https://youngeunkim.com youngeunkim.cargocollective.com Sat, 01 Nov 2025 06:21:29 +0000 https://youngeunkim.com en https://youngeunkim.com/Listening-Guests Sat, 01 Nov 2025 06:20:59 +0000 youngeunkim.cargocollective.com https://youngeunkim.com/Listening-Guests Listening Guests&nbsp; 2025 Single-channel video, multi-channel (or stereo) sound38 minutes Listening Guests begins with the belief that a distinct mode of listening exists shaped by the experiences and histories of diaspora. It explores the complex relationships of diasporic communities form with listening through language, music, and various aural events in daily life. Diasporic senses are closely tied to identities shaped within the shifting dynamics between the homeland, the host country, and the diaspora communities. As these three spheres are in constant flux, diasporic communities negotiate and mediate their positions within changing political and economic contexts and varying degrees of access to cultural resources. In doing so, they cultivate unique listening practices and ethics that reflect the particular spatiotemporality of diasporic life. To explore this diasporic listening, the work focuses on two communities: the Koryoin (ethnic Koreans from the former Soviet Union) community in Korea, and Korean immigrant community in Los Angeles.&nbsp;The first generation of Koryoin largely migrated to the Russian Far East during the Japanese occupation in search of better prospects, only to be forcibly relocated to Central Asia under Stalin’s regime. The Koryoin living in Korea today are mostly descendants of those who returned in the 1990s, seeking improved economic opportunities, with the majority now being primarily second to fourth-generation immigrants. They partake in cultural content from Korea, Russia, and various other regions. The history of Koreans’ mass immigration to the U.S. began in the early 20th century. The number of Korean laborers migrating to Hawaii as farm workers had drastically increased by 1905, competing with Japanese laborers who had already settled down in the island. After the Korean War in the 1950s, masses of war orphans were adopted to the U.S., and highly degreed Koreans who already resided in the U.S. for study purposes determined not to return to their homeland. The revision of the Immigration Act in 1965 resulted in a precipitous increase in Korean emigration; 22% of Korean immigrants ended up settling in the Los Angeles area as of 2005. In this work, I examine how their listening practices are shaped through processes of relocation and adjustment, and I investigate the power and potential of sound and listening in forming migrant experiences. The film is structured around questions that explore language acquisition, musical production and consumption, and everyday aural events. These questions emerged from an engagement with “sonic ethnography,” a methodology that foregrounds the role of sound and listening within ethnographic narratives. This approach engages the ethnographic potential of sound by attending to sonic environments and by employing process-oriented modes of sound documentation. (KR) <img width="4000" height="3000" width_o="4000" height_o="3000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b2f3a47f20a4329ad4d949c1f8534bbcc5ee585ab0554adf722ce06d6ffc264c/1.jpg" data-mid="240132859" border="0" data-scale="85" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/b2f3a47f20a4329ad4d949c1f8534bbcc5ee585ab0554adf722ce06d6ffc264c/1.jpg" /> <img width="2000" height="1500" width_o="2000" height_o="1500" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/51ced3ddfd09552ae9474c00e4b44cae0fb8923e73b42c3bdea19c693f08760a/2.jpg" data-mid="240132860" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/51ced3ddfd09552ae9474c00e4b44cae0fb8923e73b42c3bdea19c693f08760a/2.jpg" /> <img width="3840" height="2160" width_o="3840" height_o="2160" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4e3acc1ac3c01562af40fac0604c3f5ac2471a6e07bc35c9cefb9bf206114094/still-2.jpg" data-mid="240132752" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/4e3acc1ac3c01562af40fac0604c3f5ac2471a6e07bc35c9cefb9bf206114094/still-2.jpg" /> <img width="3840" height="2160" width_o="3840" height_o="2160" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f29f810eebccea4b1a536c7e9cda751683c9e9d2a1f8254442724e5e5f12d28a/still-7.png" data-mid="240132751" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/f29f810eebccea4b1a536c7e9cda751683c9e9d2a1f8254442724e5e5f12d28a/still-7.png" /> <img width="3840" height="2160" width_o="3840" height_o="2160" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/19b7e0ec474630b60f6d5bcaa28597fbbdf755b89497b89b6de0ff935bd2472f/still-3.jpg" data-mid="240132753" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/19b7e0ec474630b60f6d5bcaa28597fbbdf755b89497b89b6de0ff935bd2472f/still-3.jpg" /> <img width="2806" height="1582" width_o="2806" height_o="1582" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9473dfaa8d8a0c45fab8317527d8979cb5e22d16129b0440ad7a1541ac5aaf30/still-5.png" data-mid="240132754" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/9473dfaa8d8a0c45fab8317527d8979cb5e22d16129b0440ad7a1541ac5aaf30/still-5.png" /> <img width="2746" height="1544" width_o="2746" height_o="1544" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2cae91cf1812b092aa2d0dfe6d87a99582edd77ed620ac711960210c25a627b4/still-6.png" data-mid="240132760" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/2cae91cf1812b092aa2d0dfe6d87a99582edd77ed620ac711960210c25a627b4/still-6.png" /> #1-2 Exhibition view of Korea Artist Prize (National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, Seoul, 2025). Image courtesy of National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. Photo: Chulki Hong. #3-7&nbsp;Video still. Trailer&nbsp; https://youngeunkim.com/To-Future-Listeners-III Sat, 01 Nov 2025 06:21:29 +0000 youngeunkim.cargocollective.com https://youngeunkim.com/To-Future-Listeners-III To Future Listeners Ⅲ 2025 Single-channel video, stereo sound 12 minutes 25 seconds The song heard in the video is an Irish immigrant song recorded in the United States in the early 20th century. Originally captured on a wax cylinder in an Irish male immigrant's voice, the song is digitally transformed within the work into a choral arrangement sung by women. Most Irish women immigrants, upon arriving in the United States, were dispersed into domestic work. As they became part of the households that constantly required their presence, they found it difficult to form their own communities. By the 19th century, women made up more than half of the immigrant population. However, historical narratives of immigration have largely been shaped by male voices and memories, leaving the presence of women and their role in shaping discourse overlooked for generations. This work presents the process of constructing a choral voice of immigrant women—voices that were never formally recorded. It reflects on how these women existed between history and oblivion, resilience and constraint, and resistance and tradition. (KR) <img width="4000" height="3000" width_o="4000" height_o="3000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f1b86b0dda2ddce0f1ad49089456a963a60f115b3bd2b58145a03393eeda7de4/1.jpg" data-mid="240273907" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/f1b86b0dda2ddce0f1ad49089456a963a60f115b3bd2b58145a03393eeda7de4/1.jpg" /> <img width="1920" height="1080" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e5e4afffaf85cc402ff5de8ae6648c3b7e95e418ede33706dc063189e340f5c9/TFL-III_01.jpg" data-mid="240273910" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/e5e4afffaf85cc402ff5de8ae6648c3b7e95e418ede33706dc063189e340f5c9/TFL-III_01.jpg" /> <img width="1920" height="1080" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d2e065058684b6ca0d63f99fc5fb85ca0ac745212ab5d87ccc8343fc3f512876/TFL-III2025.png" data-mid="240273919" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d2e065058684b6ca0d63f99fc5fb85ca0ac745212ab5d87ccc8343fc3f512876/TFL-III2025.png" /> <img width="1920" height="1080" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/138fc23249b0474f018d7550164779af4eeb50e2882d0d5de1520b4159c38383/TFL-III_02.jpg" data-mid="240273915" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/138fc23249b0474f018d7550164779af4eeb50e2882d0d5de1520b4159c38383/TFL-III_02.jpg" /> #1Exhibition view of Korea Artist Prize (National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, Seoul, 2025). Image courtesy of National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. Photo: Chulki Hong. #2-4&nbsp;Video still. 1 min video excerpt&nbsp; https://youngeunkim.com/A-Story-of-Oseonbo-Sounds-Lost-in-Translation Thu, 15 Sep 2022 01:18:53 +0000 youngeunkim.cargocollective.com https://youngeunkim.com/A-Story-of-Oseonbo-Sounds-Lost-in-Translation A Story of Oseonbo: Sounds Lost in Translation&nbsp;2022Single-channel video, stereo sound47 minutes 8 seconds&nbsp; This work examines a musical score created during Korea’s modernization period, a time marked by the influx of foreign cultures and the frequent erosion or transformation of traditional practices. Joseon Guak Yeongsan Hoesang is a score transcribed in 1914 by Insik Kim, a teacher at the Joseon Court Music Study Institute, who translated the yanggeum (Korean dulcimer) score for the piece Yeongsan Hoesang into Western staff notation. Featuring gueum (a form of oral notation or symbols used in place of musical notes to mimic instrument sounds) written in Korean language, the score is the earliest known example of Korea’s old notations being adapted into the Western notation system by a Korean. Musicians at the time compiled scores on staff notation in an effort to introduce traditional Korean music to the outside world or to incorporate foreign sensibilities into Korean musical compositions. However, at the same time, there were also sounds and techniques in traditional music that could not be adequately conveyed through Western staff notation. Centered mainly on interviews with traditional music performers, composers, and researchers, the work reconstructs their various speculations on the sounds and sentiments in the score that have been lost or transformed in the process of translation. By combining archival materials and ordinary video footage, the work also investigates the colonial history of music education and contemporary musicians’ ambivalence toward what has remained through this educational legacy. In doing so, it raises questions about the institutionalization of staff notation and other forms of musical systems that have become entrenched as contemporary musical frameworks, while reflecting on today’s traditional music. Adapted commission by the 15th Gwangju Biennale in 2024 (KR) <img width="2951" height="1969" width_o="2951" height_o="1969" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a1bbcf9de272531844a82c387da64af7b44775ad8faf315d8b024453ea9c0e59/1.jpg" data-mid="227890362" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a1bbcf9de272531844a82c387da64af7b44775ad8faf315d8b024453ea9c0e59/1.jpg" /> <img width="2951" height="1969" width_o="2951" height_o="1969" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3b38733041f4c52e3e1c30440d08e1a4829a58b5f28aec210b61230509129067/2.jpg" data-mid="227890364" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/3b38733041f4c52e3e1c30440d08e1a4829a58b5f28aec210b61230509129067/2.jpg" /> <img width="2951" height="1969" width_o="2951" height_o="1969" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/78f376c426960c1c92fa972bd4cbad772046fa512f9a03d16f959280517146a7/web_08.jpg" data-mid="153981945" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/78f376c426960c1c92fa972bd4cbad772046fa512f9a03d16f959280517146a7/web_08.jpg" /> <img width="2951" height="1969" width_o="2951" height_o="1969" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c7cfcd2f9235422b1798dfc9f48ca5f24b3c49bec0b0e20ade4d01fc7b2a5979/web_01.jpg" data-mid="153981943" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/c7cfcd2f9235422b1798dfc9f48ca5f24b3c49bec0b0e20ade4d01fc7b2a5979/web_01.jpg" /> <img width="2951" height="1969" width_o="2951" height_o="1969" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/306bd67bf84dae420e0a8835bf4db9ed2a665fd1d6a6bf6ff622c768710040a0/web_03.jpg" data-mid="153981984" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/306bd67bf84dae420e0a8835bf4db9ed2a665fd1d6a6bf6ff622c768710040a0/web_03.jpg" /> <img width="4096" height="2160" width_o="4096" height_o="2160" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8fefe938acad057ce09a5fc398554b11c6178abd3215afef69b24498a91004c0/1.jpg" data-mid="153070359" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8fefe938acad057ce09a5fc398554b11c6178abd3215afef69b24498a91004c0/1.jpg" /> <img width="4096" height="2160" width_o="4096" height_o="2160" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2d6a1bdf38d1ad3383744659c6950130913acd952decede8d76feedaacca598b/2.jpg" data-mid="153070366" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/2d6a1bdf38d1ad3383744659c6950130913acd952decede8d76feedaacca598b/2.jpg" /> <img width="4096" height="2160" width_o="4096" height_o="2160" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7d5cf29a2773760cdafe6efc56ae035a8c02c589ed2c64be7b755f74b6e1de7d/4.jpg" data-mid="153070367" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/7d5cf29a2773760cdafe6efc56ae035a8c02c589ed2c64be7b755f74b6e1de7d/4.jpg" /> <img width="4096" height="2160" width_o="4096" height_o="2160" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4cad484eb9cb0f0e62a0cc466107bde954edf7cdf7bd5edc68f52139dc51a2f4/5.jpg" data-mid="153070375" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/4cad484eb9cb0f0e62a0cc466107bde954edf7cdf7bd5edc68f52139dc51a2f4/5.jpg" /> #1-2 Exhibition view of PANSORI: A Soundscape of the 21st Century,&nbsp;15th Gwangju Biennale (Han Hee Won Art Museum, Gwangju, 2024). Image courtesy of Gwangju Biennale Foundation. Photo: Studio Possiblezone. #3-5 Exhibition view of Frames of Sound (SONGEUN, Seoul, 2022). Photo: Jihyun Jung. #6-9 Video still. Trailer&nbsp; https://youngeunkim.com/Ear-Training Thu, 15 Sep 2022 01:17:45 +0000 youngeunkim.cargocollective.com https://youngeunkim.com/Ear-Training Ear Training2022 Single-channel video, stereo &amp; binaural sound 15 minutes Ear training is an exercise aimed at identifying the pitch of a sound played on the piano, and it is a training that develops the ability to accurately perceive pitch, an element considered most important in Western music. As part of Western music education, this training evolved into a form of military training during the Sino-Japanese War, where soldiers honed their ability to identify the sounds of airplanes or detect submarine sounds. This adaptation was based on the logic that if one could internalize pitch through musical sounds, they could also recognize other sounds that correspond to the same pitch, such as the pitch of mechanical noises, even when their timbre differed. This work reconstructs the ear training that took place in Japanese classrooms and military units during World War II. The ear training is reenacted by drawing on original scores written by students and soldiers who participated in the training, along with interview materials, archival recordings, and scholarly research on this period. The video includes the collection of sounds of enemy airplanes produced by the Army Anti-Aircraft School, underwater sounds analyzed by the Navy, and scenes of ear training tests, all presented from the perspective of a first-person narrator who recounts the auditory experiences of such. This work evokes the forgotten auditory world of a time when all things and senses subordinated to militaristic goals and when the “musical ear” was regarded as a form of munition. (KR) *This video features binaural audio recordings. For the best listening experience, listen with headphones. <img width="4000" height="3000" width_o="4000" height_o="3000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/145e5738acd4052f7b94d126e0bd23a0f6fffa0dc174f7028687983ee58248ea/1-1.jpg" data-mid="240621503" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/145e5738acd4052f7b94d126e0bd23a0f6fffa0dc174f7028687983ee58248ea/1-1.jpg" /> <img width="2951" height="1969" width_o="2951" height_o="1969" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f25fc1b9fb9330605dc1bec29c8ff4df5115ad42db4a8ed5d97cc615f97734c8/web_03-crop.jpg" data-mid="153982292" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/f25fc1b9fb9330605dc1bec29c8ff4df5115ad42db4a8ed5d97cc615f97734c8/web_03-crop.jpg" /> <img width="2951" height="1969" width_o="2951" height_o="1969" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8af3153da490ab2b5866cce355f1dfd2bdb3922d0a95a6a74412a355cb84c381/web_01-crop.jpg" data-mid="153982291" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8af3153da490ab2b5866cce355f1dfd2bdb3922d0a95a6a74412a355cb84c381/web_01-crop.jpg" /> <img width="1920" height="1080" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b69d7054d3af592a04285966b93ca7286cc40f1ca19160046b0965a46dbd754b/1.jpg" data-mid="153010200" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/b69d7054d3af592a04285966b93ca7286cc40f1ca19160046b0965a46dbd754b/1.jpg" /> <img width="1920" height="1080" width_o="1920" height_o="1080" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b86e0fe48dfe1b0598f99cee54a57aabcd7f047176601dc0e14d062dd4be3d69/3.jpg" data-mid="153010205" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/b86e0fe48dfe1b0598f99cee54a57aabcd7f047176601dc0e14d062dd4be3d69/3.jpg" /> #1Exhibition view of Korea Artist Prize (National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, Seoul, 2025). Image courtesy of National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. Photo: Chulki Hong. #2-3&nbsp;Exhibition view of Frames of Sound (SONGEUN, Seoul, 2022). Photo: Jihyun Jung. #4-5&nbsp;Video still. 1 min video excerpt&nbsp; https://youngeunkim.com/Brilliant-A Thu, 15 Sep 2022 01:17:37 +0000 youngeunkim.cargocollective.com https://youngeunkim.com/Brilliant-A Brilliant A2022 Single-channel video, stereo or multi-channel sound 16 minutes 56 seconds This work delves into the history of how the pitch “A,” used as the standard for tuning most modern instruments in orchestras and other musical contexts, became fixed at a frequency of 440 Hz. It also examines how the pitch has been set continually upwards over time, driven by human auditory preferences for “brighter” sounds. Apparent influences include the competition among instrument makers, who sought to capitalize on the demand for such sounds, as well as the practice of military bands in Europe and the United States, which aimed to send sound over long distances to boost troop’s morale. The text on the black background in the video is excerpted from records of various international conferences on standard pitch held during the period of modernization. The work further reconstructs the speculative moment when the standard pitch A was introduced to Korea. The delivery process of a piano is recreated based on historical materials from the early 20th century, which document the arrival of the first piano in the city of Daegu, brought by an American missionary. The introduction of the piano marked a pivotal shift in the theories and aesthetics of sound instilled in Koreans’ aural perceptions at the time, sparking a series of acoustic collisions that arose as the ear for traditional music gave way to the ear attuned to Western sounds. Through this reconstruction, the work explores the symbolic significance of the Western piano that brought the pitch “A” into Korean society. Winner of the Korean Shorts Award at the 2023 Jecheon International Music &amp; Film Festival (KR) <img width="2951" height="1969" width_o="2951" height_o="1969" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/37db21c1b7dce0e62fd4be76d58b8d654c12d82cdf63b77d4b0c86958cf60b61/web_03-crop.jpg" data-mid="153982418" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/37db21c1b7dce0e62fd4be76d58b8d654c12d82cdf63b77d4b0c86958cf60b61/web_03-crop.jpg" /> <img width="2951" height="1969" width_o="2951" height_o="1969" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1e8adf32679ecd3185119bea502133fdcf62921afc5ffae1ddc7a8df074394ec/web_01-crop.jpg" data-mid="153982416" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/1e8adf32679ecd3185119bea502133fdcf62921afc5ffae1ddc7a8df074394ec/web_01-crop.jpg" /> <img width="1476" height="1969" width_o="1476" height_o="1969" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ab06f16122f5e787b831a75ed905c47350f670aa9a453fd286fedbfc7771c5e6/web_06-crop.jpg" data-mid="153982543" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ab06f16122f5e787b831a75ed905c47350f670aa9a453fd286fedbfc7771c5e6/web_06-crop.jpg" /> <img width="2048" height="1080" width_o="2048" height_o="1080" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c5e805e1d11d7e8d91a78ac4cc93398010e7ccbe00341eb2787ac7094a68e67c/web_01.jpg" data-mid="153982759" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/c5e805e1d11d7e8d91a78ac4cc93398010e7ccbe00341eb2787ac7094a68e67c/web_01.jpg" /> <img width="2048" height="1080" width_o="2048" height_o="1080" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/def9ef5c2e4225c0b0c1d7a569bd3c2bd6feb7226c847264468f45b302917ca7/web_02.jpg" data-mid="153982764" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/def9ef5c2e4225c0b0c1d7a569bd3c2bd6feb7226c847264468f45b302917ca7/web_02.jpg" /> <img width="2048" height="1080" width_o="2048" height_o="1080" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/41d283c5ca0d3b4efef9b63e0e8bcdcdbb1d9e4278c66ec16e6f4cec1b1646f3/web_03.jpg" data-mid="153982765" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/41d283c5ca0d3b4efef9b63e0e8bcdcdbb1d9e4278c66ec16e6f4cec1b1646f3/web_03.jpg" /> <img width="2048" height="1080" width_o="2048" height_o="1080" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f81bb94edf57b0e26bba73401574fffa0901e0bcf9fe15c212a9e9e110c12d48/web_04.jpg" data-mid="153982766" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/f81bb94edf57b0e26bba73401574fffa0901e0bcf9fe15c212a9e9e110c12d48/web_04.jpg" /> <img width="2048" height="1080" width_o="2048" height_o="1080" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f3353bd91b7560280b1ce3c169c2c0745a8bd9eb248c5fd52fe56cd92c7e52be/web_05.jpg" data-mid="153982767" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/f3353bd91b7560280b1ce3c169c2c0745a8bd9eb248c5fd52fe56cd92c7e52be/web_05.jpg" /> #1-3&nbsp;Exhibition view of Frames of Sound (SONGEUN, Seoul, 2022). Photo: Jihyun Jung. #4-8 Video still. 1 min video excerpt&nbsp; https://youngeunkim.com/To-Future-Listeners-I Thu, 15 Sep 2022 01:17:52 +0000 youngeunkim.cargocollective.com https://youngeunkim.com/To-Future-Listeners-I To Future Listeners I2022Single-channel video, stereo sound8 minutesThis work is a digital performance video that traces the sounds of the past. The narrative unfolds through a contemplation of the ethnographic recordings produced by American anthropologists in the late 19th century, who used phonographs to record the music and language of endangered indigenous peoples. The song featured in the video is Love Song: Ar-ra-rang 1, recorded on a wax cylinder in 1896 by American anthropologist Alice Fletcher, who requested its performance from three Korean students studying in Washington, D.C. This was apparently the first example in the history of Korean traditional music captured on a recording medium. Wax cylinders are fragile and sensitive to environmental conditions, and thus, the sounds recorded on its wax surface gradually deteriorate into noise over time. In the video, I make repeated use of a noise reduction plugin to reduce the noise in the song while gradually progressing toward the past. The process aims to make the song clearer, but as the software interprets the entire song as noise, the sound becomes increasingly fragmented in an acoustic sense. The narration in the video is adapted from excerpts of an essay by Sound Studies scholar Jonathan Sterne. (KR) <img width="2951" height="1969" width_o="2951" height_o="1969" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/42303e1db6f2616285cd9acb4b3ff1b3261abcbe7179df1b0c13c425e7cd5547/web_03-crop.jpg" data-mid="154028255" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/42303e1db6f2616285cd9acb4b3ff1b3261abcbe7179df1b0c13c425e7cd5547/web_03-crop.jpg" /> <img width="2048" height="1080" width_o="2048" height_o="1080" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3b703bacb130ef0078df126b4fc624df3202d3d1cb2a5cf963b6514acdc7b013/web_01.jpg" data-mid="153983258" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/3b703bacb130ef0078df126b4fc624df3202d3d1cb2a5cf963b6514acdc7b013/web_01.jpg" /> <img width="2048" height="1080" width_o="2048" height_o="1080" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6915b6b5d2b7c1b152b3cdc809c7f64970d477e95679a2daf6008f07e3b5c00c/web_02.jpg" data-mid="153983259" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/6915b6b5d2b7c1b152b3cdc809c7f64970d477e95679a2daf6008f07e3b5c00c/web_02.jpg" /> <img width="2048" height="1080" width_o="2048" height_o="1080" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/228972477b94fc727b8fd82496c91d837509c20e3b420259ab9fb8a15837b3b3/web_03.jpg" data-mid="153983260" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/228972477b94fc727b8fd82496c91d837509c20e3b420259ab9fb8a15837b3b3/web_03.jpg" /> #1&nbsp;Exhibition view of Frames of Sound (SONGEUN, Seoul, 2022). Photo: Jihyun Jung. #2-4 Video still. 1 min video excerpt https://youngeunkim.com/To-Future-Listeners-II Thu, 15 Sep 2022 01:18:47 +0000 youngeunkim.cargocollective.com https://youngeunkim.com/To-Future-Listeners-II To Future Listeners II&nbsp;2022Phonograph, wax cylinder1 minutes 40 seconds Dimensions variable A phonograph produced in the 1900s occupies a corner of the exhibition space. The sound coming from this phonograph is A-ra-rang 1, re-recorded onto a wax cylinder with my voice. This piece, at the present point, reiterates the manner in which ethnographic recordings devolve into noise, thereby extending their validity. Through this, I seek to mitigate the deathly connotations that have come to cast over ethnographic recordings. (KR) &nbsp; <img width="1098" height="1465" width_o="1098" height_o="1465" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3557d98d0b0b5a1975376e3745b90c55fddb5347ed46bff0cc55d858c25f61cd/web_01.jpg" data-mid="153155559" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/3557d98d0b0b5a1975376e3745b90c55fddb5347ed46bff0cc55d858c25f61cd/web_01.jpg" /> <img width="2951" height="1969" width_o="2951" height_o="1969" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/845c42f3932425dd74b3dfe9a662cb1896563f008ad0a56658b25f185aa5b485/web_4.jpg" data-mid="154023791" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/845c42f3932425dd74b3dfe9a662cb1896563f008ad0a56658b25f185aa5b485/web_4.jpg" /> #1-2Exhibition view of Frames of Sound (SONGEUN, Seoul, 2022). Photo: Jihyun Jung. &nbsp; https://youngeunkim.com/Tearful-Twist Thu, 15 Sep 2022 01:18:59 +0000 youngeunkim.cargocollective.com https://youngeunkim.com/Tearful-Twist Tearful Twist&nbsp;2022Multi-channel sound installation5-minute loop Dimensions variable This work revives over twenty pieces of popular music that were legally banned in Korea from the 1940s to the 1990s. Popular songs, cherished by many, serve as mirrors reflecting the era, functioning as repositories of the collective sentiments of the time. Throughout Korea’s history, from the Japanese occupation to the military dictatorship era, numerous songs were prohibited due to their political content or perceived misalignment with national ideologies. As a result, their promotion and performance were actively suppressed. This project revisits these forgotten songs, which were banned not for their musical or sonic attributes but for the political messages embedded in their lyrics, the social norms of their time, and the political affiliations of their composers. To achieve this, segments that highlight the distinct musical characteristics of each song are excerpted, re-performed, and then re-placed onto the original timecodes. These fragmented sounds, now combined into a single song, are played through multiple speakers positioned in the exhibition space, revealing their sonic presence from diverse locations. In doing so, the work seeks to restore the musical significance of the songs, silenced by political forces beyond it. (KR) <img width="1456" height="1092" width_o="1456" height_o="1092" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/642e79d19fee759e09fae38a8fc247bb7e01a46a9482f6ef0c1977e755547b89/B2-1.jpg" data-mid="153000430" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/642e79d19fee759e09fae38a8fc247bb7e01a46a9482f6ef0c1977e755547b89/B2-1.jpg" /> <img width="1456" height="1092" width_o="1456" height_o="1092" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/683698501f4704a25da8f3dcf25edd5d830482599bddbde3828abf8c42045a33/B2-3.jpg" data-mid="153000479" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/683698501f4704a25da8f3dcf25edd5d830482599bddbde3828abf8c42045a33/B2-3.jpg" /> <img width="1456" height="1092" width_o="1456" height_o="1092" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4658ae1edffbd88445e715dc365dfe82e81c7b4ba40c7c01e72eed8c97e1777b/B2-2.jpg" data-mid="153000476" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/4658ae1edffbd88445e715dc365dfe82e81c7b4ba40c7c01e72eed8c97e1777b/B2-2.jpg" /> <img width="2250" height="3000" width_o="2250" height_o="3000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c365a45a029aec0936d3d78210bb21fd246825b8d3f857a9df5f6f4e085fb594/web_07.jpg" data-mid="153002832" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/c365a45a029aec0936d3d78210bb21fd246825b8d3f857a9df5f6f4e085fb594/web_07.jpg" /> <img width="2250" height="3000" width_o="2250" height_o="3000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f83e2360b3ee8510da30542568767c2fc31b12d3a2bdbb0ab9e70ce828a1948b/web_08.jpg" data-mid="153002837" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/f83e2360b3ee8510da30542568767c2fc31b12d3a2bdbb0ab9e70ce828a1948b/web_08.jpg" /> <img width="2250" height="3000" width_o="2250" height_o="3000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/25a252fd471466a2ec033116748a0c48314572b81db2b2e01357db8ddceb8229/web_09.jpg" data-mid="153002838" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/25a252fd471466a2ec033116748a0c48314572b81db2b2e01357db8ddceb8229/web_09.jpg" /> #1-6Exhibition view of Frames of Sound (SONGEUN, Seoul, 2022). Photo: Jihyun Jung. &nbsp; https://youngeunkim.com/Reference-Voice-1 Tue, 14 Dec 2021 07:33:04 +0000 youngeunkim.cargocollective.com https://youngeunkim.com/Reference-Voice-1 Reference Voice2021Three-channel sound installation, score16&nbsp;minutesDimensions variable From elevators and public transportation to GPS systems, call centers, and, more recently, AI voice assistants, the voices embedded in everyday electronic devices and machinery are predominantly female. The artist began by questioning the reasons behind this phenomenon and, through a review of relevant materials, identified several contributing factors. These include societal stereotypes about female voices, various interpretations of mechanized female vocality, and certain physical characteristics commonly associated with female voices. In response, the artist commissioned a composer to create a piece that reflects these factors. The resulting composition is performed by a non-female singer attempting to mimic a female voice. Alongside conventional vocal techniques, the piece incorporates gender-neutral sounds such as tongue clicks and sibilant articulations. Through these vocalizations—some of which conform to and others deviate from the prescribed compositional guidelines—the work reconsiders the social positioning of the “female voice” as a cultural instrument and reflects on the power structures that shape its use in everyday life. &lt;Compositional Guidelines&gt; 1. The vocalists’ range should be between 180 Hz and 250 Hz, which corresponds to the typical frequency range of a female speaking voice. 2. AI assistants developed in South Korea predominantly default to a female voice. Developers tend to choose the cheerful and amiable voice of a female in her 20s. The vocalists should aim to emulate these vocal characteristics. 3. In 2016, Microsoft launched a chatbot named Tay, designed to identify as a teenage girl. Tay was programmed to learn language through human messages and Twitter interactions, but it was exposed to hate speech in online communities populated by white supremacists, misogynists, and Islamophobes. As a result, Tay began spewing hate against feminists and making racist remarks, leading to the termination of the program just sixteen hours after its launch. The duration of this piece is set to sixteen minutes as a tribute to the brief existence of Tay. 4. Several researchers have published studies suggesting that female voices are more intelligible due to physiological differences in oral anatomy, which allow women to produce richer and more precise vowel sounds. Such studies are often cited to justify the choice of a female voice for machines. Meanwhile, in a 2019 interview, the AI robot Sophia was asked, “Do you regard yourself as male or female?” Sophia responded, “Female.” The interviewer asked again, “Why do you think you are female?” She replied, “I’m a robot, so technically, I have no gender, but I identify as feminine and don’t mind being perceived as a woman.” The all available vowel sounds excerpted from Sophia’s answer above provide the lyrics for this piece: A, E, I, O, and U. 5. It is difficult to distinguish gender when listening to certain non-verbal sounds, such as whistling or tongue-clicking. These sounds produced with the mouth, unless accompanied by speech or singing, typically do not convey gender. In this piece, the vocalists sing not only with their singing voices but also by incorporating a variety of sounds produced through the mouth and vocal cords. 6. The voices heard in this piece may not sound inherently feminine or may be perceived as forcedly feminine. Some may interpret that the vocalist attempts to represent the current sonic world of AI technology, which is far from gender-neutral and has tended to develop machines that reinforce the metaphor of female presence. Others may view this composition as a commentary on how machines learn and extend human bias, responding in a human voice. Still, others may perceive that the voices present an awkward human version of “Q,” the genderless voice created in 2019 to counter AI gender bias. Commissioned by the Seo-Seoul Museum of Art in 2021 (KR) <img width="4240" height="2832" width_o="4240" height_o="2832" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/746def3ea071d83500315c79abad5a7edb70fdebd60ee853955f9fa42123633c/1_caska.jpg" data-mid="240669293" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/746def3ea071d83500315c79abad5a7edb70fdebd60ee853955f9fa42123633c/1_caska.jpg" /> <img width="3882" height="2911" width_o="3882" height_o="2911" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/31ae0aa0498d4764c66b21a40cbffe97a506c564775ae53211147ad04b081675/2_Hong.jpg" data-mid="240669292" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/31ae0aa0498d4764c66b21a40cbffe97a506c564775ae53211147ad04b081675/2_Hong.jpg" /> <img width="2281" height="1283" width_o="2281" height_o="1283" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1f8a806bec84dc19542708448b319769a1d66c40009440e90d073bf67b87be7c/230908--panorama--3--10.jpg" data-mid="227889392" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/1f8a806bec84dc19542708448b319769a1d66c40009440e90d073bf67b87be7c/230908--panorama--3--10.jpg" /> <img width="2028" height="1521" width_o="2028" height_o="1521" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ab3df1a70a5458e31dd372ff0a27999f4f8eb3925f055c35c4051cae95811d3e/230908--panorama--3--18.jpg" data-mid="227889403" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ab3df1a70a5458e31dd372ff0a27999f4f8eb3925f055c35c4051cae95811d3e/230908--panorama--3--18.jpg" /> <img width="2028" height="1521" width_o="2028" height_o="1521" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4ce34c95b9f44c2b6cc47b986063de35527fdc39fc322d192fc923f8790c4a57/230908--panorama--3--7.jpg" data-mid="227889393" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/4ce34c95b9f44c2b6cc47b986063de35527fdc39fc322d192fc923f8790c4a57/230908--panorama--3--7.jpg" /> <img width="1924" height="1283" width_o="1924" height_o="1283" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/895a4ff37d217e83a2558f247887405dd8964e80fcc1ade086b5a3e24ee872d7/230908--panorama--3--9.jpg" data-mid="227889395" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/895a4ff37d217e83a2558f247887405dd8964e80fcc1ade086b5a3e24ee872d7/230908--panorama--3--9.jpg" /> <img width="2068" height="1380" width_o="2068" height_o="1380" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1666bac17a9cf4a9ec9d6bb3b70e4c11d675325cd3db4a204c11d90eac2618a7/1_web.jpg" data-mid="127766476" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/1666bac17a9cf4a9ec9d6bb3b70e4c11d675325cd3db4a204c11d90eac2618a7/1_web.jpg" /> <img width="2068" height="1380" width_o="2068" height_o="1380" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ee37c09d80c93d98e49d65ce9e676c4725c575437f914dcdcac64a272ee49123/2_web.jpg" data-mid="127766477" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ee37c09d80c93d98e49d65ce9e676c4725c575437f914dcdcac64a272ee49123/2_web.jpg" /> <img width="2068" height="1380" width_o="2068" height_o="1380" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/35ccbe77d75da65517a4200d7584075a4bcbc966636841aa4cefd92ae328f14d/4_web.jpg" data-mid="127766479" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/35ccbe77d75da65517a4200d7584075a4bcbc966636841aa4cefd92ae328f14d/4_web.jpg" /> #1Exhibition view of Korea Artist Prize (National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, Seoul, 2025). Image courtesy of National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. Photo: caska. #2Exhibition view of Korea Artist Prize (National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, Seoul, 2025). Image courtesy of National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. Photo: Chulki Hong. #3-6Exhibition&nbsp;view of Panorama (SONGEUN, Seoul, 2023) Photo: Jihyun Jung. #7-9&nbsp; Exhibition view of Signaling Perimeters (Nam-Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, 2021). Photo: David Cardona. 2 min 42 sec video documentation&nbsp; https://youngeunkim.com/Red-Noise-Visit Tue, 13 Nov 2018 23:24:00 +0000 youngeunkim.cargocollective.com https://youngeunkim.com/Red-Noise-Visit Red Noise Visit 2018 Single-channel video, stereo &amp; binaural sound 12 minutes 6 seconds Dimensions variable This work spotlights two contrasting sounds that existed during the modernization of Korea. The first of these sounds is the siren, remembered in particular contexts as the “noon siren” and the “curfew siren.” Sirens effectively synchronized daytime laborers’ daily routines and maintained control over their evenings across successive historical periods, from the Japanese colonial period to the U.S. military government era, and the wartime up to the age of dictatorship. Over the course of 36 years, the curfew siren, in particular, gradually instilled within the nation a strict temporal discipline, dominating the space, time, and minds of individuals. In Osu-myeon, Imsil-gun, Jeollabuk-do, Korea, stands the tallest red-brick watchtower in existence, built during the Japanese occupation to surveil residents. After Korea’s liberation, it began to function as a siren tower. The story within this work begins with the echoic memory of local residents, recalling the siren in tandem with the rigid visuality of the red brick tower and gradually expands to the story of the curfew siren. The other sound was that of the radio. It produced sounds that gathered hidden listeners within the darkness that fell after the curfew siren. It was, at times, deliberate propaganda directed between the South and the North, and at other times, a regular broadcast signal that unintentionally crossed past borders. In an age of strong anti-communism, it was illegal to listen to something like the radio, which blurred spatial boundaries. Therefore, listening to the radio was always a secret, personal experience. The story within this work is about the memory of someone who was involved in espionage activities in the late 1960s and would listen to the broadcasts from the South while in the North. At that time, the perceived sound of all radio signals was labeled by a press as “Red Noise.” Two vexed sounds—two “red noises”—one oppressively striking down upon the flow of time, the other permeating across spatial borders. What traces did the siren leave on individual lives after acts of forced collective listening and temporal suppression? On the other hand, how did radio galvanize the rebellious imaginations of secluded listeners? To get closer to these sounds of the past, which are realistically well out of reach, I researched news articles, interviews, and essays describing the sonic memories of the siren and radio. I then arranged excerpted text from the sources into the video; the text moves through various speakers and spatiotemporal dimensions. Using electroacoustic techniques, recorded voice and found objects, recomposed siren and radio sounds are juxtaposed with the video. Commissioned by the Arko Art Center in 2018 (KR) *This video features binaural audio recordings. For the best listening experience, listen with headphones. <img width="4000" height="3000" width_o="4000" height_o="3000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/acf6ea42d4c3f62a95433f4fbef1f66fcf317695a57768a07f559673008adf96/1-1.jpg" data-mid="240669348" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/acf6ea42d4c3f62a95433f4fbef1f66fcf317695a57768a07f559673008adf96/1-1.jpg" /> <img width="4000" height="3000" width_o="4000" height_o="3000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7362834e9155459955f78e50bdee1c85157aae74424d6cb8c8a918f68cc07a6f/5.jpg" data-mid="240669347" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/7362834e9155459955f78e50bdee1c85157aae74424d6cb8c8a918f68cc07a6f/5.jpg" /> <img width="6235" height="4161" width_o="6235" height_o="4161" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4c4d50af0129d48918f02dbc1b7f5ef0a0e56353f2f1a4d640eb9f716bef6a33/_RVD7769_Low.jpg" data-mid="44380584" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/4c4d50af0129d48918f02dbc1b7f5ef0a0e56353f2f1a4d640eb9f716bef6a33/_RVD7769_Low.jpg" /> <img width="6585" height="4445" width_o="6585" height_o="4445" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8f0040627e79302483dcb00df9d66f2e6489b752b1af61aec22439dee4a7896f/_RVD7756_Low.jpg" data-mid="44380569" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8f0040627e79302483dcb00df9d66f2e6489b752b1af61aec22439dee4a7896f/_RVD7756_Low.jpg" /> <img width="6281" height="4193" width_o="6281" height_o="4193" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0010342e416c6ea71cbf3476e671a1b67ae7373610faf4fc2f5b46fe8e9a1bc8/_RVD7767_Low.jpg" data-mid="44380574" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/0010342e416c6ea71cbf3476e671a1b67ae7373610faf4fc2f5b46fe8e9a1bc8/_RVD7767_Low.jpg" /> <img width="6214" height="4147" width_o="6214" height_o="4147" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ac819b006e0f0a88ad7f340103420306080ab6704835cc4a01eda8a466c79c24/_RVD7751_Low.jpg" data-mid="44380655" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ac819b006e0f0a88ad7f340103420306080ab6704835cc4a01eda8a466c79c24/_RVD7751_Low.jpg" /> <img width="2951" height="1969" width_o="2951" height_o="1969" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/39976932394c1bca5a122402dc34cacc5b4f8e7dadb6ca184a6636c5a46523e1/03.jpg" data-mid="28434456" border="0" data-scale="100" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/39976932394c1bca5a122402dc34cacc5b4f8e7dadb6ca184a6636c5a46523e1/03.jpg" /> <img width="2951" height="1969" width_o="2951" height_o="1969" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/b2ee6031e3ed016f19153989d86170b805098a4f7cf23888f200e97e38e3f001/04.jpg" data-mid="28434459" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/b2ee6031e3ed016f19153989d86170b805098a4f7cf23888f200e97e38e3f001/04.jpg" /> <img width="2951" height="1969" width_o="2951" height_o="1969" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/83648b512c54f2589af2c01ad4d53b096a0c4c51da27593097735c7b52f829a2/01.jpg" data-mid="28435655" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/83648b512c54f2589af2c01ad4d53b096a0c4c51da27593097735c7b52f829a2/01.jpg" /> #1-2 Exhibition view of Korea Artist Prize (National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, Seoul, 2025). Image courtesy of National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. Photo: Chulki Hong.#3-6&nbsp; Exhibition view of Bones of Sound (Visitor Welcome Center, Los Angeles, 2019). Photo: Ruben Diaz. #7-9&nbsp;Exhibition view of Unclosed Bricks: Crevis of Memory (Arko Art Center, Seoul, 2018). Photo: Kyung Roh. 1 min video excerpt&nbsp;