Plot:
The international adoption process of children from South Korea emerged as a result of the casualties of the Korean War that lasted from 1950 to 1953. In the chaotic aftermath of the war, many children were lost, orphaned, or abandoned due to severe economic and social problems. Since that time, more than 200,000 have been adopted by families abroad and found themselves immersed in new cultures and languages.
In 1963, eighty tiny, but courageous, babies boarded on the Flying Tigers with their numbers and names pinned on their baby box to begin their new life in the United States. These little flight buddies were the “first wave” of adoptees with their new parents on the same flight with them.
54 years later, these brave warriors who are now in their fifties are searching for their long lost “Flight Buddies.” Their mission is to reunite and to regain their identities. Flight buddies are on their journey back to South Korea to reconnect with their culture and reconcile with the past.
Writer/Director:
– Christopher HK Lee
Producers:
– Jae Ku, PhD
– Woojin Stacey Yoo
Productions:
– Feature Documentary (65 min)
– Release Date: TBD
– Film Locations: North America/Korea
Cast:
– Kelli Buhr – Flight Buddy
– Laurie Gysins – Flight Buddy
– Maureen Grimaud – Flight Buddy
– Midori Feldman – Flight Buddy
– Zach Benson
A family in Des Moines, Iowa adopted a 4-month-old baby from South Korea. He grew up without knowing that he was Korean until he became the center of attention at school for “being Asian.” Zach is an award-winning dancer who travels around the world running instructional clinics. He’s been featured as a Round 4 finalists on FOX TV’s “So You Think You Can Dance,” and he is a full time entrepreneur, hustler, world traveller, dancer and connector.