Jeju's Munseom Island: Photographer Kim Ho-woong Captures Life's Light Beneath the Waves

Photographer Kim Ho-woong, a veteran of over 30 years and currently an editorial committee member at Newsis, is set to release his photo book, "The Story of Munseom Island," and an accompanying exhibition. The collection features his extensive underwater photography documenting the marine environment surrounding Munseom Island, off the coast of Jeju.

Kim, who has specialized in underwater photography for over three decades, previously gained recognition for his 1994 report on freshwater jellyfish in Lake Daecheong and won a silver medal at the Korea Press Photo Awards in 2002 for his four-season coverage of artificial reefs in the East Sea.

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The beautiful forms of each subject approached me with indescribable emotion.

Several years ago, after experiencing profound personal loss with the consecutive deaths of his wife and eldest daughter, Kim found solace and a renewed sense of purpose in the underwater beauty of Munseom Island. He described the experience as "an indescribable emotion" brought on by the "beautiful forms" of each marine subject.

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The vibrant movement of life, where life and death are not separated but cycle through eating and being eaten, and new life is born and disappears, made my heart beat again.

Over several years, Kim meticulously documented the island's underwater landscapes through the changing seasons – capturing the "vibrancy of spring, the brilliance of summer, the depth of autumn, and the tranquility of winter." His photographs aim to convey the sea's constant transformation, depicting it "as it is, with awe, and with excitement."

The exhibition, held at Gallery Index in Seoul from June 19-24, showcases the wonders of Munseom's waters, where corals, seaweed, fish, and sunlight create a serene yet dynamic ecosystem. Kim's work highlights the "infinite movement of life," where birth and death are cyclical, and new life emerges from what has passed. He discovered "that life exists in other forms" through his lens, reigniting his passion for living. Proceeds from the sales of the book and photographs will be donated to support children from fatherless or motherless households.

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I discovered that life exists in other forms, not that I had lost the reason for living.