Last Day in Korea

I can't believe our time in Korea is coming to an end. We all leave tomorrow night for our respective destinations. The past few days have been absolutely packed, very little sleep, lots of traveling, filming, and meeting many people. It has also been probably the most emotionally intense, at least for me, and probably Jason. We have pretty big news, but I'll let Jason write about it. Will write more soon!!

IKAA

Today we went to the Korean Traditional Food Institute where Jason and I learned how to make Korean Rice Cakes (dduk/떡). It was so much fun, and it tasted delicious too (but everything was pretty much prepared for us, so don't expect us to make it for you!) and we learned a few interesting things about Korean digestion vs. Western digestion, according to the head chef.

Later that day, we went to the first IKAA gathering at the Gwan Mun Sa Temple. We had a wonderful meal, followed by a number of traditional Korean performances. I have seen and heard the dances and songs of so many other cultures, but from my memory I don't remember ever seeing a traditional Korean performance like tonight. I loved all the performances, but I must say my favorite was their closing number - the Dance of the Buddha, that recreates the birth of Buddha. It was beautiful.

Photo of the Day

An ordinary day for Jason and I on the subway.

Best,

Mikyung

Wol Mi Do

We met Jason's birth mother for the second time yesterday. It was such a surreal experience. And so different because we weren't within an office space like the first time. It was much more personal, and for me it was just like hanging out with my boyfriend's birth mother for a day. I won't describe all that I felt because it was just so much that happened, but anyways the film will show that.

The longer I have been here, the more seriously I think about living in Korea for a year or so to study the language and get a part time job. I haven't even brought it up to my parents yet, but they'll be visiting Korea in a few days, so I'll tell them then. But it's always been kind of a touchy subject, for certain reasons, so we'll see..

And I apologize if I haven't been responsive to facebook messages or emails, I have read them all and it makes me so happy to know that all of you are reading this and thinking of us. It gives us the determination and will to make this documentary the best it can be, and encourages us to continue to update the blog, website, and photo album - which I did upload new photos to, but I messed up and uploaded it under another username. Does anyone know if it's possible to copy entire albums from one username to another? I would just re-upload it again, but it took me like an hour last time to look through all the photos between myself, AJ and Matt. But I welcome any suggestions, if not I will be updating it anyways but it is hard to find time.

Also check this out, another fellow blogger found our blog and wrote about our documentary -
Click Here

Photo of the day

Jason and I at the SuWon Fortress Palace

Best,

Mikyung

Second Meeting

A few days ago, I met my birth mother!

I apologize for not updating the blog more often but it is hard for me to write about it when I'm not even sure what I am feeling myself. The whole experience has finally settled into my conscious state of mind and is no longer an indescribable experience but something that holds great meaning to me. My birth mother was a little on the quiet side and I think that this was due to shock and embarrassment. I greatly respect her strength for coming to meet me and to face her past.

About an hour after we met, my birth mother called Mikyung and asked how I felt. She still wasn't home and was still crying. In addition, she explained how she was completely overwhelmed but I think that there could not have been any other reaction. Fortunately, in my case, I had about a year to prepare myself for the experience but she had only a few days when she was notified by SWS that I was in Korea to meet her.

Tomorrow I am meeting with her for a second time. I am so happy that it seems as though she wants to know more about me and that she is willing to open up her heart up to me. She seems to care about me a great deal. I care about her as well and even realized that I somehow loved her. How can I love someone I don't even know.

I love it that my parents and birthmother met. It was amazing and surreal that all of us were in the same room. I will never forget it.

- Jason

Surprise Phone Call

We went to a traditional Korean Folk Village today with Jason's parents and the whole crew (Larkin just arrived a few days ago). And it was so much fun to see what old Korea was like, and the entire village was very impressive. We stayed there for about 4 hours, and my only regret was that the last bus departed at 5pm - I could have walked around for another hour.

On the bus ride back, I unexpectedly received a phone call directly from Jason's birth mother. This was the second time she had called me, and both times her voice was soft, timid, and also quite sad. It is a strange feeling for me to be speaking directly in Korean with Jason's birth mother, but also a very privileged feeling and an honor to be able to understand and talk with her. She expressed to me many things, and most importantly that she wanted to see Jason again this weekend, if she could make the time (she just gave birth very recently and has to take care of her young newborn). So I really hope that we will see her again, and that this second meeting will be filled with laughter and with less tears.

- Mikyung

Birthmother

Today I met my birthmother and my aunt at SWS in South Korea. I can't believe that it already happened. I have been waiting for over a year to meet her and have thought about this moment my entire life. It was extremely emotional but also strangely uplifting. I feel a certain kind of ease that I've never felt before and feel as though I have solved some sort of mystery about my life. I've never heard the saying / phrase "you look like your father or mother" or "we have the same face." Today I did. I think my birthmother was very overwhelmed and stunned by the meeting. It seemed to bring up a lot of feelings about her past that she seemed to have wanted to forget but I am impressed and touched that for me she was willing to come and meet me. In addition, my parents came and met her which was a very emotional event for everyone. All in all, I am thrilled and very happy that I was able to have the opportunity to meet her. This is and will be one of the most memorable days in my life. I will post more on this tomorrow...

- Jason

False Alarm

Today I was suppose to meet my birth mother but was cancelled last minute. She was not feeling well and went to the hospital. I think she is doing well but is clearly taking it hard. We rescheduled to meet next tuesday which is great but is definitely dissapointing that I didn't meet her considering that nearly 12 hours ago we would have met.

At first I was upset to hear this news but I feel okay about it now and understand that she has other things going on in her life and that she is going through a lot of emotions as well. I respect her privacy and just hope that she is taking care of herself and her newly born boy / my half brother. I want to meet her but of course only if this is what she wants to. I'm feeling every emotion about meeting my birth mother but am mainly excited.

Everything in Korea is going great! I could not be happier about the production aspect of the documentary,

Instead of my meeting with my birth mother, we went to a Korean middle school which was amazing to say the least. I have never experienced anything like it. I felt like a psuedo celebrity. I will post more about this later...

- Jason