Byun Soonchoel

BYUN Soonchoel was born in 1969 in Seoul and studied at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) and International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York, USA. With his interest in people as his foundation, BYUN dissolves faithful observation of the subject into intense self-awareness in his work. As Korea's representative portrait photographer, BYUN Soonchoel neither decorates nor circumvents subject or fact, having captured within his photographic time a particular period's social culture, the people living through contemporary historicality, the truth they face. Extending from portraiture into other diverse explorations, BYUN Soonchoel's work has been shown at a number of eminent institutions worldwide, including National Portrait Gallery (UK, 1999) and Somerset House (UK, 2010), as well as many others. He has been lauded worldwide, receiving such accolades and awards as the International Center of Photography's Via Wynroth Fellowship (ICP, USA, 2000), John Kobal Photographic Portrait Award (UK, 1999), American Photography 18 (USA, 1999), and more.