[TexasN Catherine Wahrmund] 

The 2nd Korean Adoptee Root Finding Festival, hosted by Han-Narae of Houston (Director Heo Hyun-sook), provided Korean adoptees with a sense of pride in their Korean heritage, affirming, “It’s something to be proud of that Korean blood flows within us.”

At the festival held on Saturday, the 5th, at the Asia Society in Houston, Korean adoptees and Korean-Americans were not merely invited guests but took center stage by actively participating in the event, distinguishing it from other adoption-related gatherings.

Korean adoptees took on various leading roles, including those who explained how to find family members using DNA, adoptees learning Korean traditional culture through dance with Han-Narae, and others who shared their personal stories. They worked hand-in-hand with Han-Narae’s traditional dance troupe, playing a pivotal role in the event’s overall direction.

Director Heo Hyun-sook shared her thoughts on the festival, saying, “The connection with Brenna Soto, who came to Han-Narae wanting to learn dance, evolved over two years into this root-finding event for adoptees. What we hoped to do was to teach Korean culture and let them take pride in their Korean roots. The adoptees felt the same, and they expressed pride in being Korean. That’s exactly what we wanted them to feel through this festival.”

She added, “In the future, we plan for this event to become more than just an annual gathering. We want it to be a channel where Houston adoptees can regularly meet, exchange stories, and communicate with one another. Since this is an event for adoptees, Houston adoptees will be at the forefront of planning and organizing it.”

Each adoptee has their own story. Some have found their biological parents, while others want to but can’t. The reality is that Houston adoptees have had few opportunities to share their stories and connect with others. This is why Han-Narae’s adoptee root-finding festival is becoming a space for building solidarity among adoptees.

The bridge forming this bond is Korean traditional culture. As the roots of Koreans and the foundation of a globally recognized culture, traditional culture has played a key role in touching the hearts of the adoptees. The traditional cultural performance organized by Han-Narae this year was more than enough to stir the emotions of the adoptees.

Han-Narae, a group leading the way in promoting Korean culture to the mainstream society of Houston through traditional performances, invited the women’s percussion group ‘Dori’ to showcase the beauty of Korean traditional culture to the adoptees. Dori, composed of four female members, left a lasting impression with their lively performance. Additionally, Han-Narae’s dance troupe, including adoptee Brenna Soto, captivated the audience with their traditional attire and excellent performance, leaving the adoptees in awe of the beauty of Korean traditional culture.

The event also drew significant support from local leaders, including U.S. Congressman Al Green, Deputy Consul General Park Se-jin from the Korean Consulate in Houston, Kwon Gun-chi, President of the Houston Korean Association, Moon-sun Kang, President of the Houston Korean Chamber of Commerce, and Hyung-sun Kim, Chair of the Houston Chapter of the National Unification Advisory Council, all of whom attended to cheer on the adoptees in their root-finding journey.

 Catherine Wahrmund   amaings0210@gmail.com