Name: Dan Schober (he, him) / Kim Jung Woo

First KAtCH event: My first KAtCH event was the Sun Wah Dinner Social in 2018; I became more involved in KAtCH following the Annual Holiday Party in 2023

Where did you grow up/Where do you live now? I grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota and Gurnee, Illinois. After that, I moved around the country for school and work (I lived in WI, VA, DC, KS, WA, and NE). In 2015, I returned to Chicago where I currently live in Logan Square.

Tell us about yourself: I was born in Seoul and joined my adoptive parents in Minneapolis when I was around 3 months old. A few years later, my parents decided to adopt a girl from Korea who would become my sister, Katie. When I was 8, we moved to the Chicagoland area, (Gurnee, IL) for 10 years. Like many adoptees, I grew up in majority White communities and avoided thinking about my Korean ethnicity.

Since graduating from college, much of life has been focused on finding a career that was meaningful to me, which I found in the field of public health – specifically in the area of health behaviors that protect against chronic disease such as healthy eating, physical activity, and sleep. I’ve always had a fascination for human development and the philosophy of behavior and behavior change.

After finishing graduate school and returning home to Chicago for a job at DePaul, I began to contemplate more about my background, and I learned about KAtCH. While still early in my journey, I’m excited to be planning my first visit to Korea and to continuing to learn about and celebrate its culture with the Korean adoptee community.  

You’ll likely KAtCH me doing the following: My hobbies involve being outdoors – I enjoy running – especially on the Chicago Lakefront Trail, biking – I do a century ride (100 miles) every Autumn from Evanston to Pleasant Prairie, WI, and hiking –  especially when I’m in the pacific northwest. I am a big fan of good suspense or horror films and almost all 1990s alternative/rock/grunge.

Why do you enjoy being involved with the KAtCH community? The KAtCH community has been so welcoming, inclusive, and kind to me. I feel a sense of understanding among the community in regard to shared lived experiences – but at the same time, I really appreciate the diversity of personalities, hobbies, professions, and talents among the KAtCH community. KAtCH gatherings bring me a real sense of contentment but at the same time challenge me to grow and think more about Korea, its culture and history, as well as my place in it.

Favorite restaurant(s) in Chicagoland: Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits (breakfast), Summer House Santa Monica (lunch), Daisies (dinner) San Soo Gab San (Korean), and Home Run Inn (Chicago pizza)

Find me: Facebook (Dan Schober)