"I¡¯m relieved to see not that many reporters here,¡± says Kim Yong-ho. The photographer inadvertently caused a scandal recently with a topless picture of the Korea National Ballet¡¯s prima ballerina Kim Ju-won. It was to be part of an exhibition under the theme ¡°Mom¡± -- pronounced ¡°moam¡± and meaning body in Korean -- at the Daelim Contemporary Art Museum in Seoul that opened last Saturday, now without the offending image. Kim¡¯s other models include actor Lee Beom-su, singer Sean, ballet dancer Lee Won-guk, ballerina Kang Ye-na, contemporary dancer Kim Pan-sun, and Korea¡¯s first openly gay entertainer Hong Seok-cheon. In interview with Chosun Ilbo, Kim Yong-ho candidly talked about his unease over the recent controversy.
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Photographer Kim Yong-ho poses with his picture of ballerina Kang Ye-na's hands and feet.
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What do you mean by ¡°relieved?¡±
I was worried because I heard many reporters would come, but they haven¡¯t yet. That¡¯s all.
You are famous for fashion and commercial shoots. Why did you take nudes?
I didn¡¯t want the bodies to be commercialized. When a person is naked, we have no idea whether the person is rich or where the person belongs to. Nothing is known.
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A picture of hands and feet of the ballerina Kang Ye-na, by Kim Yong-ho.
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Is there anyone not displayed in the exhibition?
The Kim Ju-won-Lee Jeong-yun couple is not there, obviously. At first I wanted to display a few pieces that were not in Vogue [where the pictures appeared in a special feature] but decided not to. I was more worried about Kim Ju-won than myself. She¡¯s in the prime of her career and I want no more controversy. She has already been punished by her company.
What did you learn from the recent incident?
I wanted to get attention from all sectors of society; that was the main objective of my exhibition. But all I got was the realization that our reality does not tolerate diversity. We had a fine response from the readers of Vogue magazine. But what happens to the model? She¡¯s criticized and disciplined. Those are in a way the different faces of our society.
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A picture of the former synchronized swimmer Yoo Na-mi by Kim Yong-ho.
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Did you have some time alone with Kim?
We were both busy. Kim has just finished her performance schedule and I¡¯m quite overwhelmed with the exhibition too. I¡®m going to have a drink or two with her in the near future, and hopefully we can comfort each other.
Do you think there was something else beside prejudice involved in the recent scandal?
¡°I think people have absurd fantasies about ballet. Ballet dancers are nothing but muscle and skin from their rigorous training. It¡¯s a big mistake to expect them to be beautiful and mysterious without giving any thought to all they had to endure and will have to endure in the future.
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A picture of performing artist Sim Cheol-jong (left) and Kim Jong-Deok by Kim Yong-ho./Daelim Contemporary Art Museum.
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More than a few said the picture in the magazine were obscene.
Isn¡¯t everyone sometimes obscene when they are with their lovers? I think so. I think such comments were made by those who didn¡¯t look at the entire pictures and read the article. When a person looks at his or her lover with sexual intent, I think that¡¯s only natural.
Do you have any suggestions for visitors?
I just want to encourage them to come and look at the pictures. That¡¯s all.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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