Records of Taean

RECORDS OF TAEAN

JACKSON HUNG

RECORDS OF TAEAN

JACKSON HUNG

To Joseph Chung and Paul Estabrook.

INTRODUCTION

Situated on the west coast of the Republic of Korea in the province of Chungchungnam-do, Taean-gun is best known for its Haean (coastline) National Park, and a system of trails which approximately follows the coastline. I first learnt about Taean back in the summer of 2010 when I applied to teach in Korea. Doing a bit of research on the internet about the county, I liked what I saw; beaches, the ocean and most importantly, seafood. Unfortunately, I ended up placed in another county located in the middle of the mountains. Fast forward to 2013, I was again offered the opportunity to teach in Korea, and this time around there was a vacant spot in Taean. I accepted the position in a heartbeat. During my stay, I devoted a lot of time hiking and exploring, photographing the coastlines and breath-taking scenery every weekend. As time passed, I gradually shifted my focus to documenting my everyday experiences, the small towns situated along the trails, and the glimpses of everyday life. I eventually left Taan in 2015Â to further pursue my teaching career in Hong Kong. As an ode to a place that I once used to call home, Records of Taean is a collection of individual scenes and narratives that I have documented during my time in the county. Each photo provides a gateway to a particular time and place during my brief two-year stay which I can forever re-live.

JACKSON HUNG