Section4_Artist Perspectives on the FAR Game

Seungwoo BACK has photographed thousands of multifamily houses in Korea over the years. He often creates images that capture a tinge of the poverty that Koreans have tried to erase from their memories. While Seoul tries to measure up to the prestige other global cities, the awkward and disjoint appendages in these buildings mock such an endeavor, as they chronicle a disorganized and desperate search for additional living space. While the FAR game can result in the continuation of a cultural identity rooted in a difficult past, these photographs can serve as a clarion call to the next generation of Korean architects, who are tasked with reshaping the urban battleground to reflect the nation’s highest aspirations, even as they continue to be tethered to the reins of the FAR game.