Photo

Photo

Fleeting moments Beyond Expectation

Film cameras have a nostalgic appeal because you can’t see the results right away. After taking a shot, you forget about it, not knowing how it turned out, and only later do you get to see the image. Sometimes, mistakes in handling the film keep you from capturing the subject properly, but even these accidents can give a photo a new, unexpected feeling. Perhaps today, people are drawn to film for this warmth and quiet anticipation.

(I took all of these photos with my father’s beloved film camera from his youth.)

Mom's birthday party at home during the COVID quarantine. The sensibility of film cameras evokes a cozy and warm vibe. The theme of “family” always brings to mind feelings of nostalgia and longing for me. , 2020.

Opening party of my first group exhibition. Some unidentified forms of light appeared, and they made the whole scene even more sensory and emotional. , 2019.

Donut that my friends and I had in London. Sometimes, a simple and tiny moment like this makes the memory of that time even more vivid. , 2024.

Confused coco by me. He was sound sleep before I took this photo. When I popped the flash, he gave me a bewildered look, staring straight at me. I think the charm of capturing these completely ordinary, uneventful moments fits perfectly with the sensibility of film. , 2024.

종로 , Jong-ro, is a city in Seoul that still preserves the look of the city from the 1980s/90s. you can especially feel the past through its old buildings and vintage signs. The textures of those old buildings and signs seem to blend perfectly with the grainy texture of film. , 2019.

머리까끼 is a small hair salon in Seongbuk-dong, located in the upper part of Seoul. You can immediately tell it’s been around for a long time just by looking at its sign. The letters on the sign are misspelled, but somehow that made it even more charming. It felt like the kind of place that’s far from perfect, yet has regulars and a warm, lasting relationship with them over the years..

I’m especially fond of this photo because of the Hangul (Korean letters) sign. In today’s Seoul, where such signs in Korean are slowly disappearing, this kind of scene feels precious. , 2024.

윤수진 , my friend. I took this photo of her, but when developing the film, I accidentally exposed it to light, and it ended up faded like this. I was a bit sad that her face came out blurry, but I love this photo because the light leak adds an unexpected, accidental charm. , 2020.

No idea where it is because the film got exposed to light again.. The image is so overexposed that you can’t even tell where it was taken. But I liked it even more because you can still feel the film’s texture, especially along the line on the left edge. , 2022.