Seoul

I am quintessentially a daughter of Seoul
And I wish to get old and die in Seoul

I always tell myself
After this term I want to visit Seoul for the summer
After graduation I’d go back to Seoul
I miss Seoul, after the commission I’d have to go back to Seoul
I’ll definitely pack my stuff and leave here after this job
Ok after this project I’m not going to do anything more I really miss Seoul

But when and how
When and how

Is somebody holding me in London (no)
Is somebody waiting for me in Seoul (not anymore)
Then why am I enduring expensive rent hopeless public transportation awful weather mouldy ceilings single-glazed windows random shouting at job centres work work work obnoxious people mice moths limping foxes here

Now I am a grown up as I always wished to be, why do I still feel like I’ve woken up after a nap dream of everyone dying?

Every night, beneath my pillow I hear
Building buzzes
Pine trees’ whispers
Highway hum songs of Seoul

But they’re so so so far away
And mother, I wish to be alone

(2022)


이주연은 사회적 고립, 국경을 넘는 친밀감, 노동 불안정, 기술 발전, 산업 독성학과 몸 정치학 등을 포괄한 광범위한 리서치와 인터뷰를 바탕으로, 분석적이면서도 시적인 논픽션 무빙 이미지를 연출한다.

Jooyeon Lee works with analytical yet poetic non-fiction moving image with expansive research and interviews to capture urban alienation, intimacy across borders, labour precarity, technological progress, industrial toxicology and body politics.


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