An Unexpected Rupture
I traveled to Korea after a long time to attend my younger sibling’s wedding. I spent joyful days reconnecting with people I had missed. However, as the day to return to my husband in the United States drew closer, martial law was suddenly declared. At first, I dismissed it as a mere rumor circulating online. But when I turned on the television, I was forced to confront a chilling reality: a news broadcast captioned,
“All media and publications are subject to martial law control.”
A caption at the bottom reads, “All media and publications are subject to martial law control.” (2024)
Chaos and Uncertainty
The scenes unfolding on the live broadcast were surreal. Through the television screen, I watched as military helicopters circled the sky and armored vehicles rolled through the streets. Armed soldiers were deployed at the National Assembly, while citizens stood in the roads, using their bodies to block the vehicles from reaching their destination.
During the chaos, the U.S. Embassy announced a complete suspension of visa services. Glued to the news, I was consumed by anxiety, wondering if I would ever be able to reunite with my husband. Fortunately, the martial law was lifted after six hours. Yet, even as I finally boarded my flight, the brief relief of returning home was eclipsed by new worries. I wondered if the situation had truly ended, if it might happen again, and if my family and friends left behind were truly safe.
Painting a Shield of Peace
After the shocking events of December 3, 2024, I sat before a blank canvas to welcome the year 2025. As I faced the white surface, the confusion of that day rushed back, alongside a memory from my visit to the National Folk Museum of Korea.
-National Folk Museum of Korea. (2024)
I saw castor aralia branches hanging beneath the eaves of a traditional house. The castor aralia is deeply rooted in Korean daily life as both medicine and food, but it carries a deeper symbolic meaning. Traditionally, its thorn-covered branches were hung above doorways to ward off illness and harmful forces. With that ancient gesture in mind and the fervent hope that such confusion would never again cross into our lives, I began to paint those thorny branches into my work.
