BETWEEN WORLDS DOCUMENTARY

BETWEEN WORLDS

“Between Worlds” (working title) a forthcoming documentary following my journey as an American photographer and Korean adoptee, delving into the stories of fellow adoptees from the White Lily Orphanage (1970-1980). I’ll be spanning the globe, collecting others’ stories while laying bare, the fragments of my own history and origin. Through this, I’ll be opening the door for new information to come in. With clarity, I dive into this knowing that I won’t be immune to fallibility, fragility, stops, starts and dead ends. This film will be an exploration of the complexities of identity and belonging as it connects with others who share a similar origin story. Through a series of dual portraits I will be taking of the adult adoptees—one in traditional Korean attire and one in everyday clothing—this aspect of the documentary will visually represent the inner conflict faced by many adoptees, torn between their Korean heritage and their adoptive cultures.

The film takes a personal turn with the discovery of my second cousin, Korean film star Dong-Won Gang (of Train to Busan: Peninsula) , through a 23andMe DNA test in 2019. This unexpected connection leads to a constellation of new information and discovery of facts and serendipitous coincidences. Shortly before meeting Dong-Won in person in 2022, he had wrapped a film that he co-starred in titled ‘Broker’ by Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda. ‘Broker’ is about two men who make a living by finding new parents for babies who are left anonymously in boxes meet a young woman who left her child behind, but now wants it back; two investigators are hot on the heels of the baby dealers.

We later discover that I was found, abandoned on a train heading to Busan.

Shortly after, and deeper into my research, I reached out to the adoption agency (Holt International) that placed me with my American Family. They sent me information confirming that I was fostered by a woman by the name of Choi Eun-Hee. After some internet search, guided by the facts that I received from Holt about my foster mother matched up with a woman of the same name. Choi Eu-Hee was a South Korean actress, one of the most popular stars of the 1960s and 1970s. In 1978, Choi and her then ex-husband, movie director Shin Sang-ok, were abducted to North Korea, where they were forced to make films until they sought asylum at the U.S. embassy in Vienna in 1986.

In November, 2024, upon completion of the portrait project, I will journey back to Korea, meet my cousin’s side of the family, enter my DNA into the South Korean system, meeting the nuns from the former White Lily Orphanage, and explore the emotional landscape of reclaiming my heritage. "Between Worlds" intends to capture the raw emotion of my journey, highlighting the transformative impact of reconnecting with familial ties. Through this narrative, the documentary aims to shed light on the broader adoptee community's experience, providing a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics of identity and belonging.

This is a rough cut of archival footage that may be included in the film.