Reunion with biological parents can be complicated for adoptees. Especially because relinquishment or losing a child or parent, language, culture can be traumatic and represent lifelong grief. But whose story is it? Aneyah Elmore, 56, is a Black and Korean adoptee who is balancing the need to tell her own story and the desire of her biological mother not to. 

CW****Child killings, racial genocide, suicide, emotional abuse of a child

 Note: Aneyah mentions Truth and Reconciliation Commission but instead means Danish Korean Rights Group.

“Running” by JaeJin under license.

“Dorothea,” “Trajectories,” “Edge of the Woods,” “Red Ember,” and “Anippe” by Blue Dot Sessions under license.

Lisa Woolrim Sjöblom, 45, is an illustrator, comic book artist and activist who advocates for the rights and justice for adoptees and first families. In a departure from other published conversations, Sjöblom gets more personal and talks about struggles with attachment, becoming a mother and the grief and trauma that these life events have brought up.

“Running” by JaeJin.

“Etude 11 Charles,” “Etude 7 Vinni”, “Etude 2 Briar,” “Etude 3 Chessanta” by Blue Dot Sessions.

Samantha Kim Lyons, 41, grew up with racial mirrors unlike many other transrcial adoptees. Her late father was white; her mom is a third-generation Japanese-American. Her childhood was spent in Hawai’i and later southern California. But like other Korean adoptees, Lyons finds herself searching for deeper connection to Korea and to her adopted self later in life, for the first time. 

“Running” by JaeJin.

“Across the Table,” “Onside,” and “On the Hour” by Blue Dot Sessions.

Edward Pokropski, 39, of New York, NY is an adopted Korean-American who has a new one-man show out unpacking that experience. He talks about why not all audiences are comfortable laughing at jokes about adoption and how he approaches the topic while staying true to himself. 

“Running” by JaeJin.

“Overlook on Fairview”, “Delham Corner,” “Burham Street,” “Hensteeth,” and “Dognell” by Blue Dot Sessions.

This is the second-half of a recent conversation with Peter Møller of the Danish Korean Rights Group. 

The discussion took place on Dec. 11, 2022 (KST), just days after the Korean Truth and Reconciliation Commission decided to start an investigation on Korean adoption by examining an initial 34 cases of the more than 300 submissions. 

We also discuss privacy in regards to the Special Adoption Law and threats made by Holt to Møller and other adoptees if they don’t abandon this complaint. 

“Running” by JaeJin.

“Edge of the Woods,” “Treeliner” and “Trajectories” by Blue Dot Sessions.