Photo: RogerK (talk) / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
I find Loung Ung extraordinarily hard to write about lightly, because her story carries such weight. Born in Phnom Penh and a survivor of one of the darkest chapters of the twentieth century, she turned unimaginable memory into testimony with First They Killed My Father. What moves me most is that she refused silence, channeling her pain into landmine activism and human-rights advocacy. That choice, to keep speaking so others remember, is a rare kind of courage. I admire writers who bear witness rather than look away, and she stands among the bravest of them in my eyes.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Loung Ung
- Name (Japanese)
- ルオン・ウン
- Reading
- るおん・うん
- Born
- April 17, 1970 (age 56)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Dog
- Origin
- Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- memoirist / screenwriter / writer
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Essex High School
- University
- Saint Michael's College
Awards & achievements
- 1997 Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship
- 2001 Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | First They Killed My Father | — |
6. Links
- Official sitehttp://loungung.com/
- Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/loungung.author/
- Xhttps://x.com/UngLoung
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loung%20Ung
Frequently asked questions
When was Loung Ung born?
Born April 17, 1970 (age 56).
Where is Loung Ung from?
Loung Ung is from Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
What does Loung Ung do?
Loung Ung works as memoirist, screenwriter, writer.
What is Loung Ung known for?
Notable works include First They Killed My Father.
Screenwriter — see all → · More people from Cambodia →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-24
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.