Soon-young Oh, 39, has returned to her native Korea to live, twice. Each return trip taught this transnational adoptee something new about herself. Her second time moving back to Korea was in 2016, with a husband and a three-year old child in tow. Oh compares the two experiences and on what it means to be a parent to a biological child, and what she wanted to give to her son.

Music Credits:
Jahzzar: Schmaltz
Jahzzar: Reunion
Jahzzar: SeeUSoon
Jahzzar: Wound

Logo: Rusty Detty

For Anna Merrick Luster, keeping her Korean siblings together at all costs was a promise she kept to her biological parents before they died. But as you’ll hear, that meant enduring painful years of sexual abuse by her adoptive father and possible emotional and psychological abuse from her adoptive mother. In this podcast series, we’ve heard some painful and complicated stories about Korean transnational and transracial adoption. This one is no different. Luster shines a light on an international adoption industry, in this case Children’s Home Society of Minnesota, that often has blamed adoptees for the abusive families it has placed Korean children into, rather than acknowledge its own negligence and inaction to protect them under its guise of child welfare. This story is also an example that abuse can take place behind closed doors not only in large anonymous cities, but in small rural towns in plain sight. And that local child protection services, schools and other local officials have also failed to act. But despite everything, Luster’s story is about survival and of how her memories of Korea gave her hope even in her isolation and despair, from thousands of miles away.

Credits:
Music: Jahzzar – “Schmaltz”
Logo: Rusty Detty

Brian Nieken, 32, has known who is biological Korean father is for half his lifetime – they first reunited in Korea when he was only 16. Nieken says the trip forever changed him and how he saw himself. But as the years went by, he realized important questions remained unanswered. He talks about that disappointment and of coming to terms with tough details that led to his adoption.

Jahzzar “The Letter”
Jahzzar “Comedie”
Silvia Tomas Trio “En las andades”
Midnight Sons “Equation”

Adapted Logo – Rusty Detty

Korean adoptee Matt Blesse, 31, is an American who moved back to Korea six years ago. A poet who now spends a great deal of time in kitchens in Seoul, the Californian chef-in-training got cerebral and talked with us about his ideas on adoptee identity and authenticity. We caught up with him on the island of Jeju.

Music Credits:

Theme: AJ Paschka

Alex Fitch: “Along the Highway,” Needle Drop Company.

Ari De Niro: “Put the Hammer Down,” “Questing,” Needle Drop Company.

Logo: Rusty Detty

Special Thanks: Brad Linder

Adam Kohlhaas, 30, talks about his experience living in Seoul for the past five years and of reuniting with his biological parents. For Kohlhaas, reconnecting didn’t translate to an emotional bond or match the many tearful reunion documentaries he had watched to prepare himself for this life event.

Thank you for listening to ADAPTED. Originally funded by a Fulbright grant (2016-7), Adapted will continue on in some form yet to be determined.

Music credits:

Alexander Paschka: theme music.

Jahzzar: “Friends,” “Silver,” and “Solitude.”

Kai Engel: “Oecumene Sleeps.”

Lion’s Club clip: Sangshow via YouTube.

Logo: Rusty Detty.

Special thanks: Brad Linder.

Robert Ogburn, 57, is a Korean-American adoptee who has returned to the country he was born in — as a diplomat. Raised an only child, Ogburn’s story includes an unexpected adoption twist and insights on how Korea and its perception about adoptees has changed over the years. And like so many other adoptees, Ogburn talks about a quest to know more about his past, and of the all-too common realities of an elusive paper trail.

Austin Johnson, 28, is a Korean-American adoptee and Seoul resident. He’s been living here with his wife, Janetta, for the past two years. They came to Korea together and ironically it was Janetta who has been his bridge to Korea: cooking authentic Korean food and being an anchor when life back in his native country got tough.

Not every adoption story is the same. Some adoptees struggle within their adoptive families out of neglect, lack of love or a sense of belonging. Adoptees who return to Korea to live often face other issues too: of confronting their relinquishment and feelings of loss. Korean-American adoptee Laura Wachs, 28, shares her story, and of how her love of spoken word poetry has helped her find her voice and create a family she can call her own.

Rachel Smith, 23, lives in Cheongju, Korea. She’s spending two years teaching English on the Fulbright program. Smith talks to us about growing up in Kentucky, what got her interested in coming back to Korea, searching for her Korean mother and how all of this has helped her firmly grasp who she is.

Richard Peterson, 31, reflects on moving back to Korea nearly nine years ago, armed with both advanced Korean language skills and a solid knowledge base of Korean history. But instead of looking back, Richard reflects on his opportunities in Korea today and of building a life on his terms.

Richard Peterson is at home with his wife Emily and their dog Rudy in Seoul.