Photographer examines Jongno 3-ga beyond its 'coolest neighborhood' tag

Photographer Park Kwang Bok explores Jongno 3-ga through exhibitions opening Tuesday, focusing on joy, companionship and freedom among homeless people and gay men. Earthly Paradise presents black-and-white photographs of homeless people, while Nights in Paradise portrays gay men who gather around the neighborhood. The projects grew from Park’s friendships and earlier 2018 documentary work. Both exhibitions are free and continue through Nov. 1.

Nights in Paradise is on view until Oct. 29 at Gallery Bresson in Chungmuro, while Earthly Paradise runs until Nov. 1 at Gallery Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province.

Park’s earlier 2018 documentary Janggi Heaven photographed elderly people playing janggi around Tapgol Park.

The term iban is used by nonnormative sexualities and is formed by replacing the il in ilban with the Sino-Korean i.

The Desire of the Horse-Headed Man will be featured at the 10th Photography Island Songdo event, a three-day art fair running from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 at the Commodore Hotel Pohang.

The upcoming work examines humanity’s relationship with nature and contradictions of technological progress, drawing inspiration from Steven Spielberg’s 2001 film A.I. Artificial Intelligence.

Published Oct 20, 2026 11:33 am KST

"A Paradise of Their Own," a photo from the "Earthly Paradise" series by Park Kwang Bok / Courtesy of Park Kwang Bok

Before Jongno 3-ga claimed the top spot in Time Out's list of the " world’s coolest neighborhoods " in September, its bustling, vibrant streets filled with street food stalls and busy shops have long stood witness to its reputation as one of Seoul’s hippest hangout spots.

"Still Standing," a photo from the "Earthly Paradise" series by Park Kwang Bok / Courtesy of Park Kwang Bok

But beyond this trendy landscape, photographer Park Kwang Bok’s attention gravitated towards the area’s more precarious yet intimate side. For his exhibitions titled “Earthly Paradise” and “Nights in Paradise” — both opening Tuesday — the artist explored the neighborhood’s gritty, hidden corners in search of narratives of joy, companionship and freedom.

“Earthly Paradise” displays scenes of companionship and moments of happiness among the homeless despite their difficult circumstances. Featuring black-and-white photographs, the showcase seeks to “lift the veil of social prejudice and reveal the joy, tenderness and dignity that often go unnoticed.”

Meanwhile, “Nights in Paradise” explores the lives of gay men who gather around Jongno 3-ga, portraying the community’s humanity, relationships, emotions and dignity.

A poster for Park Kwang Bok's "Nights in Paradise" exhibition / Courtesy of Park Kwang Bok

This latest exhibition series stemmed from his earlier 2018 documentary work, “Janggi Heaven,” in which he photographed elderly people playing “janggi,” or Korean chess, around Tapgol Park. During subsequent visits to Jongno 3-ga, his interest gradually shifted toward the area’s homeless community, with whom he formed friendships over time.

“I saw moments when, despite living on the streets, they danced, smiled and found happiness. Rather than focusing on hardship and suffering as other photographers have done, I wanted to photograph the joy in their lives,” Park said. “‘Nights in Paradise’ grew out of those encounters.”

Among the individuals he met during these excursions are gay men who refer to themselves as “iban.” The term is a play on “ilban,” meaning “common” or “ordinary.” While “il” means “one” or “first,” “iban” replaces it with the Sino-Korean “i,” meaning “two” or “second,” while retaining “ban,” meaning “group” or “class.” The term is used to describe nonnormative sexualities regardless of an individual’s sexual orientation.

Photographer Park Kwang Bok holds his camera near Seoul Station, Sept. 26. Courtesy of Park Kwang Bok

“One of the friends I made among the people experiencing homelessness was gay," the photographer said. "Through him, I began visiting gay nightlife venues, where I heard many stories about love, betrayal and the judgment people faced from society. Those encounters gave shape to the project.”

Over the years, Park developed friendships with the men who identified as “iban,” gradually earning their trust and gaining insights into their lives through his lens.

Through this project, he hopes that visitors will meet these images with acceptance and an open mind.

“In Korea, where sexual minorities struggle for social acceptance, I wanted to understand their difficulties, their experiences of love and separation, and convey something of their inner lives to the wider public with warmth and empathy,” he explained. “I also hope they see the comfort and joy these people create together.”

A poster for Park Kwang Bok's "Earthly Paradise" exhibition / Courtesy of Park Kwang Bok

“Nights in Paradise” is on view until Oct. 29 at Gallery Bresson in Chungmuro, while “Earthly Paradise” runs until Nov. 1 at Gallery Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province.

Following these exhibitions, the series continues with “The Desire of the Horse-Headed Man.” Centered on a fictional figure Park calls the “Horse-Headed Man,” the exhibition examines humanity’s relationship with nature and the contradictions of technological progress. The work draws inspiration from Steven Spielberg’s 2001 science fiction film “A.I. Artificial Intelligence.”

A photo from the "The Desire of the Horse-Headed Man" series by Park Kwang Bok / Courtesy of Park Kwang Bok

“The Desire of the Horse-Headed Man” will be featured at the 10th Photography Island Songdo event, which brings together 50 participating photographers. The three-day art fair will run from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 at the Commodore Hotel Pohang.

A poster for the 10th Photography Island Songdo exhibition / Courtesy of POSCO

All exhibitions are free of charge. Follow @parkgwangbok7575 on Instagram for more information about his works and upcoming projects.

Mariel Abanes ( @marielabanes on Instagram ) is a freelance lifestyle & culture writer/editor from the Philippines, currently based in Seoul. She promotes indie music and culture, and writes poetry and prose from time to time.

摄影师朴光福（Park Kwang Bok）将于周二开幕一系列展览，探索钟路三街的街头生活，聚焦无家可归者和男同性恋者之间的快乐、陪伴与自由。其中，“人间天堂”（Earthly Paradise）展出的是一组黑白照片，记录了无家可归者的身影；而“天堂之夜”（Nights in Paradise）则描绘了聚集在街区的男同性恋者。这些作品源于朴光福的友谊以及他早年于2018年创作的纪录片。两场展览均免费，并将持续至11月1日。

《天堂之夜》展览在忠武路的布列松画廊展出至 10 月 29 日，《人间天堂》展览在庆尚北道浦项画廊展出至 11 月 1 日。

朴赞郁早前在 2018 年拍摄的纪录片《长鼓天堂》记录了塔谷公园附近老年人玩长鼓的场景。

“iban”一词用于非规范性性取向，它是通过将“ilban”中的“il”替换为汉字“i”而构成的。

《马头人的欲望》将在第十届松岛摄影节上展出，该摄影节是一个为期三天的艺术博览会，将于 10 月 30 日至 11 月 1 日在浦项科莫多酒店举行。

即将上映的作品探讨了人类与自然的关系以及技术进步的矛盾之处，其灵感来源于史蒂文·斯皮尔伯格 2001 年的电影《人工智能》。

发布于2026年10月20日上午11:33（韩国标准时间）

《他们自己的天堂》，朴光福“人间天堂”系列摄影作品之一 / 图片由朴光福提供

在钟路三街于 9 月份荣登 Time Out “全球最酷街区”榜首之前，这里熙熙攘攘、充满活力的街道上遍布着街头小吃摊和繁忙的商店，早已证明了它作为首尔最时尚的聚会场所之一的美誉。

《屹立不倒》，朴光福“人间乐园”系列摄影作品之一 / 图片由朴光福提供

但抛开这片时尚景象，摄影师朴光福的目光却被这片区域更为隐秘却又充满魅力的一面所吸引。在他的两个展览“人间天堂”和“天堂之夜”（均于周二开幕）中，这位艺术家探索了街区中那些粗粝而隐秘的角落，寻找关于快乐、陪伴和自由的故事。

“人间天堂”展览展现了无家可归者在困境中彼此陪伴、共享快乐的瞬间。展览以黑白照片为主，旨在“揭开社会偏见的面纱，展现那些常常被忽视的喜悦、温柔和尊严”。

与此同时，《天堂之夜》探索了聚集在钟路三街附近的男同性恋者的生活，展现了该群体的人性、人际关系、情感和尊严。

朴光福“天堂之夜”展览海报 / 图片由朴光福提供

此次展览系列源于他2018年的纪录片作品《象棋天堂》。在这部作品中，他拍摄了塔谷公园附近老年人下象棋的场景。之后，他多次造访钟路三街，逐渐将目光转向当地的流浪者群体，并与他们建立了友谊。

“我看到他们即使流落街头，也能跳舞、微笑，找到快乐。与其他摄影师专注于苦难和不幸不同，我更想捕捉他们生活中的喜悦，”朴赞郁说。“《天堂之夜》系列作品正是源于这些邂逅。”

在这些旅行中，他结识了一些自称为“iban”的男同性恋者。这个词源于“ilban”，意为“普通”或“平凡”。“il”意为“一”或“第一”，而“iban”则用汉字“i”（意为“二”或“第二”）代替了它，同时保留了“ban”（意为“群体”或“阶级”）。这个词用来描述非主流的性取向，而与个人的性取向无关。

9月26日，摄影师朴光福在首尔站附近手持相机。图片由朴光福提供。

“我在无家可归者中结识了一位同性恋朋友，”摄影师说。“通过他，我开始出入同性恋夜生活场所，在那里我听到了许多关于爱情、背叛以及人们所面临的社会评判的故事。这些经历为我的项目奠定了基础。”

多年来，朴与那些自称“伊班族”的男子建立了友谊，逐渐赢得了他们的信任，并通过他的视角深入了解了他们的生活。

他希望通过这个项目，参观者能够以接纳和开放的心态来看待这些图像。

“在韩国，性少数群体争取社会认可的路还很长，我想了解他们的困境，他们的爱情和分离经历，并以温暖和同理心将他们的内心世界传递给更广泛的公众，”他解释说。“我也希望人们能看到这些人在一起所创造的慰藉和快乐。”

朴光福“人间乐园”展览海报 / 图片由朴光福提供

“天堂之夜”展览在忠武路布列松画廊展出至 10 月 29 日，而“人间天堂”展览在庆尚北道浦项画廊展出至 11 月 1 日。

继这些展览之后，该系列将继续推出“马头人的欲望”。展览以朴赞郁笔下虚构人物“马头人”为中心，探讨了人类与自然的关系以及科技进步带来的矛盾。该作品的灵感来源于史蒂文·斯皮尔伯格2001年的科幻电影《人工智能》。

朴光福摄影作品《马头人的欲望》系列照片 / 朴光福摄影作品提供

《马头人的欲望》将在第十届松岛摄影展上展出，该摄影展汇聚了50位摄影师。为期三天的艺术博览会将于10月30日至11月1日在浦项科莫多酒店举行。

第十届松岛摄影展海报 / 由浦项制铁提供

所有展览均免费入场。请关注 Instagram 账号 @parkgwangbok7575，了解更多关于他的作品和即将开展的项目的信息。

Mariel Abanes（Instagram账号：@marielabanes）是一位来自菲律宾的自由撰稿人/编辑，主要撰写生活方式和文化方面的文章，目前居住在首尔。她致力于推广独立音乐和文化，并不时创作诗歌和散文。