Homeless with a Home: Soyoung Forever

This collection consists of 60 works in total, including photographs, Korean calligraphy, and poems.In August 2024, poet Kim Soyoung, writing under the pen name Yeoreumbyeol (Summerstar), released A Star That Shines Even Underwater. Following that, she published her third poetry collection, The Homeless with a Home, and held a successful book launch on October 29. This new collection, produced with support from the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province and the Gangwon Cultural Foundation, is an art book that merges poetry and photography into one emotional landscape—a fusion project where two languages of art converse and harmonize.Rather than a simple collection of poems, The Homeless with a Home is an artistic experiment where poetry and photography intersect and expand emotion. The poems speak in the language of the soul, while the photographs respond through visual dialogue. “If poetry is the resonance of the heart,” Kim explains, “then photography is another language that lets us see that resonance. When these two meet, they can hold the depth of human emotion and existence.”The collection reflects Kim’s personal reflections and emotional journey—pain and recovery, irony and humor, and the quiet beauty of life. The title symbolizes the modern individual who may appear settled but continues to wander within. “This book is for those who have a house but no resting place for their hearts,” says Kim.The project also features Master Photographer Ted Chang (Changsik Lim), a veteran with over 30 years of experience. As a certified art instructor with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and a former educator for Olympus Korea, Chang has worked with TRAVIE and RunCity Magazine, and served as the official Korean photographer for the Guam Marathon. His works are known for their mastery of light and shadow that capture the passage of time. In this collection, his photographs extend the emotional depth of Kim’s poetry. Kim remarks, “His lens completes the emotional spaces my poems leave behind. Through his vision, my poetic world shines again.”This project was carried out as an independent publication, entirely planned, edited, and designed by the poet herself. Running her own small press, Kim oversaw every stage—from concept and layout to printing and distribution. The collection will be released in three formats: print, e-book, and English e-book for global readers via Amazon Kindle, sharing the sensitivity of Korean poetry with audiences worldwide.“This is not just a book,” Kim says. “It’s an example of a self-sustaining creative model for artists. Thanks to the support from Gangwon Province and the Gangwon Cultural Foundation, I was able to prove that independent, regional art can thrive.”During the launch event, readings of Kim’s poems were paired with Chang’s photographic works, creating a resonant space of shared emotion. Attendees praised the collaboration, saying, “The photographs expand the language of poetry, while the poems deepen the emotion of the photographs.”Looking ahead, Kim plans to continue her fusion art projects, combining poetry with painting, film, and music. “Art is both a tool of expression and a language of healing,” she says. “I hope my poetry continues to become a light for someone’s inner world.”The Homeless with a Home is more than words on paper—it is an artistic record that captures the temperature of emotion and the traces of a lived life. Read more