Gaining a Bachelor degree in urban economics and city planning, O-Young Kwon decides to pursue his dream and make photography his full-time profession. A decade full of extensive work as a freelance lighting assistant and digital operator for advertisement campaigns and fashion photo productions all over the world followed and allowed him to derive valuable knowledge about the industry, making him realize a relentless urge for more sincere authenticity.

His perception of photography led him to look into different cultures and made him aware of certain social issues, which are often rooted in political circumstances. So he inevitably turned into a conscientious photographer following ethical principles, who has been apolitical, but not anymore.

The more stories he produces, he feels that his work is not really about taking photos: “Actually I just use the camera as a tool to engage with social studies, where indeed the result is seen in forms of pictures, sounds and words, but the real body of my work is so much more than that. It’s about empathy and building up trust, how to get involved in subcultures, where you don’t have any connections to at all. To respect others without prejudices and to never stop to question yourself and your origin. It’s a little bit like therapy, getting aware of your own self.”