From Outsider Perspectives
In her photo series “Adopting Jeju,” Mee Ok explores the profound resonance between South Korea’s history of abandonment and the plight of its adoptees, numbering upwards of 200,000. The imagery meditates on the island of Jeju, its history marred by erasure and colonization, mirroring the experiences of adoptees. The rows of anonymous graves symbolize the adoptees who will never reclaim their birth names or bloodlines, highlighting the silent devastation woven into the fabric of Korean culture. This project draws parallels between modern international adoption and the tragic events of the Jeju massacre, underscoring the enduring scars left by the Korean War, itself a misnomer given that the fighting and armistice was between North Korea and America.
