Every Korean has a painful memory from the sinking of the ROKS Cheonan and shelling on YP-do that were products of North Korean provocations that strained the inter-Korean relations. No need to mention the considerable pain of those who lost their loved ones in these incidents, they live on in this god-forsaken country where pain, longing, and memory are the repeated norm. I captured the stories of people who struggle with past events and memories in ordinary lives that will forever remain as trauma.

It is extremely rare for female North Korean refuges to come straight to the Republic of Korea. They must arrange it through Chinese brokers and other third parties. Unfortunately, every time they cross the border into another country they are exchanged as currency. They are appraised based on their age, looks, and physical use. In worse cases, they live as sex slaves to be exploited. I wrote these female workers’ real life story based on their memorandum on a window frame using bloody red crayons.