Abstract

This paper examines the recent development of documentary photographs in South Korea in light of David Campany’s concept of “late Photography.” Natural landscapes by Heungsoon Im, defunct bunkers and military facilities nearby the Metropolitan area by Onejoon Che, and portraits of North Korean expatriates by Suyeon Yun offer intriguing approaches to ‘late photography’ that prioritize traces and remnants of tragedies over explicitly shocking images of violence. At the same time, this paper underscores the underlying ideological significance of “late photography,” contrary to Campany’s reservation that late photography may offer a less effective way of provoking and engaging viewers with social criticism. Instead, I will argue, Im, Che, and Yun’s suggestive ways of alluding to the history of the Korean War (1950-53), military dictatorship, and ideological conflicts might be suitable for representing the ambiguous state of ideological confrontation in the Korean Peninsula.  

 

Keywords

Late photography; contemporary documentary in South Korea; ideological conflicts of South Korea and photography, Heungsoon Im, Onejoon Che, Suyeon Yun

 

Dong-Yeon Koh, "Late Photography” in South Korea: Heungsoon Im, Onejoon Che, Suyeon Yun," Photography & Culture Volume 8 Issue 1 March 2015, pp. 81-106.