Why is it that the rate of hypochondria and suicide of Asian American women is exceptionally high? What would it mean to these women to go home where their loved ones wait, which is symbolized by the yellow ribbon in the title, and gain a sense of attachment? To answer this question, Joy Dietrich, a Korean adoptee, made her feature debut, Tie a Yellow Ribbon. She unfolds the stories of alienation and lack of attachment of three young Asian American women in a poetic way, rather than try to find an answer in the film. Jenny, a Korean American who was adopted by a mid-western American family, was deserted after her affair with brother and now lives in New York with the dream of becoming a photographer. Although Jenny has no difficulty in staying close to white people and even in having casual sex with white males, she does not have an emotional attachment with anybody around her after being abandoned by the people who were the closest to her. Jenny’s roommate Bea is a beautiful, smart girl but she feels insecure because of too high parental expectations and her boyfriend’s mistreatment of her as a mere Asian souvenir. Meanwhile, Jenny becomes interested in Sandy, a shy girl next door, and starts opening her mind to her and her brother Simon. When Jenny’s brother Joe pays a sudden visit to her, she feels a strong emotional attachment to Bea and Sandy, not to Joe. Then she realizes her identity as an Asian American woman. Her self-affirmation encourages her to confront her estranged family and to discover her own voice. An alienated cabin in the picture hung on the rooftop metaphorically shows what meanings and emotions these women can have about country and home. (CHO Hye-young)