In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee (2010)

Genres - Culture & Society, Historical Film  |   Sub-Genres - Biography, Social History, Social Issues  |   Run Time - 56 min.  |   Countries - Korea, South, United States  |   MPAA Rating - NR
  • AllMovie Rating
  • User Ratings (0)
  • Your Rating

Share on

Synopsis by Jason Buchanan

Director Deann Borshay Liem offers unusual insight into both the rich history of adoption in Korea and the unforeseen complications of trans-racial international adoptions while embarking on a deeply-personal journey to connect the dots of her past. As a young orphan in the Sun Duck Orphanage, Liem was fortunate to be adopted by a pair of loving Americans. In the wake of The Korean War, it was fairly commonplace for American couples to adopt children from Korea. That was back in 1966, and in the process of being adopted, Liem was given the name Cha Jung Lee. Strangely, Liem's real name was Kang Ok Jin, and she was instructed never to discuss the matter with her adoptive parents. But why? Flash forward over 50 years, and Liem returns to Seoul on a mission to track down the woman whose namesake she shares. Throughout the course of her quest, Liem not only discovers exactly why orphanage officials changed her name and forged her passport, but unearths some fascinating facts about the Korean adoption system.

Characteristics