Actor Kim Nam-gil is joining young artists transitioning out of care systems for a meaningful group exhibition aimed at exploring independence, identity, and shared emotional growth.

HEAR I AM: A Collective Reflection on Independence

From November 13 to 23, the arts NGO Gilstory will hold the exhibition Here I Am (HEAR I AM) at Gallery H in Insa-dong, Seoul. Admission is free.

Gilstory explained that independence "is not a finished state, but an ongoing process shaped through relationships," noting that the exhibition was organized to share the meaning of social solidarity through art.

Ten artists — Kim Sung-soo, Kim Tae-kyung, Park Jin-sol, Bae In-hae, Seo Hwa-rang, Jang Jung-mi, Jihadi, Hyoseo, Hwang Sa-rang, and Moon Hyung-jun — present works themed around "home," "memory," "loss," and "growth," using personal experiences to portray diverse forms of independence.

Diverse Works Exploring Memory, Space, and Identity

Kim Sung-soo showcases My Town That Looks Like Me, a watercolor and drawing series capturing disappearing neighborhood landscapes.

Kim Tae-kyung presents Duality of Lack, blending painting and costume objects to visualize wounds and moments of growth.

Park Jin-sol's installation Kind Green uses moss, chiffon, and mattresses to evoke bodily memories connected to forests.

Bae In-hae's photographic work Quiet Proof Here bridges time through black-and-white and color imagery, documenting slow living.

Seo Hwa-rang experiments with shifting identity forms in Originated From Me, translating pixel noise into ceramics and objects.

Jang Jung-mi's installation Frozen Adult, using everyday objects from a refrigerator, revisits paused emotions of youth.

Jihadi's All My Shapes Exist Here as Me embeds fragments of emotion into dolls.

Hyoseo's Blooming Lack interprets absence as a trace of life.

Hwang Sa-rang reexamines the meaning of "home" by overlapping memories of family and living spaces in About Home.

Moon Hyung-jun's autobiographical video work Where Are You, Dad? follows a journey of remembering his father and searching for identity.

An Interactive Exhibition

The exhibition incorporates audience participation. Visitors receive a record sheet and circulate through three basement floors, where some installations can be physically moved or rearranged.

As objects shift, the structure and lighting of the exhibition space change with them. Visitors' recorded thoughts and emotions will be collected and delivered to the artists afterward. Workshop programs will also run during the exhibition period.

Kim Nam-gil's Message

Kim Nam-gil, who leads Gilstory, emphasized that independence is not simply "living alone," but a process that is emotionally shaped rather than defined by physical separation.

He expressed hope that the exhibition will help people reconsider what it means to live meaningfully, adding that true independence is strengthened by the emotional assurance that "you are not alone."

Gilstory — founded by Kim Nam-gil — is a nonprofit organization that supports socially vulnerable groups and young creators through arts-driven campaigns.

The Together on the Road initiative marks its second year, offering creation grants, mentoring, and exhibition opportunities to young artists preparing for independent living.

A separate charity event, the 2025 SMG Show – Space Super Power Show, will be held on the 29th at Ewha Womans University's main auditorium to support youth transitioning to independence.