Shannon Ciricillo May 7, 2018

Famous Korean Photographers

The photography scene in Korea is evolving and growing. Here are 10 famous Korean photographers you need to know.

The world is full of talented, creative and innovative artists. Today, we are giving you an inside look into the role of photographic art in Korea. In order to highlight ten photographers that have gained worldwide recognition for their unique perspective and vision.

So, let’s view some of the most influential creatives below:

Famous Korean Photographers

Kim Tae Kyun

Known as LessPhoto on Instagram, Kyun is a fashion photographer whose images have a distinct cultural influence. His work features the emotion and depiction of Korean youth.

Primarily shooting on film, his subjects wear couture pieces, displaying an overall grunge aesthetic. Additionally, he often works with several Korean Pop Stars. Instagram / website.

Ji Yeo

Ji Yeo is most known for her photographs depicting the culture of plastic surgery, specifically the controversial procedures done by women of her own country.

Her raw and real imagery can be seen through her series, “Beauty Recovery Room” and “Draw on Me.” Her work has been featured in exhibitions and galleries around the world and she currently resides in New York. Instagram / website

Jee Young Lee

Jee Young Lee is a photographer who creates fantasy worlds within her personal studio. Her projects include Stage of Mind and Alice’s House, where she constructs alternate realities in which she immerses herself.

Lee’s viewpoint and vision is evident and speaks to the power of psychological and dreamscape complexities within her art. Her work has been featured at exhibitions in the United States, Korea, Singapore, and Japan. Instagram / Website

Hasisi Park

Hasisi Park is best known for her work in editorial and commercial fashion. Through various mediums of film, she creates images that feel personable and relatable to the viewer.

Her work has a true documentary style, full of intentional composition and use of natural light. She has worked on campaigns with brands such as Champion Tokyo, Christian Dior, and Hinoki. Instagram / Website

Hein-Kuhn Oh

Starting off as a street photographer, Hein-Kuhn Oh is recognized for his work of documenting social groups of Korea.

His series are impactful and display figments of emotional and psychological turmoil including ones such as “Portraying Anxiety” and “Cosmetic Girls.” He describes his work as documenting stereotypes that are influenced by the entertainment media in Korea. Website

Nina Ahn

Known for having no particular style, Nina Ahn’s photographic film works are about her life experiences and travel. She photographs everything from street, documentary/societal issues, portraits and is heading toward a path of fashion horticulture.

Her artistic vision is youthful, delicate and encapsulates a feeling of nostalgia. Instagram

Aston Husumu Hwang

Hwang is noted for his photography of Korea’s Youth Culture, specifically the edge and raw nature of nightlife and clubbing.

A simple google search will yield a variety of his images, a portfolio marked with Seoul’s mysterious youth – a hip-hop, party culture kind of vibe.

Although, he doesn’t appear to be too active on social media, but you can find some of his work on his Instagram

Sung Soo Koo

Most famously known for his contemporary Korean photography, Koo captures imagery of his home country with vibrant and bold colors. He photographs the culture through his “Magical Reality,” a deeper look into the nature of Korea.

Man-made monuments such as the replication of the Statue of Liberty all nodding toward the obvious influences of the Western World. // Website

Kim Oksun

Kim Oksun photographs individuals from different racial and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, she aims to depict the nature of relationships that go against the tide of Korea’s inclination toward a homogenous society.

Having married a German man and given birth to her bi-racial daughter in Korea, her work is a reflection of her personal experiences. In fact, some of her best-known series are “Happy Together” and “Woman in a Room.” // Website

Lee Sun-Min

Focusing her work toward the lives of Korean women as well as depictions of rural and urban family life, Lee Sun-Min’s photographs bring us directly into these varying aspects of Korean society.

In short, with strong and intentional portraiture, her images give us a documentary perspective of the traditions and change associated with familial and societal norms. // Website