Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the life histories of Koreans to determine how their return to Sakhalin occurred. The meaning of “hometown” for Koreans was also explored. It is explained why Koreans miss their lives in Sakhalin as they adapt to Korea after returning to their homeland. In this article, missing Korea while in Sakhalin and then missing Sakhalin after returning to one’s homeland is referred to as “double nostalgia.” Sakhalin Koreans were forced to remain separated from their parents in Korea during the Japanese occupation. We noted that while in Korea, Sakhalin Koreans miss Sakhalin. Generally, longing has a certain direction. In other words, the hometown Sakhalin Koreans missed was the object and destination of the longing before returning. However, they havea double nostalgia. In Sakhalin, before returning, the longing for the homeland manifests as a “personification of the hometown,” “longing for the homeland to die in,” and “struggle to return home.” In addition, after returning to Korea, various meanings were revealed through the following statements: “They miss their family remaining in Sakhalin,” “They miss life in Sakhalin,” “Wanting to return to Sakhalin, I came to realize that Sakhalin the other home,” “My home country is Sakhalin,” and “Parents’ diaspora.”