WOUTER VANHEES
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HAN - ​한

Han (​한), supposedly untranslatable, refers to a uniquely Korean emotion or sentiment, expressing a sense of profound sorrow, resentment, grief and regret.

Han (​한) is a collection of haunting nocturnal images depicting a central part of Seoul slated for clearance and subsequent redevelopment, and its immediate neighboring areas. The hill used to be the home, mostly of people on the fringes of Korean society: immigrants, prostitutes and North Korean exiles, but also artists and blue-collar workers. Today this is an intricate maze of deserted streets and abandoned homes, fenced off and ready to be demolished. More than 8000 households left the area, many reluctantly and not always receiving fair relocation support.

While all appears to be serene in these deserted parts, one senses Han (한) as it hangs thick in the air.



Created in Seoul between September 2024 and January 2025
© Wouter Vanhees. All rights reserved. No part of this website can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.
  • Portfolio
    • Han - 한
    • Against The Tide
    • Hà Nội - Wednesday, 10:43 p.m.
    • The Alley
  • Publications
  • About