This poignant documentary is about Mieke, a queer Korean adoptee who was raised in the Netherlands; her birth mother, Okgyun, lives in South Korea. Okgyun was forced to give up her daughter in 1982, in a context of concerns around overpopulation, economic hardship, and social pressure on women to have sons. Entering their lives six years after mother and daughter were reunited, the film addresses the historical legacy of mass overseas adoption.
The documentary follows Mieke as she returns to Seoul with her wife, to celebrate their marriage with Okgyun and her family; there, the two women seek to reconcile with their painful pasts. Tenderly directed by Jota Mun – a Korean adoptee themself – this emotionally authentic film questions our understanding of what a family is.
Queer East
Founded in 2020 with the aim of elevating queer and Asian voices in the UK, Queer East has become one of the most important activities in the country’s cultural calendar.
Director Jota Mun
Year 2024
Duration
1h 36m
Language Korean, Dutch with English subtitles, English