Between Goodbyes  April, 16-18:30 Uhr, Filmforum NRW, Köln

Mieke Murkes, a queer Korean adopted girl, grew up in the Netherlands. In adulthood, she finds out that her Korean parents are looking for her and travels to South Korea. The film portrays the challenges of reuniting as a family after so many years, dealing with geographic distance, language barriers, Mieke’s queerness, and the reactions of her parents and sisters. Between Goodbyes conveys the protagonists’ conflicting feelings respectfully and sensitively, and also gives a voice to the Korean parents, a perspective often missing from such stories. The film poses questions about the legitimacy of separating parents and children in the past. It points to how rigid gender policies and the lack of state support for poor families created a situation where sending hundreds of thousands of South Korean children to Western countries seemed the only solution. Between Goodbyes draws parallels between Mieke’s individual story and broader systemic factors, offering insight into what it has meant for those involved, both in South Korea and in the West, to live with these experiences.

Introduction by Dr. Anja Sunhyun Michaelsen and conversation with Mieke Murkes

The event will be held in English.

In Cooperation with GeStiK – Gender Studies in Köln