1) What started you down the photographic road?

When I was young, my father used to bring my two brothers and me to theatres. From that time I was interested in images. I still remember many films and images from movies which I had seen that time. When I entered university, I started to make indie films with friends, and I learned photography from a senior student. After that, I realized photography is more interesting than film to me. Compared to making films, photography has individuality, independence, mobility, naïveté, instant and poetic elements. These qualities were very fascinating to me and it made me to start down the photographic road.

2) Explain the inspiration behind the images of Chul-soo and Young-hee?

I get most of my inspiration from Korea. Inspiration for Chulsoo and Younghee came from our history, environment and our memories. Chulsoo and Younghee represent the innocent images of children found in elementary Korean textbooks, from the 50s to the mid 90s. However, in our life we have been affected by some memories which contrast strangely from [those found in] our textbooks. I wanted to collect our memories to create a new textbook that tells about our pain, [which stems] from identity confusion, while being depicted against dismal backgrounds. [I also wanted to explore the] individual’s sacrifice; needed for rapid economic growth in Korea. At that time it was considered that social values were more important than an individual’s existence. Also, this mask was inspired by a famous 80s TV program for children, Come Together Dreamland.

3) What is your goal when you create your works?

My final goal is finding my own aesthetic point of view and understanding human nature and Korea through the works. I also want to give people a chance to think about our prejudices, twisted knowledge, forbidden violence, weirdness, and things hidden in our lives, through the lens.

4) What do you like about the ten images you have selected?

I like what this selection of ten images tells [viewers] about various aspects of Korea and our memories.