Seoul Conversations

*CW: This episode discusses the following topics and may not be the most appropriate for young listeners: (1:01:20-1:02:00 pornography and 1:21:22-1:22:10 sexual assault)It’s the penultimate episode of season 3! We are delighted to have guest, Jeremy Holt (@jeremyholtbooks), joining us for this week’s conversation, and we could not think of a better way to round out this season’s guests! Jeremy is a non-binary comic book author, and some of their books include: “Skip To The End,” “Before Houdini,” “After Houdini,” and most recently, “Made In Korea.” Tune in to find out how the idea of “reinvention” has guided Jeremy through their life regarding gender identity, dating, writing, and the KAD community. We also had a chance to dive into their book, “Made In Korea” (spoilers start at 1:11:30-1:26:08).For more information on Jeremy and their works, check out their website: www.jeremyholtbooks.com

This was such a heartwarming episode to record! We had the absolute privilege of hearing fellow KAD, Traci Hobson’s (@Chynadoll75 and Facebook Traci Hewitt Hobson) story as well as her wealth of wisdom as she reflected on her journey as a multiracial Korean Adoptee.The child of a Korean mother and Black American GI, Traci was adopted by a Black family in the United States. Her journey took her from Korea, to Japan, to the United States, and recently back to Korea on a search to find her birth mother. This is an episode that you don’t want to miss!Also, follow Traci’s time in Korea in 2021 by checking out the Korean documentary about her story here: https://youtu.be/tdXtgIV2F54 (Please note that the documentary is in Korean and the auto translate is imperfect)

The gaslighting, the shame, the guilt, OH MY! This week we are taking a closer look at what it’s like to navigate relationships with other human beings, and we are joined by guest, Abbey Huller (@asianabbey)! From attempting to express our suffering to non-KADs, to feeling ashamed of our trauma, and then feeling guilty about either under or over sharing, the task of forming and maintaining relationships can be tough. But whose responsibility is it for our relationships to be successful? Does that weight fall entirely on our shoulders? Listen to find out!

Grab your tissues, people! We took this week’s episode to just hang out and catch up on where we all are in life, as KADs, and in regards to our respective adoptee journeys and well–the tears were a’flowin! We hit a little bit of everything in this episode, but mostly we discuss our feelings about “coming out of the fog” and get all ushy gushy about how much we love each other and the rest of the KAD and adoptee communities <3

It’s all about mindset! Really! This week we are joined by Korean adoptee and adoptee life coach, Chloe Edwards (@pineapplemindset) to learn exactly what it means to have “A Pineapple Mindset.”Tune in to hear how we, as adoptees, have the power to control both our minds and our habits to manifest positivity, peace, and confidence. You’ll also get to hear about Chloe’s world travels and find out how little we truly know about fruit.

On this week’s episode we are taking a deeper look at imposter syndrome and how it shows up in our day to day life as Korean adoptees and Asian Americans. We are thrilled to have Kara Rickmers (@rizzlekara) joining us all the way from The Motherland for this conversation and are even more excited to hear all about her experience living and working in Korea as an adoptee.Kara also works for G.O.A.’L. Korea (Global Overseas Adoptees’ Link @goalkorea), a KAD-run nonprofit organization in Korea for Korean adoptees, so tune in to find out more about all of the incredible work G.O.A.’L. is doing, and check out their website: www.goal.or.kr

This week we are joined by fellow KAD and pursuer of racial and social justice, Andrew Murphy (@andrewtaesoo). In honor of remembering victims of the tragic spa shootings in Atlanta, Georgia on March 16, 2021, we are reflecting on the past year regarding anti-Asian hate.We hope that you will tune in to hear our experiences processing that day’s news, what we’ve learned since then, and what work still needs to be done as we continue to #StopAAPIHate.If you enjoyed this episode and want to help us work towards ending xenophobia, racism, and violence towards the AAPI community, please donate to www.stopaapihate.org

On this week’s episode we had the pleasure of sitting down with fellow parents and Korean adoptees, Kim DeLost (@ksdelost) and Nathan Nowack (@nnowack) for a very special discussion about parenting and family building. We discuss how and why we chose to build our families the way that we did, and share our own perspectives on the prospect of adopting as an adoptee parent.

This week we are joined by fellow Korean Adoptee and Creative Director/Designer, Andy Burdin (@andyburdin)!Andy joins us for a roundtable discussion about adoption narratives in the media. Listen to hear our honest opinions and reviews of recent adoption storylines, where we think the media is headed regarding adoption and adoptee representation, and what we hope to see in the future.To learn more about Andy and his current projects, check out his website: www.burdin.co

What is your “whiteness”? This week we are attempting to grapple with the topic of whiteness and what it means to each of us.Tune in as we unpack the ways in which we have been afforded white privilege, how we choose to use or hide our whiteness, and what responsibilities we might have as Korean adoptees adopted into white families when it comes to matters of race.

This week we are reacting to recent statements made by Supreme Court Justice, Amy Coney Barrett regarding safe haven laws and adoption.Listen as we unpack our personal feelings on the implications of promoting adoption as the solution to abortion as well as women’s rights, and how we respond when we are asked, “Aren’t you glad you weren’t aborted?”Please know that this episode is in now way intended to be commentary on whether someone should be pro-life or pro-choice. Our intention is to solely speak on the effects that the current dialogue and statements in the media have had on us as individual adoptees.

Welcome to Season 3 of Seoul Conversations! We’re are shaking things up a bit this round and are really excited!On this week’s episode get to know our newest host, Kara DeLost (@kdelost). Listen to her take on K-Pop and K-Stans and find out what we’ve all been up to the past few months!In addition, listen to see what’s new this season and get all the details about what’s in store!

We can’t believe that this is already our final episode for Season 2 of Soul Conversations!For our final episode we are joined by Korean adoptee, Ton Ferraro (xinsilmoonx), who is dropping some knowledge when it comes to the importance of adoptees in research and data.As adoptees, many of us encounter and disseminate data and participate in research in ways that we don’t even realize, yet when it comes to consciously participating in meaningful studies, we don’t always know where to start.Ton shares the ins and outs of research ethics, how they pertain to us as adoptees, and shares ways in which we can all be more active and discerning when it comes to how we interact with research for the betterment of the adoptee community.

This week we sat down with KAD author and advocate, Hanna Lee (@TheHannaLee) to talk about her new book, "The Ones Who Misbehave" and to understand what motivated her to write about transracial and Asian American experiences.Hanna encourages listeners to "believe in what you're doing" and to go for whatever is most authentic to them when it comes to finding and sharing their voice within the adoptee community, as well as the rest of the world.This is an episode you don't want to miss!

On this week's episode, Benny sat down to talk with Cheon Shik Yang (Jeff Van Damme), a Korean adoptee living in NYC and immersing himself in the art and beauty of hanboks.Cheon Shik (@yang_cheon_shik) explains what initally attracted him to hanbok-wearing on a daily basis, and elaborates on how doing so helps him feel empowered as a Korean to be closer to his Korean heritage.Actively involved in the Asian arts community, Cheon Shik shares some advice on how to best authentically connect with and "revel in" one's culture.

We are switching it up a little bit this week and are joined by Chinese adoptees, Lauren Edwards (@helloitslaur) and Anna Ostrow (@annaaostrow)!Both Lauren and Anna are beginning their journeys when it comes to finding community and determining how they want to navigate their adoptee identities.Listen to find out some of the push-pull factors around each of them delving into theirr adopteee identities and what identity means to them.

This week we had the pleasure of chatting with Korean adoptee, Nate Campbell (@natedog_45).Nate is in reunion with his birthmother after searching for her when he turned 18. Listen as we learn more about Nate’s experiences navigating his time in both the U.S. and Korea, and his perspective on the adoption triad, and what he feels is necessary in the adoption space.

This week we sat down with Korean adoptee, mother, writer, and photographer, Brandi Ebersole (@Brandi_Ebersole)!In this episode we had a beautiful heart to heart about Brandi's unique position at the intersection of the many ways in which people can build a family. As a mother to two biological children, an adoptive parent, and a foster parent, Brandi shares how she hopes to foster empathy, confidence, and grace within her children --all while navigating her own journey as an adoptee.

This week we had so much fun getting to know and chatting with the dynamic duo, Josh Bell & Sehun Park, who are the faces and creators of @CountryFriedKimchi!Josh is a Korean adoptee, and with the help of his Korean friend, Sehun, he is learning all about Korean culture one food at a time on their YouTube Channel, Country Fried Kimchi.Listen as we discuss what it means to be Korean from both Josh and Sehun's perspectives, what dishes Sehun can't wait to have Josh try, and why everybody needs a Korean friend.

Join us this week as Benny catches up with an old friend and fellow KAD, Courtney Vossekuil (@cjvossekuil)! Courtney is just begining her journey in exploring her Korean heritage as well as reflecting on her identity and experiences as a KAD. Listen as they reminisce about their high school days and what they talked about, and interestingly--what they didn't talk about--when they were growing up together in rural Wisconsin!