[C컷] What individuals in small rooms want greater than bread…

There are over 1,000 jjot rooms in Dongja-dong throughout from Seoul Station, however individuals do not know a lot about them. Even when you recognize, you do not fake to know. Even if you happen to see it, you fake to not see it. They’re like invisible individuals. Jjokbang is a part of social duty that goes past particular person duty. It is simply the generosity of the volunteer. No State and No Social Duty (2017)

There’s a photographer who has been going to jjokbang each week for 14 years. Kim Gained (59) has been going there each weekend since she visited the small city of Dongja-dong, Yongsan-gu, behind Seoul Station in the summertime of 2010. Mr. has a doctorate. The panorama pictures I took now and again whereas working had been not taken after I met the individuals within the small room. He launched himself as a ‘Jjokbang photographer’.

Photographers take footage of 1 place for a very long time after which transfer on to a brand new place, however Mr. Kim meets the identical individuals each week. When individuals depart Dongja-dong, they go to their new houses or hospitals to satisfy one another. Once I met them and requested what they might do with me, they principally mentioned, “Take heed to their tales.”

Mr. Noh was at all times alone. I had no associates and nobody was searching for me. Though I moved to a sunny 4th flooring room, I nonetheless lived alone (2013) / Photographer Kim Gained

When the individuals within the small room met the photographer, they stored speaking, “It is like while you push a water balloon, water pours out.” At first, footage had been the principle focus, however as time went on, listening to tales turned extra vital than footage. They are saying the one factor to do is go to them and hearken to their tales. Tales of my life, tales about what occurred over the previous week, and so on. Although I take my digicam with me each time, I solely report when the day by day lifetime of the individuals I meet adjustments for greater than 10 years. The loyalty and efforts of the photographer who visited jjokbangs and had contact with them for greater than ten years are absolutely documented within the footage.

The outdated cathode tube tv on prime of the makgeolli field was Mr. Noh’s solely connection to the world. In the future, analog broadcasting ended and there was no tv. The hall disappeared. He wanted a buddy. (2012)/ Photographer Kim Gained-had nothing. All I owned was tv. It was a day by day observe to combine rice with uncooked eggs and dip it in soy sauce. In his small room, he solely had a tv, uncooked eggs, and soy sauce, however he was capable of sleep comfortably (2013) / Photographer Kim Gained

At first, Mr. Kim additionally deliberate to take footage for a few months and end it. Nonetheless, pondering that this was the final time, a resident who lived there requested me once I was coming once more. Immediately he mentioned, “I will be again subsequent week.” To maintain our promise, we visited and met each week after that. Mr. Kwak, whom I met that means, was visually impaired. Since I used to be in my 30s, I’ve had issues with diabetes and hypertension. In Goa, he couldn’t even go to major faculty and lived on the road and in a single room.

Mr. Yoon (61) is a disabled individual and had each his legs amputated on account of issues from diabetes. He was a painter who painted oriental footage by career, however when his enterprise collapsed because of the IMF, he began residing in a small room. By likelihood, he began drawing with the drawing instruments I gave him, and he recovered. He was completely happy in his jjok room, spreading rice paper greater than the jjok room and drawing footage. Since 2017, I’ve had three solo exhibitions. (2017)/ Photographer Kim Gained

He mentioned if he did not come, he would keep and sooner or later he could not depart. In case you can not hold your promise, you may be dissatisfied, so you may not disappoint your self with those that have spent their lives disappointing others. Consequently, once I went to the hospital, I turned a guardian. If there was an issue, Mr. Kim was contacted. He mentioned there have been about ten individuals who moved exterior of Dongja-dong.

Folks do not know a lot about jjokbang from the surface. It’s a must to go into the room to learn the way dangerous it’s. Individuals are uncared for there too, so that they prefer it when somebody comes and listens to their plight. The photographer mentioned that if he generally misses a weekend go to due to a enterprise journey overseas or someplace else, he tells them prematurely as a result of he would not need individuals to attend the next week. The next is what we shared with the photographer.

Mr Lim (79) wrote poetry in a small room. I wrote a poem in regards to the loneliness of residing alone in a small room behind a calendar. “I stay in a small room in Dongja-dong. Once I really feel lonely, I take a look at Namsan. thank god I see Namsan Tower.’ He was poor, however he labored onerous. He made a residing by amassing waste paper with cardboard all day and promoting it. A couple of years in the past, once I utilized for advantages and discovered I used to be an individual with nationwide benefit, I used to be dissatisfied. Even now, he lives onerous (2014) / Photographer Kim Gained

Folks in small rooms on the lookout for vanity by taking a look at footage

I am nonetheless cautious. I wish to present poverty to the world, and I additionally wish to take footage that folks like. They do not have correct footage, so once I take them and provides them to them, they ask, “Is that this me?” One other mentioned, “Is that this actually me? “If I had this good look, I would not have lived like that…” Most of them had been hated by their households, they ran away from dwelling, they lived on the road , and died in hospitals after they obtained sick. Many individuals have died after having such a relationship with me.

“Is that this me? Do I look this good? “If I had identified that I had this good look, I would not have lived like this…” When Mr. Noh turned 60, he appeared on the image of himself I gave him and mentioned this. From then on, I requested him to take an image each time we met. Two years later, he died alone within the hospital. I couldn’t hear ‘one heat phrase’, and that was my lifelong want (2013) / Photographer Gained Kim

Final March, I held a gaggle picture exhibition with different photographers on the subject of single-family houses at an exhibition corridor in Seoul, and the residents of Dongja-dong got here by van. I’m grateful that I met them, that I accepted, and that I created a relationship with them. The place the place there’s numerous battle about cameras is in jjokbang city, however I haven’t got that battle and if I wish to meet somebody, I say, “I am already going, come again someday.” As an alternative of simply taking footage, the method of speaking with them and organizing them by writing a put up shortly after the journey additionally helps me.

Mr. Lee (58) lived in a half-floor room with little or no gentle even in the course of the day with out even turning on the sunshine. I lived on the sunshine from my cellular phone. I spent my time watching dramas and listening to music on my cellular phone (2023) / Photographer Kim Gained

Individuals who give bread gone

Non secular teams or establishments come and provides bread or garments, however that is it. Folks stay there. As a result of my very own righteousness was damage. Society and my household at all times took care of me, but when they offer me one thing free of charge, I simply get used to it and my low vanity continues to be the identical.

A spiritual group gave bread. The resident I used to be with informed me that. “Have a look at the expiration date on the bread.” I checked the expiry date on the package deal and located that the day I took it was the final day. Even when they bring about you a packed lunch, nobody asks what you wish to eat. The concept is to eat no matter is given to you. There isn’t any respect for individuals, solely occasions. Is that very useful?

Mr. Hwang’s son died abruptly in his sleep. Hwang’s mom could not even cry on the funeral. A 12 months handed and I cried with out stopping alone as I arrange my son’s memorial board (2021) Magnolia additionally grew in jjokbang city. Mr. Jeong (48) seems at magnolias via the small roof window (2019) / Photographer Gained Kim

Though it is a separate job from my most important job of touring to rivers throughout the nation, I believe I will hold seeing them till they move. Actually, I even took footage of the residents of the small rooms that I met till their final moments earlier than they died. He was within the intensive care unit of the hospital, and I used to be his guardian. Most individuals ask me what I’ll do once I die. It isn’t like I am going to jjokbang each week and do good service. More often than not I simply discuss to them and hear. A few of my Fb associates additionally help individuals within the jjokbang.

Photographer Kim Gained