Kim Young-gap Gallery Dumoak

Kim Young-gap Gallery Dumoak

Kim Young-gap Gallery Dumoak (Kim Young-gap Photographer Exhibition Hall), located near Seongsan, Jeju Island, is a space that the artist himself renovated from a closed school, a space he personally created despite his love for Jeju Island despite his struggles with Lou Gehrig's disease.

Since its opening in 2002, this space embodies his life and artistic philosophy, and I was particularly drawn to it.

Born in Buyeo, South Chungcheong Province, in 1957, and raised in Seoul, he began traveling to Jeju Island in 1982 to pursue photography, settling in Jeju in 1985.

He captured the sunrise, the sea, the fields, and the haenyeo (female divers) of Jeju Island with his lens.

Diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), doctors predicted he would likely live for less than three years. Despite his illness, he continued to take photographs throughout his illness, and in 2002, he renovated a closed school and opened his gallery.

He defined his photography as a practice of waiting, akin to a practice of capturing "a fleeting ecstasy."

He embodies the profound patience and solitude that come with it. Through moments finally captured after enduring hardship, he captured the true essence of Jeju.

The artist explains that he chose not to add titles or captions to his photographs because he wanted to leave space for the viewer to experience the finished product.
(July 12, 2025)

Post by Dopro_travel | Oct 24, 2025