Seoul

In the Living in Seoul series, although they were working in unstable employment in a foreign land, their faces were unexpectedly full of happiness.

 

The situation of foreign workers waiting for jobs and the youth unemployment rate, which has risen sharply since 2014, stood in stark contrast.

Comparing youth unemployment rates with the employment rates of foreign workers centered in Seoul, I encountered the lives of foreign workers employed in irregular positions and began documenting them. In Korea, the term "foreign worker" commonly brings to mind people from Southeast Asia.

However, the reality was different. More than 70% of the foreign workers I met were Westerners, and this figure made us reflect once again on our prejudices.

 

I met about 100 people working in various professions across race and nationality who are employed in irregular positions, and I documented their lives.

 

Going beyond simple documentation, this work focused on presenting a new perspective by contrasting the reality of Korean youth with the lives of foreign workers. By capturing their expressions and stories through photographs, it sought to re-examine social phenomena that we had overlooked amidst our familiarity.