The Start of My Drama Addiction

By the time we went through the adoption process in 1998, it was clear to those in the adoption field that it is a must for the parents of Korean adoptees to at least have some basic knowledge about Korea as well as the race-related issues that face Asian Americans. Through the internet and organizations like KAAN, adult adoptees talked about the frustration and isolation of being a different race from their family and often their community. Indeed, some adoptees suggested that international adoption and interracial adoption should not be allowed at all. Adoption books, agency classes, and internet adoption groups talked about the importance of embracing the race of the adopted child, so that as the child grows, they have the freedom to explore their birth country and the support when needed if they struggle with race issues. In addition, adoption agencies began to sponsor culture camps, language classes, and cultural festivals. These cultural events are all designed to celebrate the child’s birth country and give them a sense of pride in being Korean-American.

Thus, as I threw myself into the adoption process, my quest to learn about Korea began. We were living in the Washington DC area when we brought our son home in 1999. Consequently, with "Korea Town" in Arlington, VA, nearby, we had easy access to the Korean community. We began to frequent Korean restaurants, shop at the Korean markets, and try cooking some Korean food at home, I also had a Korean babysitter for the kids when I worked, and I did the English-speaking youth service for a Korean church near our home.

When we moved to Honolulu in 2001, I was introduced for the first time to subtitled Korean dramas. Subtitled Korean TV is very popular in Hawaii and airs 7 days a week on KBFD. Within a week of moving to Honolulu, I was hooked. It literally opened up Korean culture for me. The values, beliefs, traditions, language and music come alive in dramas. I remember talking to a Korean friend of mine in DC and telling her that I was watching the dramas. She said, "oh now you understand me!" Haha- and she was right!

If you are not already watching Korean dramas, hopefully this blog can be a guide to getting started! I hope I can spread the Korean wave to other adoptive families who share my passion for learning about Korea.