Located in Seoul’s cultural and touristic hub of Myeongdong, a street of cultural exchange frequented by free-spirited travelers and youngsters, L7 MYEONGDONG by LOTTE is home to photographer Saiida’s photo series that captures this prevalent free spirit. Visitors to the Bubble Lounge on the 3rd floor are greeted with a panorama of black-and-white photos of the city. This 22-photo series titled “Myeong-dong’s Weather” captures various city scenes and moments that can be seen in Myeongdong, including block pavements, crosswalks, skyscrapers at night, and cable cars to Namsan. Just as her professional name “Saiida” refers to a relationship in Korean, the photographer shows Myeongdong as one whole through her lens by establishing a relationship between the photos. Each photo of Myeongdong, open to the viewer’s interpretation, leaves the diverse stories hidden in the simplicity of black-and-white images to the viewer’s imagination.

As implied by the Korean term “sai” meaning “relationship,” artist Saiida produces various works of photography based on relationships and records. She took up photography in 1999 and from the early 2000s to the present, she has worked as a photographer and art director in various media and projects. She states that the act of photography makes her feel present, a feeling she tries to remember by documenting the moment through photos. Like facial expressions, expressions exist in vestiges and outward appearances. The artist documents situations and scenery as if they were portraits. The chemical reaction that occurs between these portraits, captured in photos and arranged as she sees fit, is connected to her memory, understanding, emotions, and feelings. Through photography, which has the power to evoke memories, she purposefully frames situations to document a course of action and strives to bring to mind the situation and memory associated with a given space and location.