A photo essay for Kultur Korea

The spring 2012 issue of Kultur Korea features a photo essay I worked on together with Neil Dowling. The magazine is published by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Korean Embassy in Berlin. Our contribution focuses on the lives of North Korean refugees living in Seoul.

Through photographs and text, we looked at people who left North Korea and arrived in South Korea in search of safety and a new beginning. Most of them now live in Seoul, where they try to rebuild their lives under difficult circumstances.

Context and background

Today, an estimated 27,000 North Korean refugees live in South Korea. Over time, the composition of this group has changed. Earlier waves mainly included government officials who defected while working abroad. More recent arrivals are often younger people from regions close to the Chinese border.

Many of them come with limited formal education and few resources. As a result, integration into South Korean society can be difficult. Daily life involves learning new social codes, finding work, and adapting to a system that differs sharply from what they knew before.

Fear, anonymity, and determination

Public attitudes in South Korea have also shifted over the years. While many people once felt a strong sense of responsibility toward North Korean refugees, economic pressure has made this support less certain. Despite this, many refugees remain determined to build stable lives in the South.

Most of the people I photographed chose to stay anonymous. They feared that public exposure could put family members still living in North Korea at risk. This concern shaped how we approached the project and how the images were made.

Photographing in Seoul

I photographed this series in Seoul, working closely with the individuals who agreed to take part. Rather than staging scenes, I focused on everyday moments. The aim was to observe quietly and allow space for dignity and restraint.

Some of the photographs were previously published in outlets such as the German newspaper Die Zeit and the Australian magazine Open Manifesto. The feature in Kultur Korea brings the images together with Neil Dowling’s written reflections.

An ongoing conversation

This photo essay does not attempt to speak for those portrayed. Instead, it offers fragments of their reality. Through images and text, the work invites readers to reflect on displacement, resilience, and the cost of starting over.

For those interested in the publication, Kultur Korea can be obtained directly through the magazine. Inquiries can be sent to redaktion[at]kulturkorea.de.