In every community, there are stories that risk being forgotten. For many Korean Americans, history is not something distant. It lives in the memories of those who experienced war, division, migration, and rebuilding. These are not just personal stories—they are part of a shared human experience that connects generations and communities.
As a Korean American visual journalist, documentary storyteller, and illustrator working across Korea and the United States, I have come to see that these stories are not being preserved in a meaningful way. Many are still held quietly within families, at risk of fading over time.
This is why I am beginning the Freedom & Peace Archive Project—a long-term public initiative to document lived experiences across generations. Through interviews, photographs, visual narratives, and documentary work, this project aims to build a living archive that connects memory, history, and community.
This project will not exist only as a written record. It will also unfold as a visual journey—through photographs, illustrations, and lived moments—inviting readers to experience these places and stories step by step.
Through this journey, I hope not only to document history, but to walk through it together.
As part of this effort to bring these stories to a broader audience, I have produced a documentary project on the Korean DMZ and have submitted, and continue to submit, this work to major international documentary platforms such as the Cannes Film Festival, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, and Berlin International Film Festival.
This is an effort not only to share these stories globally, but to place them within a larger conversation about freedom, memory, and human experience.
The relationship between Korea and the United States is more than a political alliance. It is a partnership shaped by shared history, sacrifice, and a common commitment to freedom and peace. For many Korean Americans, this connection is deeply personal. It lives in our families and continues to shape how we understand both the past and the present.
At the same time, we are part of a broader American society—one shaped by diversity and strengthened by many voices. Each community carries its own stories. When we listen to one another, we build understanding, connection, and respect.
This project is not only about Korean American history. It is about how all communities understand one another in a diverse society.
This work cannot be carried out by one individual alone. It requires the participation of all generations—from those who carry lived memories to those who will inherit them.
This project will also continue to grow through a series of ongoing articles published in the Lynnwood Times, where stories from the archive will be shared with the public as part of an ongoing dialogue.
What stories in your family or community have not yet been told?
Whether your story comes from immigration, service, family history, or community life, your voice matters. I invite people from all backgrounds to take part in this effort—to share, to listen, and to help build a living archive that reflects who we are together.
This is not just about preserving one history—it is about understanding each other.
Because when stories are preserved, history lives. And when history lives, communities stay connected.
By Won Jun Kim
Visual Journalist · Documentary Storyteller · Illustrator
Working across Korea and the United States
Freedom & Peace Archive Project
Won Jun Kim is the President of the Greater Seattle Korean Association (GSKA), founded in 1967. GSKA is one of the oldest and largest Korean American community organizations in Washington State, focused on strengthening civic engagement, promoting cultural exchange and building bridges across diverse communities throughout the Puget Sound region. President Kim is a community leader committed to fostering collaboration, leadership development and inclusive community initiatives.
COMMENTARY DISCLAIMER: The views and comments expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the Lynnwood Times nor any of its affiliates.
Author: Lynnwood Times Contributor
