Despite years of imperialism, racial prejudice and discrimination from the West as well as oppression from Japan, traditional Korean beliefs have survived to this day. Shamans have orally passed down religious myths and the shrines that still exist continue to be objects of faith in some villages. The purpose of this project is to visually document the remaining shrines and shamans in Korea, and to explore their functional role in modern society. This research and photography project can also contribute to efforts to preserve shrines that are at risk of demolition. Furthermore, I aim to dispel misconceptions about Korean shamanism and seek directions for its continuity.
Park Chan-ho is a photo artist, a researcher of Korean shamanism and a planner.
