in flow ~

where violence flows, a zine:

narrative: Okyoung Noh, poems: Kyunghee Kim, edited: Matt Dhillon

Early this spring, I had the honor of collaborating with artist and friend, Okyoung Noh on her MFA Thesis multimedia exhibition, In Flow, with a usage of poetry. The installation invites the audience to meditate on the silenced histories of violence flowing through the water, connecting us all. With personal accounts of Okyoung’s grandmother who was a survivor of Jeju 4.3 incident, this zine was written and created to remember and advocate for those who survived, lost their lives, and all of us who are now witnesses of this horrific history.

It was my first time writing poetry that was directly tied to an historical event and because I am Korean, the process was both meaningful and emotional. It was important for me to think about how the survivors and those who lost their lives might want to be remembered, and what we can take away as witnesses.

To prepare, I spent time listening to the audio interview between Okyoung and her grandmother, my own research on the Jeju 4.3 incident, and reflected on the concept of water, violence, survival, and what now. I didn’t want the poems to be too wordy, as it should stand with breathing space for the reader to take in.

It’s been by far one of the most challenging and impactful projects for me. To trust someone to come up with words that your art can stand by requires trust and I owe it to Okyoung for trusting me with her vision and grandmother’s story, equally giving me the freedom to do what I need to do as a poet.

In Flow, 2025, Stamps Gallery