5/14/2019
Gook
Movie in black and white, intense flames, sirens, child dancing
Cussing like crazy
Eli trying to fit box of shoes in car, gets jumped on by gangers
Rodney King stuff, Eli needs to sell shoes to make rent
April 29, 1992
Young girl (Kamilla) singing, no food or money
Eli ditches Daniel, arrives at shoe store, not the best–looking place, Kamilla walks by
Daniel arrives via bike, Kamilla accused of stealing Twinkies
Bunch of African American women appear as customers
Talking about oppa (father) and how he pissed off half the customers
Eli’s car is tagged, Kamilla explains that the neighborhood doesn’t like Eli
Eli gifts Kamilla shoes, tells her to finish school
Daniel gets swindled into giving a 70% discount, Eli gets mad
Family photos, Kamilla’s sister pages for whereabouts of Kamilla, car not starting
Guk = country, miguk = America, Daniel gets jumped by a bunch of African-Americans
Eli and Mr. Kim get into an argument about being in America vs respecting elders
Daniel in recording studio, gets sent to South Central to pay for use of studio
Kamilla wears flower in hair since neighborhood is concrete and dirt
Daniel gets a ride from Mr. Kim, Mr. Kim tells Daniel that enlistment was mandatory for men in Korea, Kamilla and sister nearly crash into Mr. Kim
Kamilla asks Keith about mother
Keith blames the Koreans for mother’s death, threatens to kick Kamilla out of house
Keith plans to hit up the shoe store
Eli decides to stay at store, Kamilla pockets a gun
Daniel gets mad at Eli for not caring about him almost dying, Mr. Kim tells story of working with Eli’s father, explains guilt for not being there when Eli’s father and Kamilla’s mom got shot
Kamilla warns them, Daniel and Eli argue about store vs lives
Gangers take Eli’s stock, gasoline donated by Jesus, shoes on roof
Keith arrives, Eli and Daniel throw shoes off roof, Eli talks about selling the store
Keith back for another round, threatens to burn down store, Kamilla shoots herself
Keith breaks down, panic at the hospital, Keith beats himself up, Eli hyperventilating
Eli meets Daniel at the store, use molotov cocktails to burn it down
5/15/2019
Twinsters
Vlog Sam Futerman, adopted and lives in America (Los Angeles)
Kevjumba YouTube vid, gets a message from Anais, Anais messages from France, now lives in London
Skype call, Feb 23, 2013, introducing themselves to each other’s family
Talking accent is influenced by the area by which they were raised
Dr. Nancy Segal doing a DNA test, cheek swab
Dreaming about Anais not being a twin
Adoption agency says that birth mother denied having kids, had to give them up due to lack of support from immediate family
Sam and family on plane to London, Sam meets Anais’ friends and family
Sam and Anais finally meet in person, London cityscape
Anais talking about growing up as an only child in contrast to Sam having brothers
Skype conversation with Dr. Nancy Segal reveals that they are identical twins
Going to Anais’ university, fashion designer, fashion show, others surprised at seeing twins
Sam’s family arrives, they can identify the twins based off body language, Sam’s brothers welcome Anais as part of the family
Anais felt alienated by adoption; Sam felt accepted
Sam felt a connection even though they didn’t meet before
Anais wants to keep the connection going even when they return to their homes
Anais comes to L.A, Anais is taller, Twin Studies Center
International Korean Adoption conference, Anais too hesitant to go
The best is the enemy of the good. Always trying to make things better might be a mistake. If it makes you happy, it’s enough
Meeting up with foster mom (Sam’s), on the news in Korea, Seoul
Adoption agency surprised that the twins went to different agencies
Going out with Sam’s foster mother, at the conference, feeling a connection to a group with similar circumstances
Anais’ foster mother, Anais talking about love in the family regardless of blood relation. Wants to meet with birth mother
Sending a letter to birth mother, wanting to meet her, thankful for the gift of life, not angry at her for not wanting to meet them
5/17/2019
Korean American final thoughts
- The Korean War is the largest event that still impacts Korea to this day
- Dealing with loss of family was common during that time period
- People fled North Korea to China
- There is a set of formalities observed between older and younger men
- Tensions were present between the Korean Americans and African Americans
You have very detailed notes. I liked that you observed, “nais felt alienated by adoption; Sam felt accepted “