THE
DIVINE
BODY
Growing up in South Korea, I always saw motherhood as an expected step after marriage. For years, I assumed that, once I married, becoming a mother would come naturally. In 2021, after four years of marriage, I became pregnant and prepared myself for what I thought would be a natural transition. However, the first trimester was chaotic—an emotional roller coaster filled with rapid physical changes. I soon realized that the anxieties and the anticipation of becoming a mother were far more complex than I had imagined.
Even before I was ready, I experienced a miscarriage at twelve weeks, before ever hearing my baby's heartbeat. Since then, motherhood has become a more intricate and layered subject for me. My partner and I eventually decided that we were content as a family of two—with our beloved cats.
Around this time, I began photographing Leah, whom I have known since her late teens and who is now in her thirties. As a puppeteer working in theatre, Leah was pregnant with her first child then, and I witnessed firsthand the physical and emotional changes she experienced. The project began by documenting Leah’s first maternity, where she seemed curious and almost like a girl in Wonderland, stepping into motherhood with wonder. Over time, I saw her transform into the mother of two—still creative and loving, but now often sleep-deprived and pumping milk every two hours.
Witnessing Leah’s journey into motherhood felt sacred and beautiful to me. Through her, I felt I was witnessing Mother Nature itself, observing the divine transformation of the female body and spirit. My project, The Divine Body, explores this transformation through pregnancy and motherhood, drawing parallels with the earth as our Mother Nature—a force both nurturing and resilient.
Even before I was ready, I experienced a miscarriage at twelve weeks, before ever hearing my baby's heartbeat. Since then, motherhood has become a more intricate and layered subject for me. My partner and I eventually decided that we were content as a family of two—with our beloved cats.
Around this time, I began photographing Leah, whom I have known since her late teens and who is now in her thirties. As a puppeteer working in theatre, Leah was pregnant with her first child then, and I witnessed firsthand the physical and emotional changes she experienced. The project began by documenting Leah’s first maternity, where she seemed curious and almost like a girl in Wonderland, stepping into motherhood with wonder. Over time, I saw her transform into the mother of two—still creative and loving, but now often sleep-deprived and pumping milk every two hours.
Witnessing Leah’s journey into motherhood felt sacred and beautiful to me. Through her, I felt I was witnessing Mother Nature itself, observing the divine transformation of the female body and spirit. My project, The Divine Body, explores this transformation through pregnancy and motherhood, drawing parallels with the earth as our Mother Nature—a force both nurturing and resilient.