The Korean Gaze
The Korean Gaze is a large-scale group exhibition featuring 41 Korean photographers who captured their unique perspectives on culture and life using Chiang Mai, Thailand, as their backdrop.
As an extension of the ongoing PhapthaySajin project, this event sought to go beyond a mere presentation of artworks—embracing immersive workshops and cultural exchange programs to foster genuine Korea–Thailand photographic dialogue.
Through photography, the exhibition introduced Thai audiences to the Korean way of seeing—marked by a dynamic tension between familiarity and strangeness, distance and empathy.
The Korean Gaze – PhapthaySajin: The Korean Perspective
From February 15 to March 6, 2024, the PhapthaySajin project returned to center stage with a landmark exhibition, The Korean Gaze, at Baan Tuek Art Center in the heart of Chiang Mai.
This major cultural event brought together 41 Korean photographers for an international group show that was more than an exhibition—it was a conversation across cultures and visual languages.
True to its name, The Korean Gaze explored how Koreans perceive the world.
Each artist offered a unique response to the question: “What and how do Koreans see?”
Whether through landscapes, intimate daily scenes, or psychological spaces, their photographs were deeply rooted in the Korean lived experience.
Presented within the distinct setting of Chiang Mai, these perspectives invited local audiences to rediscover their own surroundings through unfamiliar, yet curiously resonant, lenses.
The exhibition was enriched by a five-day workshop (Feb 22–26) held in Chiang Mai.
Thirteen participating artists took part in on-site explorations, photographing cultural landmarks such as Doi Suthep Temple, Chiang Mai Old Town, and Warorot Market.
These encounters with local color, light, and texture became sources of inspiration for new photographic works.
Each evening, participants gathered for review sessions, where they exchanged insights and reflected on each other’s images in an atmosphere of deep artistic engagement.
The opening reception on February 24 drew a vibrant crowd of artists, students, expats, and members of the local art scene.
Meaningful conversations unfolded organically as visitors and artists interacted directly.
Local attendees expressed fascination at the range of viewpoints, many remarking, “I had never realized there were so many different ways Koreans see the world.”
What made this event truly significant was that it did not attempt to “export Korean images” in a one-way fashion.
Rather, it created a shared space for mutual observation and reinterpretation—a progressive model for international cultural exchange.
Director Hakbong Kwon remarked, “Photography is an emotional language that transcends words,”
and emphasized his vision for continuing to deepen ties between Korean and Thai visual arts through ongoing collaborations.
The Korean Gaze was not simply an exhibition; it was a shared inquiry.
A question posed in images: “What do we see, how do we look, and where might our gaze take us?”
This question, born in Chiang Mai, will continue to evolve—across borders, perspectives, and new artistic terrains.
The journey isn’t over. New scenes are already forming inside the viewfinders of those who participated.
