Residency in Daejeon, Korea

On the recommendation of our good friend (and huge supporter) Gwi Jung, Suhee and I were offered — and very happily accepted — a two month artist residency in Daejeon called “Jageun Jip” (작은집).

We will be here for July and August with the goal of finishing our story, film editing, and script translation work for the film.

Jageun Jip means “small house” in Korean, and it is just that; a very small house on a forested hillside overlooking the city of Daejeon. The house functions as a unique community library, and a newly opened live/work residency.

Interestingly, Suhee lived in Daejeon for a decade when she was young, so she has many memories of the city. It’s not her ‘hometown’ so to speak, but there’s a very close connection to the place for her. Plus, she also apparently knows a really good place for tteokbokki (I’ll report back on that later).

The city of Daejeon itself is home to around 1.5 million people, set in a valley with an agricultural history, and today is known as the “Silicon Valley” of Korea. Sounds like familiar territory to me, too! New Sister City, San Jose? Daejeon is also home to a bullet train stop, a 15 minute walk from our small house.

The two kind folks who run the residency program are really great champions of art, alternative life, and the creative forces in Daejeon, involving themselves in re-invigorating the city’s core with artwork, workshops, local craft markets, and a local money system.

Good people to be around, with so much good energy being put into their work!

For the most part, we are up on the hillside, sticking to a 6am — 10pm schedule during the week, reading, editing, writing, Suhee baking, and me trying to cook Korean food.

As it is, we are working with a forest and hidden hillside gardens to our rear; an old working-class neighborhood with a maze of alleys, streets, shops, and homes around us; and an expansive view of the city spreading across the valley in front of us. So far, this place is conducive to good things.

We’ll report back later with details about a private screening in Korea this August, and further screenings in the United States in the Fall. Make sure you’re on the mailing list for these updates if you’re not already signed up, it’s the best way to stay up to date!

Till later. Thank you for your support and we’ll see y’all sometime soon!