SPACE & MEMORY — photography exhibition

From April 16 to April 20, I presented my photography exhibition SPACE & MEMORY at Korea University. The exhibition brought together several bodies of work that examine Seoul’s social and urban landscape through long-term observation.

The show focused on how space, memory, and everyday life intersect in a city shaped by density and constant change.

Observing Seoul through space

I have lived and worked in Seoul for many years. Through photography, I try to understand how people move through the city and how architecture influences behavior. My work looks at both public and private environments, often where the boundary between the two becomes unclear.

Rather than focusing on landmarks, I concentrate on ordinary spaces. These locations reveal how the city functions on a daily level.

Bang — public and private overlap

The Bang series examines how public and private space overlap in Korea. Many interiors sit close to the street, while walls and entrances often feel temporary or thin. Through this work, I question fixed definitions of inside and outside.

The images reflect a city where personal life frequently unfolds in close proximity to the public realm.

Zugzwang — pressure and development

Zugzwang focuses on neighborhoods affected by redevelopment. The photographs show buildings marked for demolition and residents preparing to leave their homes. The series reflects the pressure created by large-scale urban projects.

I borrowed the term Zugzwang from chess, where it describes a situation in which every option leads to loss. In Seoul, it mirrors the lack of choice many residents face during redevelopment.

Urban Nature — city and landscape

The Urban Nature series looks at the relationship between Seoul’s expansion and what remains of its rural past. The work follows the city from its outer edges toward the center, recording traces of landscape within the built environment.

This series received the European Prize of Architectural Photography in 2011. More importantly, it reflects an ongoing interest in how urban growth absorbs and reshapes nature.

Double Portrait — identity and repetition

In Double Portrait, I look at the tension between individual identity and collective norms in South Korea. The images focus on repetition, similarity, and small differences within groups.

Through this series, I ask how individuality operates within a society shaped by strong social structures.

An invitation to look closely

SPACE & MEMORY brought these series together as part of an open exploration rather than a conclusion. The exhibition invited viewers to slow down and observe how space, memory, and daily life intersect in Seoul.

Location: Hana Square, Exhibition Room, Korea University Science Campus
Access: Near Anam Station, Exit 4 (Subway Line 6)

The exhibition offered a quiet space to reflect on how cities shape experience over time.