Being Korean

Being Korean is a thesis driven by a cultural investigation of what it means to be Korean today by revisiting historical events of the past two centuries in Korea through video sculpture highlighting Korean food, Hansik. The artwork and this thesis rediscover haehak, a cultural value that harmonizes society through humor, in order to encourage reconnection in a politically divided society through the ordinary activity of sharing food. To define ordinary Korean-ness, my thesis explores how historical events, such as colonization and war, have influenced our dining table. My work utilizes glass as metaphorical vessels, defamiliarizing traditional elements to reveal core values. The use of video to depict the creation of Hansik with glass tools transforms this work into more than just moving images; it becomes a sculptural piece with a narrative body. By investigating haehak through glass and video, Being Korean offers a dynamic portrayal of the multifaceted and ever-evolving Korean identity.