Yeon-In Kim, born in the southern part of Korea, was arrested during his undergraduate years for his involvement in the democracy movement, which led to his expulsion from university. Undeterred, he founded a publishing company to continue his efforts in the democratic movement. In 1983, he served 1 year and 6 months in prison under the Assembly and Demonstration Act. Later, between 1989 and 1994, he served a total of 2 years and 10 months under the National Security Act. Ironically, in 2019, his son became a police officer in Korea, creating a subtly paradoxical situation.
This story began when I was 6 years old, reading a letter titled ‘Document of Your Contribution to Democratization.’ I asked my mother what democratization meant. It also begins with my memory of seeing seven zeroes on a document outlining the compensation offered by the government.
This story revolves around a society that failed to protect individuals and a man who lived within what can only be described as a ‘fantasy.’
You are witnessing a symbolic stage where he neither flees from the past nor feels the need to. He stands firmly where he belongs. He revisits the places where he was arrested and tortured but now carries himself with a majestic demeanour. "Imong," a Korean word meaning to have a different dream or purpose, reflects his journey. The stage is shaped by the flawed society he lived in and my interpretation of the history I heard from my father. Violence and oppression no longer hold power, and his very existence proves that.
Minjue, 2022