Memory of Forgotten War

Filmmakers Deann Borshay Liem and Ramsay Liem's documentary revisits the “forgotten” Korean War (1950-53), interweaving history with a look at the ongoing human costs of the war's legacy. The film begins with pleasant memories shared by survivors who recall what life was like on the Korean Peninsula before (what would become) North Korea invaded the south in 1950. In an instant, everything changed: some hid or fled, but an estimated million-plus people died, including those who lost their lives during American bombings of cities and villages all over the once-unified country. Families were quickly separated, scattered on either side of an eventual border that would be impermeable for decades. Four Korean-Americans interviewed here recall coming to the U.S. for different reasons—ranging from the hope of traveling to North Korea to see family members, to leaving behind discrimination in the South for those who were born in the North. It would not be until the 1980s before letters to relatives stuck in North Korea could be sent, and longer still before travel was possible. Offering a powerful personal take on a tragic experience, Memory of Forgotten War is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)