'Not Seoul' photography exhibition allows audience to interpret city in own way

Street photographer Chae Kyung-wan, who goes by his penname, K. Chae / Courtesy of K. Chae

Photographer captures streets of Seoul during COVID-19 pandemic

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Chae Kyung-wan, who goes by his penname, K. Chae, is a street photographer who travels around the world to express what he sees with photography. He takes pictures of people, cityscapes, landscapes, wildlife and anything of interest in his path.

He has traveled to 85 countries to capture unrehearsed moments in life. His most recent plan to travel to Central Asia was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing him more time to capture the beauty of Seoul instead.

"I always thought I would take pictures of Seoul when I grew older and found travel uncomfortable. Until the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Seoul was the place where I spent time in the off-season. But things have changed over the past two years," he said during an interview with The Korea Times, Tuesday.

Chae started roaming the streets of Seoul and capturing small moments that people often miss. However, he explained that his approach to taking pictures in Seoul was not much different from photographing scenes in unfamiliar cities.

"To me, photography is not about documenting what I see. It's about expressing myself. So my goal was not to capture what is real, but to see the world in my own perspective," he said.

According to him, a photograph can always show something entirely different. There is no one answer to how and what something or someone should look like. Each person sees things differently. That is why he named the title of his latest exhibition, "Not Seoul."

Chae's attention to color is what makes his photos unique.

"I take colorful pictures because I'm a colorful person. I take pictures and add my signature style, which is to increase the contrast and amplify the color," he said.

"Three Umbrellas" / Courtesy of K. Chae

The photographer said he has always been fond of colors as long as he can remember.

"When I was young, I wanted to be an artist. But I was terrible at drawing. In college, I took an art class, but that didn't go well either. Then I took a photography class, which allowed me to become an artist even though I couldn't draw," he said.

The photographer's experience in Honduras and the U.S. also affected the way he sees the world. When he was 16 years old, he moved to Honduras with his family for a year and a half, and then to New York, where he finished high school and college.

"Moving to different countries at an early age has opened up my eyes to how diverse the world is. I have wanderlust, so I get restless if I stay in one place for a long time," he said.

Chae said he tries to minimize taking pictures because, in this age of digital photography, it is so easy to take pictures.

"I think it is important for a photographer to know when not to take a picture. It is important to know the weight of photos. I always ask myself, 'What is the reason to take that picture?' I feel like an image always has to have a purpose," he said.

An installation view of K. Chae's exhibition, "Not Seoul" / Courtesy of K. Chae

Chae has another philosophy in mind when taking pictures, which has been inspired by early 20th century photographers, including Saul Leiter, Willy Ronis and Elliot Erwitt. "I never set up my pictures. I don't ask people to pose and I don't pay people to take pictures. I try my best not to disturb the scene. I want to be a part of a moment, not an obstacle," he said.

The 42-year-old also discussed why he doesn't take black-and-white photos.

"Today, photographers often use black and white to save photos that don't work in color. By imposing a certain limit on myself, I strive for perfection when it comes to taking pictures," he said.

People and the landscape are equally important in his work, but for the "Not Seoul" exhibition, Chae put more focus on capturing the urban landscape.

"As a street photographer, I love to capture spontaneous moments of people. But I shot more cityscape pictures in Seoul. I went out to capture day and night in the city, although I personally like rainy, snowy and overcast weather. The night view images also have a very particular emotional impact that's hard to explain," he said.

"Fantasy Express" / Courtesy of K. Chae

One major thing he noticed among Korean people is that they prefer landscape photos over pictures of people.

"I don't know why, but Koreans don't like when strangers appear in the picture frame. They prefer natural landscapes devoid of human elements," he said.

Chae said he wants visitors to celebrate their own memories of Seoul through his exhibition. "There may be some people who don't like the intense color and contrast of my photos. However, I don't want people to question the authenticity of my photos, because this is my way of capturing the spirit of Seoul," he said. "I hope people can discover their own Seoul through my photography."

When the COVID-19 pandemic ends, Chae said he wants to travel abroad to see the diverse faces of the world. "I would love to travel the Caucasus and Central Asia for about four months. If not, I am thinking of going to Iceland and Greenland," he said.

"Not Seoul" runs through April 24 at Gallery Minjung in Samcheong-dong, Seoul.