10ofthebest photographers covering Korea’s indie scene

By Christian Mata (@chris_isu_m)

In our series called 10ofthebest, we’ll be taking a subject and picking ten of our personal favourite examples of it. This time, we're taking a peek at Korea's photography scene.

The guitarist smashing his guitar on stage, the singer stage diving, the rare in-focus shot of a drummer in the back - photographers are an essential part of the indie ecosystem. Their work is often shown across social media, albums, t-shirts, even, but it's rare to see the artists behind the camera (though some may prefer it that way).

In this list, we are paying dues to 10 photographers in the scene. As with any list, we can't count every star in the sky, so know that there are so many photographers worth a look, but the limit is 10. The criteria, to keep teeth pulling to a minimum, is that this list is made of active photographers who: shoot both some aspect of the underground music scene as well as another subject matter, are independent (no agent), and not already absurdly famous. But if you see anyone running around with a camera in the middle of a concert, offer them a drink. Or food. Strange lot they are, they've likely been looking at photos all day and forgot to eat.

Myunghak 

@93til_adenman

Lately favouring black and white, MyungHak’s work brings the spirit of 90s-2000s music videos and skate magazines to Korea. A skater himself, Myunghak brings action and truth to his scene, and his video work informs the movement in his photos. Favouring a fish eye converter that he holds by hand with his trusty Ricoh, he is able to warp the DJs and skaters that make up his life into inky black and white stills of action and debauchery. Skate meet-ups are one of the more overlooked spots in Korea's cultural landscape. With his videos and photos, he sometimes makes collages, bringing an even more zine-like quality to his work. His gaze has some of Moriyama's instinct: focus isn't necessary to make a photo speak. Blend this with grungy texture and quick draw journalism for much-needed subculture archiving. 

Gear: Ricoh GR digi / GR series + a 3rd party fisheye attachment

Abi Raymaker

@abiraymaker

A dreamy aesthetic lover, Abi’s concert work takes on a larger scope and a more impressionist touch. Sometimes singers are mid movement, painted in light, obscured, but the moment is there. Her concert work is probably informed by her own time on stage as the drummer of Sailor Honeymoon. Outside of concerts, her portrait work with musicians and regular folks mixes shots of striking stares, shyness, and humour. She has a knack for putting subjects at ease and giving clear direction to accomplish her shot. Last year, she also held an exhibition in Seoul titled NOTHING TO SEE HERE, which showed more personal slice-of-life photos and family portraits. In these other lifestyle cuts, she draws out a quietness and curiosity from life.

Gear: Sony

Junki Hong

@hongtasi

If you haven’t seen his work with fashion and beauty brands, you may have seen his work in music, both concert and portraiture. Through film and classic posing, he makes timeless-looking profile shots that often evoke stillness and calm. Crisp, clear subjects make up a bulk of his fashion work, but his music shots often melt atmosphere and motion. Outside of portraits, he has a series of street photos that focus on repetition and nature. The motif of flowers comes up repeatedly in each area of his work.

Gear: film camera

Shin Yong-ju

@shinyongjuu

The old adage is that a good journalist should take the smallest piece of an event to show a large story. AFP visual journalist Shin Young-ju often presents the joys and hope through a single face in a crowd, the weary eyes of a citizen seeking justice in protest, but even outside of his press work, he keeps interesting angles, establishing shots, and a keen eye for layering in his street photography. His current long-term documentary project, Little California in South Korea, covers the domestic dissonance and diaspora of Anjeong-ri, a small village near his hometown, Pyeongtaek. He displays the surreal blips of Americana-esque militarism as they appear in an otherwise average Korean village. The discomfort of rusted fixtures and debris near adverts catering to soldiers, barbed wires reflected across the velvet curtains behind a shop window, it’s a larger story told in the small details.

Gear: Lecia Q2 (in the past Nikon, Ricoh, Leica M10)

Yejin 

@record_played

When you think of classic concert photography, Yejin shoots with the best of them. Touring and shooting festivals and concerts Yejin prefers high contrast close-up shots of singers, and portraits of artists at work. Along with that, she has the hands of a surgeon, showing off all manner of slow shutter speed shots and double exposures to bring some artistic flair to the show. There is a kind of ease and familiarity with her concert work that helps conjure up dramatic shots of the live event. Outside of her concert gigs, her street photos have the feeling of a stream of consciousness, a series of both the plain and the odd. She offers the whole of a story with its statements and questions.

Gear: Sony A7C2, 24-70mm lens

Argus 

@arguspaul

An artist who goes through any genre he pleases, Argus brings his own heavy style to his work. Famously, his catalogue is mostly made of wide-angle, carefully formulated black and white images with strong flash. Don't ask how, but fellow photographers can spot a carefully crafted black and white formula that's run through a long process over a simple preset. For those less attuned to the madness of black and white photos, his other signature ingredient is expert-level shutter drag. His book Half Eye is his testimony of life in Korea, from huge cultural events to daily life. His work across concerts, portraits, street and lifestyle is captivating. 

Gear:  Leica Q2m, now Nikon zf , some Fuji,  28mm + 40mm, loads of 3rd party flashes 

오태퓽

@mobydick_ty

Far from the stages in Seoul, 오태퓽 (Translated as Typhoon, his real name by the way) is a street photography and archival visionary. He's documented lots of events outside of Seoul, especially  Namwon, with a documentation mindset. His street and documentary photo work often contains dark humour and heavy themes. For, example his latest exhibition/book titled 환영과歡迎 환영에幻影대해is a play on words (환영 means both welcome and phantom) to highlight the government supported hotels and housing projects that failed and were abandoned in Korea. If your coffee table needs some serious topic photo books, look no further. He is a Korea-based photographer who pursues his subject matter to its core.

Gear: Canon 5D Mark 4, 24-70mm

HwanHee Ryu

@hwanheeryu

Truly a poet with a lens. An impeccable eye for colour and composition, he always pushes himself to search for new subjects and styles. Much like the greats of street photography, he makes even refuse look beautiful. What might be mundane to a passerby becomes art. For more conventional subjects like people or flowers, he uses mixes of blur and obstruction, often reframing subjects. Every picture is so meticulous; despite his work coming from his daily walks, it’s as if light is his personal assistant. Street, travel, events, dabble isn't the way to put it, but he makes art everywhere he goes.

Gear: Nikon Z7ii, 24-70mm f2.8, 50mm f1.2 

Suki Park

@bysukistranger

Suki Park lives in a habitat of music through work in photos, videos, and event organising. Her concert work is often sweeping landscapes: fans struck in awe and bands lost in bliss. She has a knack for green/orange toning in her lowlight photos that makes Kodak execs sweat. Her range, from large establishing shots all the way to low-down pit shots, shows her grit as a single-person photo team covering every angle. Her portrait work, often with musicians, has more traditional band shots outside with eased posing and balance. Another treat is the more candid portraits: imagine making a band relaxed enough to look like an old friend?

Gear: Originally an old Canon, now Sony (her heart still belongs to Canon though)

Yun young

@wavewewave

Concert photographer, booking agent, and all-around person you want supporting your indie music endeavours, Yun has mastered transforming concerts into dreamy escapes. You think you are watching a great indie set at a dark venue, but then when you see Yun Young’s photos, you realise you were actually on a different plane altogether: filled with pastel tones and soft bloom, it’s an ethereal world. Outside of concert work, she also brings the same tools to her portrait work, with the skewed stage lighting colours brought into the profile.

Gear: Sony, sometimes with vintage lenses