Hannah Kim's 'Ties That Bind' Explores U.S.-Korean Transnational Relations Through Philadelphia-Centric Lens
Historian Hannah Kim's new book, 'Ties That Bind: People and Perception in U.S. and Korean Transnational Relations, 1905–1965,' examines the evolving relationship between the United States and Korea, focusing on the significant, yet often overlooked, role of Philadelphia. The book challenges traditional narratives of Korean American history, which typically center on Hawaii and California, by highlighting Philadelphia's influence through a series of case studies. Kim's work delves into how American perceptions of Korea and Koreans developed over several decades, exploring missionary work in Korea during Japanese colonialism, efforts by American Christian advocates for international adoption, and the importance of faith in the lives of a Korean American family facing tragedy. The book is structured around five key moments that generated significant public discourse about Korea in the U.S., including the 1912 mass arrest of Korean Christians by the Japanese colonial government, the 1919 Korean Independence M...
