immigrated to the area. In 2015, during the Baltimore Protests, one of her stores suffered an arson attack which led to its permanent closure. Despite this setback, Grace talks about all the love that local residents have given her and her businesses throughout the years she’s lived in Baltimore, and how she herself harbors nothing but gratitude and a desire to give back to her community and its youth.
Dr. Chun-Kyu Lee
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.
Milton Washington
Milton Washington, now residing in Harlem, New York, carries a poignant story of resilience and identity, starting with his early life in South Korea. Born to a Korean mother who worked in South Korean military camptowns, Milton faced rejection not only for being mixed Black and Korean but for being the child of only one parent. The rejection forced the mother and son to move from their village near Incheon to Dongducheon. Years later, Milton was eight years old and found himself living at an adoption agency after his mother could no longer take care of him. One day, a car pulled up, and a Black family from America stepped out to adopt another child. Milton ran into the vehicle belonging to the family and refused to leave. Feeling an instant connection, this family adopted Milton. As an adult, Milton reflects on the geopolitical forces that impacted his mother’s life and other people’s heartbreaking and inspiring stories to persist and live.
NAYA
NAYA: Yon Yuh Zweibon
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.
NAYA: David Kim
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.
Six Feet Apart
The Last Day
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.
Resilience Runs in the Family | Perilla Diaries | Ep. 5
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.
Day In the Life of a Parent During Covid-19
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.
Not Your Average
Mikey Fresh
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.
Covry
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
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.
Film & Original
KAS 2017 RECAP REEL
2017 was an extraordinary year for KAS. Here’s a look back at some of our highlights from last year.
Call Taxi
3 Generations Visit Korea
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.