Week 7 Notes

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