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Logline

After years of healing from a tumultuous past, a filmmaker daughter and journalist mother unearth the secrets of their Korean lineage. Their excavation of a troubled family member’s life transports them from the criminal archives of LA’s Koreatown to the war camps of South Korea.

Synopsis

Myoung, a long-time journalist, shares her first memory of her uncle Edward Lee – a letter that arrives at her one room house in a war-torn Korea. When he forgot to include Myoung’s name in his letter, she responded promptly, demanding that he acknowledge her existence.

Some fifty-seven years later, she sits in a dining room – reading a microfiche newspaper print with the headline “60-Year-Old Korean Man Murders Vietnamese Ex-Wife.” Myoung’s daughter, Sally, sits behind the camera, patiently observing her mother’s facial expressions.

Inspired, Sally encourages Myoung to wield her journalistic experience and network to chase all available leads on Myoung’s uncle. In Korea, they uncover his time as a prisoner of war in the Korean War in the halls of Geoje Island, a camp-turned-war museum.

When they talk to other members of the family, they excavate his experiences as a photographer and translator in the Vietnam War – painting a holistic picture of a troubled man. They track down his immigration journey to LA at the end of the Vietnam War, they uncover more than records – they find Edward’s daughter; Myoung’s long-lost cousin.

The process leaves Myoung impacted and emotional. Over time, she opens up about her sister, who died by suicide. It’s a shrouded topic that has haunted their relationship – the experience is a first for Sally.

Every layer peeled poses a threat to their family’s reigning ethos – that shameful secrets need to stay under wraps. As they piece together memories and visions of a long-lost history, Myoung and Sally free themselves from generational shame.

Meet the Filmmakers

Sally Sujin Oh — Director
Sally Sujin Oh is a Korean-American writer and producer born in Seoul and raised in Los Angeles. She produced the feature film Blue Sun Palace (French Touch Jury Prize — Cannes, New York Times Critics’ Pick) and short film Trokas Duras (Jury Award for U.S. Fiction — Sundance). After her work on Grammy-award winning Black is King by Beyoncé, she worked as the creative producer for artist Kehlani on her Grammy-nominated album CRASH and Asian music label 88Rising on their historic main stage performance at Coachella 2022. She co-founded the production company FIELD TRIP, which produced for Sabrina Carpenter, Bad Bunny, Karol G, Doechii, Renee Rapp, and brands such as Nike, Tory Burch, and On Running. Her writing work is supported by Stowe Story Labs and her producing work is supported by Women in Film and The Gotham.

Lou Wang-Holborn — Producer
Lou Wang-Holborn is a Beijing-born Brooklyn-based independent producer working in narrative, documentary, commercial and branded content. She was the Associate and Post Producer for the feature film BLUE SUN PALACE, premiering at Semaine de la Critique, Cannes 2024, winning the French Touch Jury Award. Most recently she was the production supervisor on LUCKY LU, premiering at Cannes 2025 Directors’ Fortnight. Currently, her feature documentary CHINATOWN CHA-CHA (formerly titled WOMEN’S WORLD, Best International Pitch at Doc Edge 2021) is on the festival circuit, and she is working on the feature documentary IRIS CHANG: POWER OF ONE (working title), a co-production of Kartemquin Films. Lou’s work has been supported by The Gotham, Center for Asian American Media, BRIC, CNEX, Doc Edge, Kartemquin Films, Hot Docs and the NYC Women’s Fund.

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Contact

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