Photographer Hyeon Rami (Hyo-jae) on June 19 poses for a picture at his exhibition "Project Soldier: Searching for Korean War Veterans" at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul's Yongsan-gu District.

By Lee Jeongwoo
Photos = Lee Jeongwoo

"My first priority is to visit the veterans and thank them. Next, I document their images and stories through photos and videos to pass them to future generations."

On the occasion of Patriots and Veterans Month in June, Korea.net on June 19 visited the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul to cover the exhibition "Project Soldier: Searching for Korean War Veterans" and interview photographer Hyeon Hyo-jae, aka Rami. He has documented the faces of soldiers, veterans and those dedicated to community service.

After studying photography in the U.S., Hyeon returned to Korea and launched Project Soldier to take a closer look at the lives of those who serve in the military. The program documents the images and stories of Korean War (1950-53) veterans, but he started it with active-duty soldiers instead of veterans.

In 2013, he interviewed around 60 active-duty soldiers—ranging from privates to colonels—while working on an introductory video for the Republic of Korea Army's 1st Infantry Division, a project he happened to join by chance. During that process, the words of one non-commissioned officer stayed with him for a long time.

The officer said he felt no shame over his 28-year military career defending his nation, but felt deep regret as both a father and husband to his family. The officer's comment that his unit and country always came first at every moment that he should have spent with his family drove Hyeon to reflect on the meaning of the military uniform.

"I didn't realize it until then but while listening to their stories, I saw how a military uniform isn't just a piece of clothing," the photographer said. "It contains someone's entire life and time with their family."

Hyeon from then on began taking photos of people in uniforms, wanting to record the images of soldiers and restore their sense of pride.

Photographer Rami (Hyeon Hyo-jae) on June 19 poses for the camera at the exhibition "Project Soldier: Searching for Korean War Veterans" at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul's Yongsan-gu District.

First focused on soldiers on active duty, the project was expanded in 2016 to Korean War veterans.

At a military-themed photo exhibition, Hyeon met a former U.S. Marine who served in the Korean War, seeing a strong sense of pride in the eyes and voice of the veteran. "As I looked at him, I wanted to ask 'What did the Korean War mean to you? What about your experience still fills you up with such pride today?'" Hyeon said.

That question led Hyeon to talk to veterans abroad. At first, he wanted to meet just one more but hearing one story made him want to hear another. The veterans introduced their comrades-in-arms, and other families made contact.

This led to the launch of Project Soldier, which expanded to Korean War veterans from around the world including the U.S., U.K., and New Zealand. To date, he captured on camera about 2,500 Korean War veterans and over 8,000 active-duty soldiers.

For Hyeon, photography is both records and expressions of gratitude as well as a means of digging up long-buried memories. After receiving their photos, the veterans sometimes share war stories that they never shared even with their families.

The act of someone seeking them out to listen to their stories, hold their hands and take photos is an expression of gratitude, respect and remembrance.

Soldiers on June 19 look at photos of war veterans at the exhibition "Project Soldier: Searching for Korean War Veterans" at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul's Yongsan-gu District.

One of Hyeon's most vivid memories is a Korean War veteran he met at a veterans' hospital in Ohio who was terminally ill and had his artworks in his hospital room. Hyeon saw him as an artist, not a patient.

The room briefly served as a studio, and there, the veteran stood in front of the camera with his art by his side for the remainder of his life. Two months after the photoshoot, the veteran's family informed Hyeon of the veteran's death and thanked the photographer.

"He wanted to have his photo taken with his art," Hyeon said. "I just happened to be there at that moment. Encounters like this make me want to keep doing my job."

The reactions of the veterans he met in New Zealand also left a deep impression. Some asked if anyone would be interested in their stories, thinking that their memories of Korea from long ago no longer mattered.

Hyeon said he wanted to show them the Korea of today, how the country they helped defend had developed and Korea's remembrance of their dedication.

"When they see how the small seeds they planted grew into today's Republic of Korea, they feel a deep sense of pride," he said. "They feel that their efforts were not in vain."

A soldier on June 19 looks at photos of war veterans at the exhibition "Project Soldier: Searching for Korean War Veterans" at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul's Yongsan-gu District.

For Hyeon, respect for dedication is closer to action than words. Expressing a sentence of gratitude is meaningful, he said, but far more important is visiting Korean War veterans, greeting them and listening to their stories.

What the veterans ultimately want is not a big reward but to have their stories remembered and being respected as individuals.

"I think gratitude shouldn't stop at words," he said. "We need to take action like visit and greet them, listen to what they have to say and thank them."

Project Soldier has expanded its scope to go beyond Korean War veterans. Hyeon said he wants to document not only soldiers and veterans but also police officers, firefighters, and those who defend the freedom and safety of their communities.

"There are limits to what I can do alone, so I want to enable more people to continue documenting the work I'm doing and these stories," he said. "Instead of just teaching photography, I also want to create a program that educates others and shares insights on how to meet these people and genuinely expressing gratitude to them."

b1614409@korea.kr