Ep. 29(19). The Korean War Never Ended: Family Trauma Across Generations -The true cost of separated families, silence, and survival in modern KoreaThis episode uncovers how the unresolved grief and invisible aftermath of the Korean War have quietly shaped Korean families for generations.We revisit the lived experiences of war survivors, exploring why, even today, nearly every Korean family shares a table with a “ghost” — the presence of missing loved ones whose fate was never truly known.Original post and show notes: https://yoonjiwon.substack.com/p/korean-war-separated-familiesEp. 29(19) — Glossary of Key Korean Terms(Romanization · Hangul · Meaning — timestamps show first mention; app variances ± a few seconds.)“Isangajogeul Chajseumnida” · 이산가족을 찾습니다 — 3:28 Direct translation: “Finding Dispersed Families.”KBS’s 1983 live TV marathon that reunited thousands of people separated by the Korean War and later entered UNESCO’s Memory of the World. Think: a nation-wide, 138-day on-air search for missing relatives.Bodo League Massacre · 보도연맹 학살 — 6:35Mass killings of suspected leftists and alleged members of the National Guidance League (Bodo Yeonmaeng) during the early months of the Korean War—a horrific episode carried out in South Korea, which deeply shattered social trust.Isan gajok (Separated families) · 이산가족 — 12:40Families split by the 1950–53 war and the division of Korea. Many never received proof of death or survival—what psychologists call “ambiguous loss.”Geumgangsan (Mt. Kumgang) · 금강산 — 13:08 A spectacular mountain in North Korea, famed for sheer cliffs, autumn foliage, and coastal views. It also hosted inter-Korean family reunions (notably in 2009 and 2018). In 2025, North Korea began demolishing the Reunion Center facility, dimming hopes for future large-scale meetings. Get full access to Understanding Korea, One Story at a Time at yoonjiwon.substack.com/subscribe

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related