Posters & footage from the Reunions

These images feature posters originally created for broadcast to television audiences, intended to help reunite separated family members.

The materials are not merely “posters” in the casual sense, but deeply personal records handwritten or printed placards prepared by individuals in the desperate hope of locating their missing relatives. Each one typically contains the name of the missing person, their possible date of birth, their hometown, and other identifying details that might aid in recognition. During the original broadcasts, these placards were displayed to nationwide audiences, allowing viewers to scan for the names of loved ones they had not seen in decades.

For this exhibit, the posters have been transcribed and translated into English with the aid of AI-powered text recognition and translation tools. While these tools can process large amounts of information quickly, they are not infallible. Handwritten characters, smudged ink, and aged paper often present challenges, which means some names, places, or dates may contain spelling errors, partial omissions, or incorrect readings. All rights reserved. 

By including these images and transcriptions, the exhibit seeks to honour the human stories behind the placards, stories of separation, longing, and resilience—while also acknowledging the limitations of digital interpretation. Visitors are encouraged to view these records with both historical empathy and a critical awareness of the technological processes used to present them

Credit for Translation: OpenAI, ChatGPT translation of photo of Korean posters, August 11, 2025.

[1]Footage of sisters reuniting and the older sister realizing her mother is alive 

[2] Mother and daughter reunite over the phone overcome with emotion and yelling "ummah" (english-"mom")

[3]sisters reunite over the phone -June 30 1983

[4]A woman who raised her children by herself reunites with a long-lost daughter: August 14th, 1983-part-3

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[1]KOREAN DIASPORA KBS. “[Reunion Highlights] Finding Dispersed Families 1983.07.22 – 3 (KBS Program),” YouTube video, 7:14, posted by KOREAN DIASPORA KBS, date unknown, accessed August 13, 2025, timestamp 12:33. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWima50Ra6o

[2]KOREAN DIASPORA KBS. “[Reunion Highlights] Finding Dispersed Families, July 4, 1983 Broadcast – 2,” YouTube video, 9:47, posted by KOREAN DIASPORA KBS, , accessed August 13, 2025, 09:47. https://youtu.be/3BjVdjWDPWI?si=fQujl1VMq9g-IVlp

[3]KOREAN DIASPORA KBS. "[Reunion Highlights] Finding Dispersed Families Premier, June 30, 1983." YouTube video, 9:47. Posted by KOREAN DIASPORA KBS, date unknown. Accessed August 13, 2025. Timestamp 36:23. https://youtu.be/nDfbSYei7oM?si=nDDkX9cTv9TIO3Aw&t=2183.

[4]KOREAN DIASPORA KBS. "[Reunion Highlight] Finding Dispersed Families August 14th, 1983 – Part 3." YouTube video, 9:47. Posted by KOREAN DIASPORA KBS, date unknown. Accessed August 13, 2025. Timestamp 7:55. https://youtu.be/-vciXgBus0c?si=azJSgWPaJn9PUqVN&t=475.