When thought about, everyone would have a specific moment they desperately wish to be removed from their memory. It may be a heartbreaking story, or rather a ludicrous scene. Thus, entering a clean slate is like accepting change within oneself. For the September issue, our Photo Division team reinterpreted the meaning of a clean slate and expressed it through pictures of nature, figures, and objects.

Yeowon Jie

A few days before social distancing measures were raised in the greater Seoul area, I headed back to my hometown in Suwon to spend some quality time with my family. Yet, quality time has its limits, and I soon found myself acting as the substitute homemaker, pacing back and forth in the sweltering heat running errands. Despite the arduousness of it all, I took this as an opportunity to enjoy the peaceful and humble ambiance of my neighborhood. Contrary to my expectations, I was surprised to be greeted with the exact opposite. The overwhelming sound of construction and traffic flooded the once tranquil roadsides filled with the occasional trills of children’s laughter. The local food markets had all been replaced with lines of convenience stores while independent coffee shops switched out for corporate chain stores.

Nevertheless, my block still maintained a touch of familiarity. I still saw the stalks of corn and rows of sesame leaves planted by the stubborn elderly couple who refused to sell their land for reconstruction. The jungle that consumed the outdoor parking lot and the stream flowing beneath it were all still intact. I was confronted with the bittersweet aspect of change within my locality. I was in the presence of an evolving community with metropolitan potential, patched with the remnants of the traditional, organic past untouched by urbanization.

Ryu Jiin

Seasons, love, and friendship. Some of the perfect examples to describe the opposite of eternity. They all come and go, and Buddhism teaching tells us that nothing is permanent. Gae-unsa Temple, striking a vivid contrast to the modern day Anam city, is estimated to have been built in 1396, making change by time apparent. The artwork-like scenery provided utterly comforts the visitors, and diverse shades of lanterns in the temple indicate the teaching of multiformity of human beings in each stage of life.

Humans, too, draw strokes of colorful moments in their lives through changes just as the temple is filled with variant pigments. Some may say that change can sometimes be quite intimidating since the ultimate shift of a human’s life is death. However, perhaps that is the essence of change, the forever cycle of life and death. Thanatophobia, the fear of death, also penetrated me often, but I overcame every such moment flashing back on the times I perish. I am not the same I was ten years ago and that is not something to be afraid of. Where obsession fades lies true liberty. In change, I see beauty, and fear no more.

Oh Ji Su

Change is an inevitable part of life that comes with new experiences and events. Be it positive or negative, it is a sign of gradual growth that molds people into who they are as they take a step further from the innocent past into adulthood. As experiences build up, the shield of ignorance fades and new challenges appear. Change applies to everyone and everything around. However, there is always a part of the self that remains within the person. It is the defining aspect that separates one from others, making one unique. The residue of this innocence strengthens as change fails to influence, making this an unchangeable defining trait.

In this photo essay, I capture the unchangeable in the unavoidable flow of life. Although every person has a different concept of what they deem unchangeable within themselves since they all have different experiences, I attempted to capture some of the generic notions or aspects that can be found in the surroundings. Therefore, the photos taken might not apply to every person but might have probably been cited easily. Another aspect of this photo essay is that it focuses on the positive side such as love, innocence, and origins, rather than negative concepts such as greed.