Ejun Mary Hong’s 

Hi everyone! I’m Ejun Mary Hong, a storyteller who brings to life my dreams and the lost stories of the world through animation! Today, I’d love to share my love for animation and invite you on a journey into my sketchbook world! One of my earliest experiences of love was through animation. As a little kid with an eye disorder, blurred vision made my dreams felt lost in darkness. My only escape was through watching animated films filled with artists’ dreams and imagination. I fell in love with animation and thought, Maybe one day, I can bring my dreams to life thorugh my art. 

Since 2019, when I took a gap year in high school and moved to Slovakia due to my eye disorder, I have created four animated films—now as a student at Penn. That love kept me strong. That love helped me overcome my fear of losing my vision as an artist. And that love shaped me into the animator I am today. A Broken Star (2019) tells my personal story of rediscovering beauty in my life despite my struggles. Mother (2019) shares my grandfather’s life of losing his mother at a young age to building a beautiful family and later reuniting with his mother in heaven. 38th Parallel (2021) features interviews of three Koreans sharing the sorrow of separated families and their longing for reunification. Echoing, it doesn’t stop (2023) depicts the war in Ukraine and Ukrainian’s resilience even after losing their home and loved ones. 

Animation, once my escape from reality, has become the light that brings life to my dreams and the lost stories of the world. Each animation I created has shaped my identity, instilling resilience, empathy, and a commitment to the greater good. As a storyteller, I will continue to transcend personal and shared pain, transforming these experiences into something universal and beautiful-where individual struggles reflect the broader human condition, offering connection, meaning, and potential for healing. Today, I am working on two projects: Footprints in the Sand (2025): An mixed-media animated documentary that invites four lyphoma patinets to share their stories. I hope to create a space of sharing and listening to empower those in struggle. Sketchbook Dreams: A short animated screenplay, is my personal story about the time I suffered from an eye disorder and how my imaginary sketchbook friends, along with making animated films, helped me overcome my fear of losing my vision as an artist. lymphoma patients about 

Ejun Mary Hong, 2025 Printed in Philadelphia, PA ejunmaryhong.com @ejunhong