Eggs and Sperm from Others

Abstract This article discusses how the concepts of blood ties, paternal lines, and Koreanness have been challenged, reinforced, and reconstructed through the use of assisted reproductive technology and, in particular, third-party reproduction practices. This article uses the example of South Korean intended parents entering inter-Asian gamete markets to explore how donated gametes from Taiwanese egg donors have become a “pan-East Asian” genetic commodity that both troubles and reveals the racialized categories and ideologies in South Korea. By examining the marketing and matching strategies of Asian egg donation agencies in Taiwan, this article discusses the social and cultural justifications for third-party reproduction and examines its implications for Korean gender and racial politics.