In this issue of News and Reviews, we offer two reviews of films about Korea and two about China. The Korean films, both reviewed by Hosu Kim, address a topic that has gained growing attention over the past few decades: the foreign (especially U.S.) adoption of Korean children. At first glance, this subject may seem primarily of interest to Asian American studies, but as Professor Kim shows, these films also explore the impact of adoption on Korean women, families, and society, offering valuable insights for students learning about Korea. The two films on China, by contrast, are markedly different from one another. "To the Light," reviewed by Shelley Chan, chronicles the lives of Chinese coal miners and their efforts to build better futures for their children—a narrative that may resonate with the historical experience of U.S. Appalachian miners. The other film, "Down: Indie Rock in the PRC," reviewed by Maddie Wilcox, turns the documentary lens on young urban Chinese expressing themselves through music in a culture that does not readily embrace this form of free expression.Center for East Asian and Pacific Studie
