The influx of Korean-American Adoptions began in the mid-1950’s.

Many Korean-American adoptees (KADs) are outspoken against the practice of international adoption citing irreversible trauma due to cultural misappropriation, identity crisis, deception of origin stories, white Christian savior complex, big industry, and other related adversities. As a Korean-adoptee myself, I have navigated through many of these issues. Long before social media groups existed, I believed my thoughts were unique only to me. In 2014, I created a vlog, “American Seoul” which chronicles my experience growing up as an adoptee in an all-white family/community. As a result, I learned that I was not alone.

I am fascinated with the concept of identity and what defines it in a person. For many international adoptees we fall between the cultural cracks of our birth countries and geographical upbringing. This contemporary photo series documents KADs from across North America showing how they culturally identify by which flag they choose to stand in front of or between. For the participants involved, this gave closure, begged more questions, motivated and pushed for answers but most of all empowered each individual to take one step closer at discovering who they are.

Photographed in Los Angeles, Chicago and D.C.