Photos by @junmichaelpark @seoulphotographer / Earlier this year I drove all over Korea to report and photograph for @voxdotcom’s Pandemic Playbook series, racking up some 1500km (932 miles). The series explores the successes and setbacks of six different countries in their fight against Covid-19. Korea’s strategy to test and trace was again prominently featured.

Since the pandemic began the country has had at least 3 surges of Covid cases, but managed to flatten the curve and avoid a disaster each time. Korea has done a solid job dealing with the virus, but not without paying a steep price. The sacrifices of healthcare workers, public servants, and small business owners have been immense.

I met some of the individuals that I had photographed for assignments last year and found new characters with compelling stories. The contact tracer at Incheon City Hall was still working 24-hour shifts; staff at an isolation center in Goyang was taking in Covid-19 patients every day. Everyone I talked to was tired, but the shared sense of responsibility and pride — “we are in this together and I am doing my part” — was palpable.

I also provided archive photos from 2020 as well as from my on-going project @sewolaftermath to paint a fuller picture of South Korea’s response. Many thanks to visuals editor @kainazamaria and the co-author of the piece, @dylanlscott, for their trust and support. 

You can read the story here.

(Text editing by M.)