Better Days

Seunggu Kim

–

  • Hanok Swimming Pool

    2017

  • Mulbit Square

    2018

  • Cherry Blossom Festival

    2015

  • Ryal Azalea Hill

    2019

  • Fireworks Festival

    2018

  • Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism

    2023

  • Campsite

    2018

  • Hongje Stream

    2015

  • Ice Fishing in Owolri

    2022

  • Ice Fishing

    2014

  • Ttukseom Swimming Pool

    2019

  • Lake Park

    2019

  • Poppy Festival

    2022

  • Snow Festival

    2022

  • Swimming Pool

    2016

That leisure time is limited in South Korea is the topic of photographer Seunggu Kim’s series Better Days (2011-present), in which Kim explores urbanisation and its effects on people in modern-day Soul. His images capture the special South Korean vacation culture, focusing on how people navigate challenges in a country full of contrasts.

As a consequence of rapid economic development over the last 40 years, individuals in South Korea find themselves restrained by long working hours and brief weekends and holidays. Consequently, enjoying free time has become more challenging for the South Korean population. In Seoul, people seek out rural pockets for relaxation in a city with limited time and space, many opting for vacations in nearby suburbs or local sites. A dilemma Kim explores through his images in Better Days by taking a step back and observing leisure spaces and the people within them.

Following the shift in people’s leisure opportunities, South Korea has seen an increase in urban leisure facilities, leaving many to substitute experiences in nature with human-made mountains, ponds and waterfalls in constructed spaces. The development of urban leisure facilities comes at the expense of the nature they try to imitate – a side effect and irony of growth, overcrowding and urbanisation. Using expansive panoramas, Kim draws the viewer’s attention to the larger picture, exposing the inner workings of South Korean leisure. In doing so, Kim confronts the Korean imitation of nature, inviting reflection on the sustainability of this way of life.

Kim’s gaze embodies the social ironies present in South Korea. Whilst the images may appear at first a whimsical take on urban leisure, Kim’s carefully framed scenes show moments where complex elements come into balance, and at the same time, unravel the intricate fabric of Korean society.

Whilst touching on prominent challenges facing the South Korean society, a sense of assurance and connection still transcends Better Days. The collective leisure and its spatial environment reveal the attitude of people in Korea living with optimism and a sense of community despite social constraints. Hundreds or even thousands of people gather, comfortably engaged in separate activities. Seen from a distance, these scenes take on the form of a collective, visualising our ability to adapt to challenging circumstances and find joy together in coexistence.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Seunggu Kim (b.1979) is a Seoul-based photographer whose work explores the tensions of contemporary life, unraveling the intricate fabric of Korean society through observing the complexities of our daily lives. Kim has held solo exhibitions internationally, including at Filter Space in Chicago and the Korea Society in New York, and has participated in various group exhibitions, among them at Fotografiska in New York. In 2024, he published the book Better Days with Kehrer Verlag.

For more information please visit:

Homepage: https://www.seunggukim.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k.seunggu/?hl=en