Korea // My KBS Interview and a BIG day back in Seoul
Today was my big day to impress the crew at KBS! I really didn’t think much about my script or what i was going to say in response to their questions regarding my adoption…. i figured my heart would do all the work and it’d roll off my tongue…and that it did.
Meandering towards the studios we stopped the local authorities for a photo op!
I just liked how the fish and Amanda’s shirt worked so well together… thanks so much for holding my hand on this one Amanda, it was great to have some support on the other side of the camera today!!
First thing is first, paperwork! When we arrived at the KBS studios we met with my volunteer translator Se Il. Once the writers of the tv show arrived we waited a few more minutes and another adoptee named Daniel showed up as well… it was a group interview, sick! So Daniel the Norwegian, Korean Adoptee and i filled out our release forms and after one of the writers explained how the afternoon was going to go down, we immediately headed out side for a 20sec video clip that would be used if our stories were accepted for the show.
I got my clip down in 1 take, and stood by as Daniel worked on his 20secs of fame. This is basically what it was:
Hello, my name is Yoon, Yung Eun. I am in Korea searching for my birth mother. I was born on October 24, 1982 in Seoul South korea. 2 days after i was born my mother relinquished all parental rights and put me into care of the City Counseling Office and to Star of the Sea Children’s Home where i’d eventually be adotped to the USA through Holt Adoption Agency.
After the quick takes on camera we sat down again and the main writers for the show interviewed us in detail about our birth family search. Much of it was basically review of what we kind of both already knew but they also had us provide additional details discovered since landing in Korea. It was also an opportunity to share a little bit about my upbringing, motivations for the search, and other personal characteristics that might make my presence on the show compelling to their audience (all of korea basically). There were 2 Korean writers, a English writer and a Producer from KBS all on the other side of the table… very genuine and interested despite im sure having seen i don’t know how many of us Korean Adoptees sitting on the other side of the table with the same ol’ story…. at least thats what i was thinking!
The main interviewer spoke very little English and spoke to my translator in Korean most of the time but i could tell based on her gestures and and infliction in her voice that she was drawn to my story, it was cool to see human connection supercede language barriers! She dug and dug, asking about feelings and all the mushy stuff, but whats more they were almost more interested in ME… they even kept asking about my tattoos… why tattoos? what do they mean? Then after telling them about the one on my back of my biological Korean name, almost in a frenzy they hopped on the phone and next thing i know we were outside with the filmer again and he was filming the two on my arms and up came my shirt and they shot the one on my back.
They had told me that i would be on the show… i didn’t really hear it at the time, but after the interview and parting ways with the KBS crew my translator reiterated that someone would contact me with details and instructions.
Thanks to everyone who has helped to get me here. I know i haven’t found my mom (yet), but like i’ve said already, ive found so much more in just being here, learning about Korean culture, building relationships with my people, and through this journey in general… i can’t say thank you enough to everyone who i’ve met along the way….especially you Kyunghee Toni Ma from Holt and Sebastian from G.O.A.L., you guys helped kicked start all of this!
G.O.A.’L has been working together with KBS since 1998 and on a regular basis for the past seven (7) years. Previously, many adoptees went on the program “Achim Madang (아침 마당)” to search for their families. Since early 2007, “Achim Madang (아침 마당)” changed its program format, and thereafter, G.O.A.’L has been cooperating with KBS “I Miss that Person” (그 사람이 보고싶다) to provide adoptees with family search assistance.
Next stop, live show on Wednesday October 14, 2009 @ 11am (Korean time). Ill see if i can get a copy of it or streaming video that i can post! It will be very similar to this one.
