Contributed Stories 사이트 방문자들의 이야기

Legacy

By: Christine Whang

As a second-generation Korean-American, I have begun a quest to better understand Korean history, the roots that solidify my grounding. There are undoubtedly informational texts on the Korean War, but it is another challenge to grasp the personal accounts of my own family's experience during this tumultuous historical era. For this reason I am incredibly thankful for the resources available through this project, which illuminates the unspoken of shadows of the Korean War. It has stirred different emotions - pangs of pain at the sight of loss and suffering, an unprecedented level of unknown familiarity with the participants' stories, a longing to delve deeper into the past, present and future, all while reconnecting with a part of me I have never fully explored.

The sole recollection of oral tradition in my family regarding the Korean War traces back to when I was a young eight-year-old child. My grandmother had fled from the North during the War, carrying her two baby siblings after the loss of her parents, when she was only 17 years old. The vague memories of this conversation still hold a special place within me - it's the only access I have to my second-hand understanding of this time period. I specifically remember her describing her journey across the frozen river. The ice was too thin to uphold the weight of the fleeing people, so everyone stripped down during the cold winter to hurriedly skate across this ice. My grandmother expressed her fear when risking their lives by crossing in such a precarious manner, while soldiers trailed behind the mobs of people desperate for survival. I had painted my version of this image in my mind, but seeing the picture here of North Koreans crossing the river rekindled the same emotions of angst and inquisitive, insatiable curiosity. The artistic representation of these people's small bags, which carried the entirety of their lives' gains, struck me profoundly as well. What must it feel like to drop everything and leave what you call home? How would it feel to boil down and cut out my life's symbol of ownership in security (land, home) and simply carry a tiny bag that redefined my sense of comfort?

As a second-generation Korean-American, here begins a new journey to rediscover deeper parts of my blood, history, present and future. The learning process facilitated by this project has inspired me to revive this passion again.

03/24/2011 - 15:53

어제 안에 오늘

By: Katherine Kim

Initially, I was confused by the phrase “Still Present Pasts”. It was only until I read the Korean translation that I fully understood that it meant the past is still active in the present and that past experiences are manifested in the lives of those directly and indirectly affected by the Korean War. Once again, I realized the importance and value of revisiting and processing the past.

As a Korean-American, it was difficult to watch the preview of the “Memory of the Forgotten War” and the other video clips on this website. Seeing the vivid and often gruesome images of the Korean War helped me to understand the complexity and the pain surrounding the Korean War. The clips, images, and the stories felt extremely personal to me and so it was a very emotional experience. The oral histories told by Min Young Lee, Suntae Chun, Helen Kyungsook Daniels, etc. did not seem like the stories of random people or strangers. It was as if I was listening to my grandmother or aunt, or a family member.

Over the years, I have been actively trying to understand my Asian American, and more specifically Korean-American identity in the United States. This website helped me to re-engage with the Korean component in my Korean-American identity. Because I am fluent in Korean and always try to stay up to date with current affairs in Korea, I thought of myself as someone who was well connected to my Korean culture and heritage. Now, I realize that I must also know and actively try to learn the history of my parents, grandparents, and previous generations in Korea in order to sustain and deepen my connection as well as maintain my identity as a Korean-American.

03/24/2011 - 14:53

Looking for Mr Sim

By: Jo Rinehart (daughter of Bill Fresch)

My father, William E. Fresch "Bill", was in Korea from 1950 until the end of the conflict. He was with the 89th regiment, 353rd division, and was part of the message center.
During his time there, he met a Korean boy who called himself "Mr Sim". My father taught him a lot of english, and he would say to my father "Mr Bill, teach Sim english". They became fast friends, and were instrumental in helping children find shelter in orphanages. He can't remember where he first met Mr Sim, but they knew each other throughout the Korean conflict.
My father is now 85 years old, and recently found a letter from Mr Sim. He would love to contact him, but we can't determine exactly where Mr Sim was from.
He signed his letter Sim of Goo (we think, but we can't make out if the letter is a "G" or not).
If there is any help you can be, please let us know.
If more information would be helpful, we will be happy to provide it - we would love to find Mr Sim and get our dad back in touch with him.

Thank you,
Jo (Fresch) Rinehart

07/30/2010 - 23:24