Urban Island on PROMO NEWS

Urban Island was featured on PROMO NEWS, a platform curated by David Knight, founder of BUG and editorial director of the UK Music Video Awards. PROMO NEWS focuses on music video and moving-image work and regularly highlights projects that move between established formats. In this context, Urban Island was presented as a film that combines documentary observation with the structure of a music video.

A different view of Seoul

David Knight described Urban Island as far removed from familiar pop-culture images of Seoul. The film follows Jong-Kwon Hong, a homeless man in his forties who has lived on the streets of Seoul for many years. At night, he collects recyclable materials and saves what he can, hoping to buy a motorcycle.

Instead of shaping his life into a story of hardship or redemption, the film stays close to his daily routine. The images focus on presence, movement, and persistence, and they do so without commentary.

Structure and setting

The film is set to Varúð by Sigur Rós. Rather than explaining the images, the music sets a pace and creates distance. As a result, the scenes unfold slowly and leave room for reflection.

A small park near Yongsan Station plays a central role in the film. For Jong-Kwon Hong and others, it offers rest and temporary shelter. At the same time, it marks a clear boundary within the city. I approached this place as an island within public space—visible, yet separated.

Making the film

I developed Urban Island together with Namhui Park, working as a directing duo. In addition, I took on cinematography, editing, and color grading. We kept the production process small and flexible, which allowed observation to guide the structure rather than a script or voice-over.

The film premiered as part of a group exhibition at Culture Station Seoul 284. Later, it received the First Prize Audience Award at Premiers Courts in 2012. It was also shortlisted for a film grant by the Manuel Rivera-Ortiz Foundation.

Music and tone

The music by Sigur Rós shapes the emotional space of the film without directing meaning. Its layered sound and slow tempo support a way of looking that remains open. Instead of reinforcing a narrative, the music holds the images in place.

An open record

The feature on PROMO NEWS placed Urban Island within a wider conversation about moving-image work that resists clear categories. For me, the project remains a quiet record of life at the edge of the city. It asks viewers to slow down and look, without offering conclusions or explanations.