Thank you so much for being here. My 20th newsletter is the last one for 2023.
I know there’s still just under two weeks left of the year, but I can’t help but feel that most of us are ready for the year to end. There’s something about this time of the year where I feel like I can give myself permission to step away from work, to not be online and to even be lazy. Maybe lazy isn’t the right word, but whatever the opposite of being productive is, I’m giving myself permission to indulge in it.
For my final newsletter of 2024, I want to share with you a project dear to me. This is a project I first dreamed of in 2018 on a road trip in South Korea.
We went to Sokcho so we could climb Seoraksan, but before that, we found this little island called Abai Village.
My dad found out this village was home to few hundred remaining displaced people who had fled from the north during the Korean War. Thousands of displaced people decided to temporarily settle here because it was close to the border. They believed they would be able to go back home once the war ended. However, as we all know, the war never ended. Instead, 70 years ago, an armistice agreement was signed and the 38th parallel was drawn and an official border separated the north and south. Thousands of people could never go back home and unable to see their family or friends ever again. Aside from the casualties and destruction the Korean War brought to this small peninsula, thousands of people were separated from their home and family forever.
I lost my grandfather in 2014 and my greatest regret was not recording and listening to more of his stories. I knew I wanted to pursue stories related to this generation of people. The only people alive who knew of a undivided country. I bought tickets to go to Korea for March 2020. Since that was not possible, I decided I would go in the fall of 2022. That didn’t happen since my son was born, so I finally went this past May and the timing couldn’t have been better.
Thanks to the support of IWMF Fund for Women Journalists grant, Washington Post photo editor Olivier Laurent for believing in this story. The interviews and words were written by Michelle Lee with support from Minjoo Kim. The design by Yutao Chen.
I’ve included the link below. You don’t have to a subscription to view the article. You can sign up for a free Washington Post account and you’ll still have access to the article.
Thank you for spending time with this work. Their stories are just the few among the hundreds of displaced people living in South Korea who long to go back home.
What else….
This year was tough. It was my first year freelancing full-time while also being a mom. Navigating the world of raising a baby who turned into a toddler this year has been more demanding than I ever anticipated. My brain felt scattered. I can’t recall too much from this year except for when I look at photos. I had to schedule meetings, assignments in between naps and nursing sessions.
This was also the year I was able to meet my goal of working on an international project in Korea. I’ve been dreaming of ideas since 2017. Even though this has been a financially tough year, as it has been for many of us photographers, it has been a year of many firsts and new opportunities. I was part of a group exhibition at the Grounds for Sculpture featuring the South Asian community of New Jersey. I went to Seoul twice in a year. I received two grants. I went to Utah for an assignment specifically because I had experience in the topic. A photo of mine was published in a book! And I’m an NPPA mentor to a student thanks to Alisha Jucevic
Personally, a lot of big and small things happened that have shaped me into where I am today and how I will walk into 2024. I became an aunt to a cute niece. I had minor surgery for a health condition I’ve had since I was 4 years old. I stopped therapy. Deepened some friendships while others quietly disappeared from my life. I still can’t read as much as I used to. Attended two weddings of childhood friends. Witnessed my parents ease into their identities as grandparents. Found ways to connect with my husband now that we are parents. A lot of changes, most of it I’ve embraced.
Published Work…
I spent a day in Scranton, PA to meet with some folks connected to the Scranton Times newspaper. Sadly, this is another local paper bought out by by MediaNews Group (MNG), a cost-cutting newspaper chain owned by hedge fund Alden Global Capital. Erik Wemple from the Washington Post writes about this sad situation that is happening in many newsroom across the country. Photo editing by Chloe Coleman.
I met with a few former New Jersey State Police officers this past summer for a story about how difficult it is for women to be an officer. Only 6% of the officers are women. The women we spoke to said they wouldn’t recommend the job to other women because of the working environment. Before retiring in the last year, the three women joined with a female trooper who is still on the force, Claire Krauchuk, to file a lawsuit that accuses the department of gender bias so entrenched that it often keeps women from being promoted to top command posts. Words by Tracey Tully. Photo editing by Eve Edelheit.
The FDA approved the world’s first Crispr gene-editing drug for sickle-cell disease.
I met Marie Tornyenu at her home in Bethlehem for some photos for the Wall Street Journal. She was one of the lucky ones to go through a clinical trial. Words by Joseph Walker. Photo editing by Chase Gaewski
Links, podcasts, blogs ✨✨✨
New York Times - Americans Love Avocados. It’s Killing Mexico’s Forests
Jackie Molloy’s work on NPR “Fat, happy and healed: A movement toward fat liberation”
The Washington Post - Our best brain tips for a healthier, happier life
The New Yorker - Cute Winter Comics by Joy San
Currently reading Kiley Reid’s new book “Come and Get It” (coming out in January 2024) and it feels like it will be just as messy as her “Such a Fun Age”
Listening to The Daily Stoic - When Weakness Turns Your Ego Up / A Simple Way to Measure Our Days
Grateful for Jenna Park’s honest post about the art and cringe of self-promotion
Relatable piece on why friendship is starting to feel like admin work by Rosie Spinks
This episode of Heavyweight (Loch) was quite entertaining
Thanks for taking the time to read. I’m so grateful to all the support this past year especially as I transitioned into freelancing while parenting. Grateful to the editors and photographers who believein me and my work. I also could not have gone through this year without my family and friends who cheer me on 🙇🏻♀️🥹 See you in the new year!
***Below is bonus content (extra images from my North Korean project) for paid subscribers ✨ Thank you to the few friends and strangers that are paid subscribers!***
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