South Korean watchmaker Minhoon Yoo looks at the camera in photographer Jun Michael Park's direction in a portrait setting on a rooftop covered with waterproof green paint — very Korean. He is standing with his right hand on a skateboard, leaning on it. He is looking to his left, and he is wearing an anime T-shirt and basketball sneakers.

Portraits of Minhoon Yoo, a Visionary Independent Watchmaker

July 24, 2022

A Unique Path from Art to Horology Born in Busan in 1990, Minhoon Yoo began his creative journey in the world of fine arts. After moving to Seoul, he studied metal art and design at Hongik University, where he graduated with a BFA in 2016. Initially focused on sculptural furniture, …

North Korean defector Kim Ryon-hui is directed to look to the right of the frame by Seoul photographer Jun Michael Park in a portrait setting at her home in Seoul.

Portraits of Kim Ryon-Hui: North Korean Who Wants to Go Home

May 29, 2022

I made portraits of North Korean defector Kim Ryon-hui for the German news magazine Der Spiegel. Coincidentally, my portrait was selected in Der Spiegel’s 2022 Year in Pictures.

A Closer Look: South Korea’s Asian Moon Bear Restoration Program

April 4, 2022

(Text updated on Oct 24, 2024) In the early 2000s, the number of Asian moon bears living in the wild in South Korea had dwindled to an estimated 5 animals. With the bears being critically endangered by poaching and habitat destruction, the Korean Ministry of Environment and the Korea National …