| Title |
The Transitional Vision of Korean Architectural Photography Through Lim Chung-Eui’s Work |
| Authors |
이소영(Lee, So-Yeong) ; 최춘웅(Choi, Choon) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2026.42.3.169 |
| Keywords |
Lim Chung-eui; Architectural Photography; Archive; Modern Architecture; Urban Transformation; Historical Source |
| Abstract |
This study examines the transitional phases of Korean urban and architectural development from the 1970s to the 2000s through the work of
Lim Chung-eui, a first-generation Korean architectural photographer. The study positions his photographs not only as visual records but also
as primary historical sources, emphasizing their evidentiary value and methodological significance in architectural and urban history. The
methodology involves classifying photographs from his archive into two categories: Urban Development and New Construction and
Demolished Architecture and Residential Areas. The photographs are then aligned with policy timelines and major events by period, location,
and subject. A three-part analytical framework of case, context, and interpretation is then applied. The analysis demonstrates that Lim’s
photographs document the full temporal cycle of construction, from groundbreaking to demolition, thereby complementing outcome-focused
historical narratives. Through varied perspectives, ranging from aerial views to ground-level shots and from close-ups to panoramas, the work
situates architecture within a broader urban structure. Repeated site visits provide rare visual evidence for tracing transformations such as the
development of Yeouido and Gangnam, peripheral redevelopment projects, and the demolition of the Government-General Building and the
Foreigners’ Apartments. At the same time, this sustained documentation reveals a transitional perspective that captures architecture within
overlapping processes of development and demolition. Conceptualized as a visualization of architectural memory, the archive reconstructs
trajectories of urban formation and dissolution, supplementing architect-centered histories and demonstrating the potential of architectural
photography as an independent scholarly and public knowledge resource. |