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Kristina Choe Jacinth is a Los Angeles-based Korean-American portrait and fine art photographer who has started an intriguing photo series project titled Shinbyeong (신병).
Shinbyeong (신병):
Shinbyeong (신병), or “Self-Loss” is a Korean shamanistic tradition of being possessed by a higher power. Characterized by hallucinations and a loss of appetite, the possessed cannot be cured by medicine but by fully embracing that which possesses her.
Shamans in Korea were both male and female, but they were prominently the latter. This series focuses on Korean-American women who identify with both cultures and heritages. The subject sits in a classical, Western-style portrait. Collaged on top of her image are Korean objects, particularly Korean food, which are representative of that side of her cultural upbringing.
Each image is titled with a Confucian proverb. Korea has a rich history attached to various belief systems, including shamanism and Confucianism. Koreans are subconsciously tied to these traditions and ways of being, such as thinking collectively as a society as opposed to thinking with the American “I.” Many superstitions also exists within the Korean culture – an attribute which strongly clashes with the American approach of rationalizing the unknown with logic and reason. These conflicting cultural traits, among many others, are what create shinbyeong for each of my Korean-American subjects.
HalfKorean.com was able to discuss Kristina’s background and her photo project Shinbyeong (신병).
Please note that HalfKorean.com comments/questions are in BOLD.
What is your mix?
I’m half-Korean, half-Caucasian (Swedish, English, Portuguese). My mom is South Korean and came here when she was in her early 20s. My dad is from Michigan and met my mom at his workplace in San Diego.
Where were you born and raised?
I was born and raised in Oceanside, CA, which is a suburban town in North San Diego County. Now I call Los Angeles home after having gone to USC to study classical piano performance.
What is your current occupation?
I teach piano privately (JacinthPianoStudio.com) and shoot fine art/portrait photography. I feel very lucky to do both things for a living!
Do you speak Korean?
I know how to read and write Korean (thanks, mandatory Saturday Korean school) and can understand Korean on a basic level. I’m slow to respond but that’s just because I’m out of practice.
Growing up, what was your “mixed Korean” experience like?
I had trouble making friends both in Korean school and among my mom’s friends’ children who were mostly full-blooded Korean, as well as in “regular” school where there were hardly any Korean or East Asian kids. Kids in the former thought I looked weird and would exclude me, and kids in the latter just didn’t know what to make of me. At “regular” school, I brought gim and rice in my lunchbox and my friends teased me. There came a point when I rejected my home-made Korean lunches and begged for Lunchables just to fit in. Now I eat kimchi every day at any given meal and gag at the thought of processed cheese and crackers. 🙂
Have you been to Korea? If so, when was the last time? If not, do you plan to go soon?
I went to Korea when I was an infant and when I was five in the early 90s. I can hardly remember either experience, but I recall getting free things (like corndogs and little toys) from older Korean people who thought I was cute. I also have a memory of ajummas on a norebang party bus who were drunk from soju. I plan on going back next year with my husband, hopefully to experience another norebang party bus!
“Shinbyeong (신병)” Project:
When did you start it and what made you decide to create the project?
I began Shinbyeong after having nearly completed my first Korean-American-themed photo project, Dirty Laundry. I grew inspired after having read Korean history books in order to gain a deeper understanding of the cultural underpinnings of Korea. As I read about Korea’s deep roots in shamanism and Confucianism, I brainstormed ideas relating to both my own personal connection to the culture (mostly through food) and to things that I wasn’t completely aware of but knew on a subconscious level, such as the underlying senses of groupthink and superstition. Also, Koreans are very dramatic people, but they also adhere to a long tradition of not exactly airing their “dirty laundry” and “keeping face.” These contradictions also contradict American cultural behaviors (such as thinking independently of others and being encouraged to have a unique identity), the sum of which I’ve had to battle all my life.
Is the project something you do by yourself or have any assistance?
This project involves my subjects, who are Korean-American women, and me. After the shoot, which takes about 20 minutes in the subject’s home, I work in my digital dark room, Photoshop, and play around with the collaged objects I’ve photographed, i.e. Korean rice cakes or go-stop cards, which are superimposed and interwoven into the photo of the subject.
How do you go about selecting people to feature?
I don’t have any preset standards for selecting my subjects other than their being Korean-American women who identify with both cultures. I think having women coming from a variety of backgrounds and ages is particularly intriguing to me, as it shows that we all share a common ground.
What kind of feedback has the project received?
The project has received very positive feedback. I was so pleasantly surprised at how strong the mixed Korean-American community is in supporting each other. I’ve never felt so welcomed by a group of people who actually are so different from each other. I think that because we’ve all shared similar experiences, and because there hasn’t been a lot of awareness placed on being mixed Korean-Americans, we all want this stuff to get out there. In a way, we’ve created our own unique hybrid culture, and it seems that it’s only expanding with each generation!
I know your project is open to both full and mixed Korean-Americans. What percentage of participants have been mixed Korean so far?
So far, it seems that roughly 80% of women involved in Shinbyeong have been mixed Korean Americans. I’m totally open to photographing full-Korean women. Perhaps the lack of this demographic has been due to my lack of exposure of this particular community.
Has there been a specific subject and/or person that you found most unique?
I can’t say that one subject has been the most interesting as everyone is so unique and has a personal story to tell. I find the variety in the subjects’ backgrounds to be the most appealing aspect of this project, whether the person identifies herself as an actress, doctor, student, or mom.
What has your family thought of your project?
My family isn’t too aware of what I create and do, but hopefully that will change in the future. I think a lot of people struggle with digesting more conceptual forms of “art” and may not understand the point of making it if it doesn’t pay the bills, which I think is the case with my family. It’s not necessarily a good or bad thing; some people are just very practical and view art as something pretty to hang in your house. I wouldn’t describe my work as being “pretty,” per se, which is another reason why my family just shrugs at my work. Making lovely-looking photographs is not my end goal. Through my work, I seek to challenge ideas and develop an awareness through images that strike a chord within the viewer.
What would you like to accomplish with the project and what are some goals you have?
Ultimately, I want to meet and photograph as many subjects as I possibly can! It’s been amazing to get out of my home studio and drive all over town to make new friends who say, “It’s like you’re my long-lost unnie!” I plan on displaying these photos at my upcoming Korean-American themed photo show in Koreatown, Los Angeles, which hopefully will take place this fall.
Do you plan to have this project be continuous or will it have a definite end point?
I plan on continuing to shoot for Shinbyeong for an indefinite period of time, as the exhibition will mainly be featuring images from Dirty Laundry.
Would you plan to publish a book in the future?
I’m definitely open to publishing a book. One step at a time!
Anything else you’d like to share with the mixed Korean community?
Please stay tuned! I will launch a Kickstarter campaign in April which will help fund this photo show.
We want to thank Kristina for sharing her project and background with us!
If you are interested in participating or want to learn more about Kristina and Shinbyeong (신병) please check out: Official Website, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter
Posted: 3/23/2015
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