Legacy Project

Chris Park, a 2nd generation Korean American, grew up in the States, mostly in the suburbs of Kansas City and San Antonio in the early 70s. While he experienced fewer instances of racism during his childhood, college introduced him to the Korean American community and its diverse relationships with identity and language. He noticed a “You’re either with us or against us” mentality within the community, leading him to distance himself due to a lack of shared values. Despite this, Park finds other ways to support the Korean American community and cherishes the importance of preserving his grandparents’ remarkable stories for his daughter to remember and appreciate.

Bomin Kim was born in South Korea and moved to Australia at age 11, where she was primarily raised by her grandmother due to her parents’ separation. Initially struggling with language and cultural differences, Kim found comfort in excelling academically and forming lasting friendships. Surprisingly, she later embarked on a journey of global travel and eventually received a job offer in the United States, prompting her to move there in 2012. Fondly cherishing her grandmother’s teachings of kindness and love, Kim is now determined to pass down these invaluable lessons to her own daughter. Embracing her role as a global citizen, she has found her voice and is dedicated to advocating for positive change.

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 a 2nd gen immigrant in Bakersfield, California in 1940, Irvin Paik recalls his unease around his Japanese neighbors and witnessing his parents face a lot of discrimination from white Americans. Irvin discovered a passion for theater in junior high school and continued to be involved with producing, writing, and acting in plays throughout high school and college. He even won an award in a Shakespeare competition at UCLA. Irvin also worked in photography, even pursuing a career in it, though he faced discrimination from employers.

Irvin later found work in the army, filming training videos, serving in Vietnam as a combat photographer, and working as a script supervisor at a pictorial center in Long Island City. He also worked filming a television show for 14 years. After leaving the army, Irvin began filming nature documentaries, and, following a mandate from the Justice Department that encouraged the hiring of minorities, he was able to pursue film editing. With Koreans achieving huge successes in the modern entertainment industry, Irvin encourages young people to follow their dreams.

Barbara Uni Lee Potter was born in the San Francisco area in 1943. She did not know she was adopted until she was 13 years old, and soon after had to navigate a complex history of family and lineage — a secret her family and community had kept from her. Barbara carried this tangled unknown with her until she was 45 years old when she decided to search for her birth mother. Barbara’s story teaches us the similarities and distinct differences of being adopted into a same-race family.

Mike Kim was born in Korea but grew up in the United States. After struggling to find a job during the 2008 recession, his cousin invited him to live in Korea for a year. Initially intending it to be a temporary move, Mike eventually sold all of his belongings and has now been living in Korea for the past 14 years.

Since moving to Korea, Mike has constantly taken visiting friends to good restaurants, which ignited his passion for exploring and trying new Korean cuisine. Today, he has founded a food tour business that provides tourists with a delicious Korean food experience. Through food, he wants to share the beauty of Korean culture with as many people as possible.

Albert Kim was born in the US and spent most of his childhood in Orange County, California. Attending a private school with a small Korean population, Albert had a tough time dealing with the microaggressions of his peers and fitting in at school, challenges he faced for most of his childhood. While studying at Arizona State, Albert decided to move back to Korea, where he finally felt more comfortable and accepted– feeling at peace for the first time. Albert believes that his identity as a Korean-American has allowed him to be more well-rounded and empathetic as a person, especially towards other minorities that face discrimination.