“Hi, How are you doing today?”
“I am good. How about you?”
When I first came to America, I heard these sentences people say when they meet. I always have wondered, why is the answer to the question ‘Good!’ all the time?
Are people really always happy?
I grew up in South Korea, where youth suicide is a pervasive problem. The most common cause is pressure from parents to do well in school. Colleges are extremely competitive, and entry is determined by an exam. Many parents send their kids to tutors outside of school to study, requiring hours of extra work.
We shy away from talking about our feelings unless the person we are talking to is a close friend, close relative, or therapist. I draw what people do not want to talk about or look away from. I want to illustrate the scars and wounds that exist deep inside. I believe that many times, those wounds have occurred during childhood, as was the case where I was raised.
Children are powerless under their parents. I ask questions like ‘Is this what the child needs?’ and ‘Is it important for the child or for the parents that their children are successful?’
These illustrations explore the consequences of how parents answer these questions. In some cases, the parents are overprotective, in others children are neglected. I strive for honesty in my work and hope the images can be a healing force for the deep scars people can have as a result of these relationships.