Bikini Words: A Film for Geumcheon-gu, Seoul

I directed and shot Bikini Words as a commissioned promo film for Geumcheon-gu Office through our production company CONTENTED. The film looks at language shaped by labor during Korea’s industrial expansion in the 1970s and 1980s.

Rather than approaching this as a historical overview, I wanted to stay close to lived experience. The result is a short, immersive piece that reflects how words carry memory.

How the Project Started

The project began through conversations with Hongsung Kim of Design Studio Kerb and Jinbok Wee of Urban Intensity Architects. Bikini Words became part of a long-term exhibition installed at Gasan Digital Complex Subway Station.

The wider exhibition traces South Korea’s economic growth from the 1960s to the mid-1990s. My focus was narrower. I wanted to understand how factory workers described their own reality during that time.

Finding the Words

During research, I came across the G-Index. It is a list of 99 words coined by factory workers in G-Valley during the 1970s and 80s. These words described pain, fatigue, fear, and small moments of resistance. Together with producer Kuiock Park, I selected eight of those terms. Each word became a scene. Instead of explanation, the film lets the words exist on their own.

Working With Former Factory Workers

Finding people willing to participate took time. Many former workers were hesitant to speak on camera. Trust became central to the process. With help from a local labor activist, we slowly connected with people who had lived through that period. Their presence shaped the tone of the film more than any visual decision.

Between Space and Memory

We asked real former factory workers to perform the words inside the exhibition space. Visually, the film moves between that controlled environment and real locations around Geumcheon. That contrast mattered. It reflects how the area has changed, while the memories remain fixed in the body.

Visual and Technical Approach

I shot the film on a Sony FS7 using a Ronin gimbal. A 24mm lens allowed me to stay close without isolating the performers. I used a Smoque 1 filter by Tiffen to soften highlights and give the image a slightly diffused texture. The goal was not nostalgia. It was distance—enough to allow reflection.

Why Bikini Words Matters to Me

Bikini Words became a quiet way to talk about labor, language, and dignity. It does not try to explain history. It listens to it. I am thankful to everyone who trusted the process and shared their time. Projects like this remind me why creative freedom and patience matter, especially when working with stories that still carry weight today.