Best Koreanadoptee Podcasts (2024)

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Season 7, Episode 26: Alicia Soon Hershey - I am Not My Trauma 1:18:59

1M ago1:18:59

1:18:59

I sit down with Alicia Soon Hershey, 41, a Korean transnational adoptee now living in Barcelona. Soon Hershey was the very first adoptee interviewed on the podcast back in 2016 and our conversation book-ends the podcast in the 165th episode (!). We get a chance to hear how she has evolved in the past eight years and her outlook for life now that sh…

1
Season 7 Episode 25: Eleana Kim and the Politics of Belonging for Korean Adoptees 1:30:19

2M ago1:30:19

1:30:19

Korean-American cultural anthropologist Eleana Kim talks about her research that went into the seminal imprint "Adopted Territory: Transnational Korean Adoptees and the Politics of Belonging," Duke University Press, 2010.

1
Season 7, Episode 24: Geoffrey Winder - Fluidity in Identity 1:10:42

2M ago1:10:42

1:10:42

Geoffrey Winder (born Jong Ke-Bin) (he/him), 42, of Oakland, CA, shares some of his story as a queer Black Korean transnational and transracial adopted man and about his activism in queer advocacy, adoptee community, and leadership spaces.

1
Season 7, Episode 23: Mirae KH Rhee - A Running Dragon 1:22:38

3M ago1:22:38

1:22:38

Mirae Kate-hers Rhee, 48, is a transnational, transcultural artist and adopted Korean who uses her socio-political artwork and performance to investigate concepts like identity and belonging.

1
Season 7, Episode 22: Sarah Harris - Camptowns and Belonging 1:07:22

3M ago1:07:22

1:07:22

Korean mixed-race adoptee Sarah Harris, 54, of Los Angeles, shares her story of visiting Korea and finding the place where she felt truly rooted.

1
Season 7, Episode 21: Delight Roberts - Marrying into a Korean-American Family 1:19:26

4M ago1:19:26

1:19:26

Korean adoptee Delight Roberts, 52, talks about marrying into a Korean-American family and the challenges and benefits that provided her. Some were surprising – like table eating etiquette – but all of Roberts’ experiences from childhood bullying to having future in-laws who didn’t approve of her because she is adopted, have strengthened Roberts’ r…

1
Season 7, Episode 20: Wyatt Tuell - An Unconventional Family 1:05:26

4M ago1:05:26

1:05:26

Wyatt Tuell, 45, is a Korean-American adoptee who was raised outside Omaha, Nebraska with a Korean immigrant adoptive mother and a white American adoptive father who was much older than his mother. Growing up in the 80s, Wyatt often felt different from his white school peers around him and was sometimes teased for being Korean. At home, his family …

1
Season 7, Episode 19: Kit Myers - Ghostly Kinship 58:06

5M ago58:06

58:06

Kit Myers, 42, is a transracial Hong Kong adoptee and assistant professor in the Department of History & Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at UC Merced. In this interview, we talk about Myers' search for his birth mother and feelings he's had of having a 'ghostly' or ambiguous kinship with someone he doesn't know. We also talk about his upcoming imp…

1
Season 7, Episode 18: Nik Nadeau - Meeting My Birth Mother 2 37:27

5M ago37:27

37:27

I continue the conversation with Nik Nadeau, 36, a Korean adoptee who is in reunion with his Korean birth mother. He is a secret, unable to meet his half-siblings who are also in their 30s, or be acknowledged by his mother, publicly. His relationship with his mother is qualified by language barriers, time and mutual grief, and love. We start off th…

1
Season 7, Episode 17: Nik Nadeau - Meeting My Birth Mother 1:03:39

6M ago1:03:39

1:03:39

Nik Nadeau, 36, met his Korean birth mother 14 years ago. In this episode, he talks about his creative writing process and about how he's unlocked feelings about the reunion and his own identity as a transnational adopted person.

1
#85 - It's Been a Journey 20:20

6M ago20:20

20:20

#85 - It's Been a Journey. This is the last weekly episode of the podcast. A lot of stories were shared and while I plan to do occasional updates as I have enough content, it's certainly been a wonderful experience sharing my journey. Thank you to those who pushed me, those who joined me as guests, and the many listeners from 51 countries around th…

1
Season 7, Episode 16: Yukyeong Kim and Banet 1:17:04

6M ago1:17:04

1:17:04

Leader Yukyeong Kim and her group of neighbors and friends in Korea have been quietly and determinedly helping adoptees search for their biological family since 2018. I sit down with Kim to find out more about how the group got started and how their willingness to make a simple phone call has often times had surprising results.…

1
#84 - I'm Retired - what now? 14:56

6M ago14:56

14:56

#84 - I'm Retired - what now? This short episode shares the first year of being fully retired and what I came up with to fill my time. From renovating my condo, planning trips, and finding new hobbies, it seemed like a great plan. Thank you for listening. Please share and your rating is greatly appreciated. Princess Kona! invites you to visit her w…

1
#83-2 - Mom's Birthday 11:16

6M ago11:16

11:16

#83-2 - Mom's Birthday. This second intermission is done because I'm in the middle of a remodel project, taking time from doing the regular podcast. Today was Mom's birthday and this intermission episode shares some stories and how I'm memorializing her work in animal husbandry. Please consider giving to this endowment with this link: https://givin…

1
Season 7, Episode 15: JaeHee Chung-Sherman - You Don't Have to Be Resilient 1:29:54

6M ago1:29:54

1:29:54

Dr. JaeHee Chung-Sherman, DSW, LCSW, has centered her practice and research on decolonizing adoption and mental health for transracial and international adoptees. A transracial, transnational adoptee herself, Chung-Sherman, 47, has been among the first co-hort of TRIA therapists to do this work. She talks about narcissistic colonial adopt systems, …

1
#83-1 - Intermission, Adventures in Costa Rica 10:53

7M ago10:53

10:53

#83-1 Intermission, Adventures in Costa Rica. This episode is an intermission as I'm traveling this week. It shares some adventures on two adrenaline activities (for me at least) and the challenges that ensued. I hope you enjoy as I think they will put a smile on your face. Thank you for listening. Please share and your rating is greatly appreciate…

1
#83 - I'm on the Cover & the Last Purple Rain 22:52

7M ago22:52

22:52

#83 - I'm on the Cover & the Last Purple Rain. This episode shares some great awards and recognition for FDIC's Corporate University. In addition, I visit Winter from "Dolphin Tail" and sum up the last years of purple rain in a way to hopefully help others think about their own challenges. Thank you for listening. Please share and your rating is gr…

1
Season 7, Episode 14: Leading an Adoptee Organization 47:06

7M ago47:06

47:06

Mia Quade Kristensen, 46, and Jannie Jung Westermann, 45, are on the board of the 34-year old Danish Korean adoptee organization, Korea Klubben. They will share about their own search and reunion stories, including one of them being in reunion with her Korean family for more than two decades. The women will also share about their community in Denma…

1
#82-1 Intermission 4:02

7M ago4:02

4:02

#82-1 Intermission - this isn't a regular episode this week and provide a thoughtful reflection and will be back next week. Share this short intermission if you know of someone who needs a boost. Maybe a challenging conversation is needed or is just working through life. #communications #story #life #asianamericans #lgbt Thank you for listening. Pl…

1
#82 - Jumping off a Mountain & Preparing the FDIC Future 21:56

7M ago21:56

21:56

#82 - Jumping off a Mountain & Preparing the FDIC Future. This episode shares my experience participating in the NYC Biker 5 and the eventual abseiling off Table Mountain in South Africa. It ends with how we prepared the FDIC and the senior most leaders of the nation for future financial crisis' earning platitudes and more importantly, making a dif…

1
Season 7, Episode 13: Adoptee Consciousness Model 1:21:42

7M ago1:21:42

1:21:42

I talk with Dr. JaeRan Kim and PhD student Grace Newton about the Adoptee Consciousness Model - a framework for understanding adoptee awareness of the impact of adoption. Together with Dr. Susan Branco (not featured), the model is now being discussed and critiqued in academic and adoptee communities. Kim, 55, and Newton, 29, also talk about their e…

1
#81 - Portugal & E-Biking 27:25

7M ago27:25

27:25

#81 - Portugal & E-Biking. This episode starts with some leadership programs we integrated into the leadership program at the FDIC with solid success and what I try to continue to use to this day. A trip to Lisbon and learning about eBikes with eBike recommendations. It's fun. Announcing a new endowment at the University of Maryland College Park in…

1
#80 - Bank Crisis & Just a Birthday Card 19:38

8M ago19:38

19:38

#80 - Bank Crisis & Just a Birthday Card. This episode shares the ramp up to the financial crisis of 2009-2011; the enhancement and results of the FDIC leadership program, and some unique cultural nuances. Thank you for listening. Please share and your rating is greatly appreciated. Princess Kona! invites you to visit her website. Consider supporti…

1
Season 7 Episode 12: Thomas Haessly and the Imposter Within 1:21:41

8M ago1:21:41

1:21:41

Thomas Haessly, 40, has felt like an outsider ever since he can remember. Adopted from Korea by a Danish mother and American father to Racine, Wisconsin, Haessly recalls feeling like an imposter within his family, of not quite fitting in, and again as an adult at Korean grocery stores and parenting his own children. Haessly’s sister, Mia, also an a…

1
#79 - Travel Tips & Hey Mini, Let me Charge the Purchase! 24:11

8M ago24:11

24:11

#79 - Travel Tips & Hey Mini, Let me Charge the Purchase! Great news; we added one more country, Israel bringing us up to 49 and one more state FINALLY - Wyoming, so four more states to go. This week’s episode takes a little tangent sharing my top 5 travel tips; best places I’ve been; the challenges of getting care at the VA; and what happens when …

1
#78 - The Terwilliger Board Room and Bucking Advice 24:54

8M ago24:54

24:54

#78 - The Terwilliger Board Room and Bucking Advice. This episode shares my interest and growth of my philanthropy; the identification of an immediate budget need to expand Corporate University in Dallas against all odds; and building our brand outside the FDIC. Thank you for listening. Please share and your rating is greatly appreciated. Princess …

1
Rachel Forbes and the 4Fs (of Survival and Trauma Responses) 48:41

8M ago48:41

48:41

Rachel Forbes, LCSW, is a Korean-American adoptee with a psychotherapy practice in Connecticut where she specializes in transracial adoption and trauma-informed care. She is also an educator who speaks about trauma, attachment and healing within the adoption constellation. Forbes, 34, talks about the 4Fs regarding emotion disregulation and provides…

1
#77 -17 Years and 10 Years! 28:37

8M ago28:37

28:37

#77 -17 Years and 10 Years!. By chance this episode is being published on the 17th anniversary of my retirement of the the Air Force and not far off from 10 years retiring from the FDIC. Kinda cool this episode landed on this date. This episode includes an unexpected promotion as an adjunct professor, navigating through the Veterans Affairs process…

1
#76 - A New Home & A New Job 21:32

9M ago21:32

21:32

#76 - A New Home & A New Job. This episode takes me through moving into my new condo and the process that unfolded ahead of taking a new job at the FDIC as Chief Learning Officer and Director of Corporate University. Thank you for listening. Please share and your rating is greatly appreciated. Princess Kona! invites you to visit her website. Consid…

1
Season 7, Episode 10: Marissa Lichwick and Her Ghosts 1:04:48

9M ago1:04:48

1:04:48

Marissa Lichwick, 46, is a Korean adoptee and filmmaker, playwright and actor. She is using her past pain and trauma surrounding her family separation, abuse in the orphanage and in her father and stepmother's home and the haunting loss of a half-sister she's never met in her art, to process the events of her life and to encourage healing and commu…

1
#75 - A Little Different Episode 10:42

9M ago10:42

10:42

#75 - A Little Different Episode. This episode is a bit of a tangent due to being away and providing a 10,000 foot view of the News Isn't Funny...until it is podcast rather than being absent this week. There is an intersection with this podcast. Thank you for listening. Please share and your rating is greatly appreciated. Princess Kona! invites you…

1
#74 - So Long USAF & Hope this Condo Sells! 22:15

9M ago22:15

22:15

#74 - So Long USAF & Hope this Condo Sells! After 28 years in the Air Force, the adventure comes to an end, alas, not without a hiccup. Moving from the military and the labyrinth that is the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a challenge. Next is looking at options if I decide to work in a post-retirement world and that is an adventure all to i…

1
Season 7, Episode 9: Sara Docan-Morgan and Being In-Reunion 1:09:04

9M ago1:09:04

1:09:04

Sara Docan-Morgan, PhD, 44, is a Korean adoptee and communications professor in Wisconsin. She's also the youngest child in her Korean biological family, with whom she reunited with many years ago. Her research has focussed on experiences of Korean adoptees and their families, and this month she is out with a new book, "In Reunion: Transnational Ko…

1
#73 - A Diagnosis & I know How Old You Are 25:06

9M ago25:06

25:06

#73 - A Diagnosis & I know How Old You Are. We kick off the year with when I officially learn how all the purple rain impacted me, with quite a bit of angst as a residual impact from my time at Malmstrom. There are some fits and starts with my condo and yet, they work out for the best. Another bike accident and a new friend figures out my "real" ag…

1
Season 7, Episode 8: Mia Haessly is Coexisting with Biological and Adoptive Family 1:09:33

10M ago1:09:33

1:09:33

Mia Haessly, 44, is a working mother and adopted Korean-American who has reunited with her Korean biological father. And while introducing her family to him and seeing her children connect with Korea in a way she never had has been meaningful, the reunion has presented new challenges. Besides the language and cultural barriers, there is the physica…

1
#72 - The Trip to Ukraine & a Big Decision 22:43

10M ago22:43

22:43

#72 - The Trip to Ukraine & a Big Decision. This episode shares how our trip to Ukraine in 2005 likely helped with the current war and a big decision is made professionally. I find a new condominium as my permanent home and a unique way to pay for it. This is the final episode of the year and #73 will be released in January 2024! Thank you for list…

1
#71 - We Speak German Here, Biking!! & The Taj 26:34

10M ago26:34

26:34

#71 - We Speak German Here, Biking!! & The Taj. This episode includes official duty trips on behalf of the National Defense University to Switzerland, Bulgaria and India. I start biking to work to save money on gas and turns into a renewed passion. The trip to India included a side trip with the delegation to the Taj Mahal, an experience of a lifet…

1
Season 7, Episode 7: Helen Noh, From Adoption Worker to Critic in South Korea 1:33:05

10M ago1:33:05

1:33:05

Helen Noh, PhD., is retiring next year after four decades working in child welfare in Korea, first as an adoption social worker to now a professor of social work, training generations of students to make an imprint on improving the lives of children and families. Noh, 64, has become a leading academic voice in Korea on changing policies regarding a…

1
#70 - Lunch at the Beach & Back to Korea 25:37

10M ago25:37

25:37

#70 - Lunch at the Beach & Back to Korea. This episode continues the journey at the National Defense University assignment. Starting out with my experience with teaching online in the PhD program at UMUC, making progress at NDU and our Institutional Research and Academic Affairs Office, I also go on some early trips to Hawaii and back to Korea as a…

1
#69 - Thanksgivings of Yesteryear 15:02

11M ago15:02

15:02

#69 - Thanksgivings of Yesteryear. This episode shares some Thanksgivings from the farm forward and a movie and a song that, for me, kick off the holiday season. The holiday season is full of wonder, joy, and excitement with family and friends. At the same time, for those who may have lost a loved one or friend this year or other years; the season …

1
Season 7, Episode 5: Robert Holloway and Menzeba Hasati Are Children of an Adoptee 1:13:36

11M ago1:13:36

1:13:36

Robert Holloway, 34, and Menzeba Hasati, 40, are siblings who are adult children of a Black Korean adoptee. Their mother is a first-wave adoptee, whose mother was Korean and father an American G.I. She was adopted to Alaska in the 1960s by a Black couple. Her children forged their own identities; one in spite of their mother's strong influence towa…

1
#68 - Quick Look at FDIC & No Nuns Singing in the Hills 22:27

11M ago22:27

22:27

#68 - Quick Look at FDIC & No Nuns Singing in the Hills. This episode shares a quick perspective on the headlines made at the FDIC. Then, the journey continues at NDU and my first trip to Vienna and the kindness of a woman on the train. I also start a new part-time job to keep me busy. This episode is dedicated to the Austrian woman who was so kind…

1
#67 - A Special Passport and the Billy Goat Trail 24:45

11M ago24:45

24:45

#67 - A Special Passport and the Billy Goat Trail. This episode returns to the assignment at the National Defense University and the areas of responsibility. In addition include stories about adventures in the DC Metro area. Thank you for listening. Please share and your rating is greatly appreciated. Princess Kona! invites you to visit her website…

1
Season 7, Episode 5: Matthew Rodriguez and Fact Versus Fiction 1:25:08

11M ago1:25:08

1:25:08

Korean adoptee Matthew Rodriguez, 43, is trying to make sense of his adoption story. For years, it's been clouded by stories told to him and those he told himself, even if they weren't accurate. It was a means to survive. But Rodriguez, whose adoptive parents are white and Mexican American, has his own memories. And now in his 40s, he's learning ho…

1
#66 - Welcome Princess Kona! 17:09

11M ago17:09

17:09

#66 - Welcome Princess Kona! This episode is a little different. As I was out of town for half of the week, this is a tangent off my journey, jumping ahead the Princess Kona! being adopted. It's been just shy of our first year. I hope you enjoy this special episode. Thank you for listening. Please share and your rating is greatly appreciated. Princ…

1
#65 - New Assignment & A Promotion! 22:06

11M ago22:06

22:06

#65 - New Assignment & A Promotion! This episode completes the time at Malmstrom AFB and moving on to a new and exciting assignment at the National Defense University in Washington DC. It provides a lay of the land as a foundation for the next couple of episodes. In addition, I finally get to pin on lieutenant colonel and have the time to do more t…

1
Season 7, Episode 4: Jenna Antoniewicz is Ready 1:30:40

12M ago1:30:40

1:30:40

Korean adoptee Jenna Antoniewicz, 40, has been on a whirlwind over the past 24 months since beginning to reckon her adoption history and adoptee identity. While a mayor of a town in Pennsylvania, she found herself speaking for Asian America during the coronavirus pandemic about anti-Asian hate. But it triggered an imposter syndrome for Antoniewicz,…

1
#64 - Challenges & So Long Malmstrom 25:43

12M ago25:43

25:43

EP#64 - Challenges & So Long Malmstrom. First, a very important caution on the content of this episode. This episode has challenging content and some may find difficult. It is not appropriate for listeners under the age of 18. PSA: There is help to prevent suicide and or suicide ideation through local and national resources as well as immediate ass…

1
#63 - 9-11 From Montana 27:15

12M ago27:15

27:15

#63 - 9-11 From Montana. This episode provides the perspective of the effect of 9-11 from Malmstrom AFB and a look at the changes in the United States and around the world, changing our lives forever. A further impact on the squadron because of Desert Storm and is there another promotion in my future? #Montana #airforce #afservices #asianamerican T…

1
Season 7, Episode 3: Hollee McGinnis and Her Soul Work 1:14:52

12M ago1:14:52

1:14:52

Hollee McGinnis, 51, is a Korean adoptee and founder of Also Known As, one of the longest continuously running international adoptee community organization and based in the New York Tri-State area. In this episode, she discusses her new project, Mapping the Life Course of Adoption, and provides some insights from some of the preliminary findings.…

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