99% Invisible Hometown Village
14 snips
Jun 28, 2022 
Tatiana Kim, a native of Sakhalin Island, shares her family's journey and the complex history of ethnic Koreans on the island. She discusses their struggles under Japanese rule, the painful separations during the USSR era, and the emotional reunions that followed. Kim highlights the ongoing challenges of repatriation, including identity struggles for younger generations. Through personal narratives, she brings to life the resilience and rich cultural heritage of the Sakhalin Korean community grappling with their unique place in history.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Hometown Village
- Tatiana Kim visited her grandparents in a special apartment complex in Ansan, South Korea called Hometown Village.
- The residents were all elderly ethnic Koreans who spoke Russian and had lived on Sakhalin.
Trapped Koreans
- Sakhalin's control shifted between Russia and Japan, impacting the lives of ethnic Koreans there.
- After WWII, many Koreans were trapped on Sakhalin due to complex political circumstances.
Adapting to Sakhalin
- The first generation of Koreans on Sakhalin struggled to adapt to life under the USSR, facing language barriers and separation from families.
- They found solace in music, with songs like "I Want to Go My Home" expressing their longing for Korea.