Found in Korea

A Korean adoptee travels back to Korea for the first time in 35 years in search of her birth parents and the world she lost as a baby. While retracing the steps of her own adoption, she discovers her culture, identity and questions why Koreans are not adopting their own.

  • Allison Lane
    Director
    WTFU, TMB, Memories of Pearl Harbor: the Jeanne Smith Story
  • Kevyn Settle
    Director
    Tracks, Viet Nam Documentary (untitled)
  • Nam Holtz
    Director
    Playback
  • Nam Holtz
    Writer
  • Allison Lane
    Writer
    WTFU, The Morning Bitch, See You Next Tuesday, Kiss Me Kill Me
  • Nam Holtz
    Producer
    Playback
  • Allison Lane
    Producer
    WTFU, TMB, Kiss Me, Kill Me
  • Kevyn Settle
    Producer
    Tracks, Playback
  • Meggin Nam Holtz
    Key Cast
    "self"
    HBO: Bored to Death, Maggie Marvel
  • Todd Davis
    Key Cast
    "self"
  • MyungSoo Park
    Key Cast
    "self"
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Documentary, Family
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 14 minutes 5 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 11, 2018
  • Production Budget:
    40,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Korea, Democratic People's Republic of, United States
  • Language:
    English, Korean
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • NEWARK IFF 2019
    Newark, NJ
    United States
    September 6, 2019
    World Premier
  • Iowa Independent Film Festival 2019
    Mason City
    United States
    September 7, 2019
    Best Women's Film
  • Valley Film Festival
    Los Angeles, North Hollywood
    United States
    September 28, 2019
    Los Angeles Premier
  • Black Bear Film Festival
    Milford, PA
    United States
  • KAFFNY
    Brooklyn, NY
    United States
    October 22, 2019
    New York Premiere
  • Utopia Film Festival
    Green Belt, Maryland
    United States
    November 16, 2019
    Maryland Premiere
    Best Documentary
  • BLOW-UP International Arthouse Film Festival
    Chicago
    United States
    Chicago
  • Cinema Soup
    virtual
    August 21, 2020
  • AG Art and Film Festival
    Vacaville, CA
    United States
    September 29, 2020
  • Myrtle Beach International Film Festival
    Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
    United States
  • Vermont Women's Film Festival
    Brattleboro, VT
    United States
Director Biography - Allison Lane, Kevyn Settle, Nam Holtz

NAM HOLTZ (Director/Executive Producer) was born somewhere in S. Korea, found on the streets as an unidentified infant, and adopted to America by Jane and Steve Holtz at 6 months of age. She was raised in the north suburbs of Chicago, IL where she was intensely involved with dance, theater and the trumpet.
Nam graduated cum laude with a BFA from SUNY Purchase and began her professional career on stage in Broadway’s “The King & I” as a 14-track singing and dancing swing. After performing in musical theater productions in London’s West End, Las Vegas and in US National Tours, Nam began studying acting in her now home for 20 years, NYC.
At the age of 30, Nam began to wonder about her Korean roots, and longed to journey back to the land where she was found. It took 5 more years for Nam to realize her dream, and at age 35, Nam traveled back to Korea for the first time with a small film crew to document the discovery of her culture, and her search for answers to an unknown past.
Nam is currently obtaining a MSW at Hunter College’s Silberman School of Social Work (class of 2020) and will continue working with and advocating for children and families in the adoption and foster care constellation.
"Found in Korea” is Nam’s first voyage into documentary film making.

ALLISON LANE (Director/Editor/ Producer/Writer) is an award-winning filmmaker and a graduate of the University of Michigan. As a director/writer/producer/editor, Allison was won multiple awards including Best Comedy (International Television Festival, Los Angeles), Best TV Pilot (Hoboken International Film Festival), Best Comedy Short (Illinois International Film Festival, Chicago), and Best Ensemble Cast (Houston
Comedy Film Festival). In addition to awards, her work has received critical praise. Rogue Cinema raved “Allison has turned me into an instant super fan. I want to see everything she makes or is involved with now”. She directed/wrote/produced/edited the critically praised multi-award winning TV pilot WTFU and 3 seasons of the hit comedy web series TMB. She has also written for Your Tango Media, as well as produced, written and edited numerous commercials, corporate spots, shorts, and web series for a variety of clients. Allison is currently Unit Production Managing the narrative feature film thriller Kiss Me, Kill Me. Allison is also directing, executive producing, and editing the 30-minute documentary Memories of Pearl Harbor: The Jeanne Smith Story. Allison is the President of Reel Spiel Productions, LLC.

KEVYN SETTLE (Director/Producer) was born in Richmond VA. Kevyn is an award winning, producer, director and writer, heading his own production company, Napkin Sketch Productions. After graduating from High Point University in N. Carolina, Settle landed in Washington D.C., where he worked in advertising agencies producing commercials, and began his film-producing career shortly thereafter. Kevyn’s short narrative Tracks, appeared in over a dozen film festivals, winning Best Short in three festivals, including, Jury Prixe Best Short Film at the 14th Long International Island Film Expo, and Best Short at the Virginia Independent Film Festival. The film also took individual awards: Best Original Song at the Long International Island Film Expo, and Best Cinematography, and Best Actor (short) at the World Music and International Film Festival. During 2011, Kevyn also wrote and directed the dramatic thriller, Playback. Kevyn is currently working on a yet-to-be titled Viet Nam documentary about two brothers separated by over 60 years of conflict.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

“Found in Korea” is a documentary for children and adults.

I was found on the streets of S. Korea as an infant, and adopted by a white family in America. Amazingly, my story is similar to thousands of adoptees. As I delved into this production, I discovered a story about identity that is universally healing.

"Found in Korea" is a gentle foray into simple, complex, and sometimes difficult discussions about adoption. Children with proficient reading skills and adults interested in understanding more about adoption can enjoy this film. Although the film is targeted to adopted children and their families, anyone can enjoy and learn about the endless quest to find one's identity by viewing this film.

It is my hope that "Found in Korea" will serve as a catalyst for discussions about adoption, and the unique challenges faced by adopted and fostered children around the world.
-남
-Meggin "Nam" Holtz
Director/Producer