New Malden, a leafy suburb in South West London, stands as a haven where the Korean diaspora thrives. Densely populated it serves as a utopic community where individuals from both North and South cohabit peacefully, contrasting sharply with the divided peninsula back home.
Historically, migration to the UK began in the 1970s when South Koreans sought to escape political unrest and economic challenges back home and followed in the footsteps of their ambassador to the UK. They have since been followed by North Koreans fleeing the oppressive regime of the Kim family.
It is a secret Eden, a utopia hiding in plain sight within British suburbia. Here, the rural idyll—a socially constructed image of a harmonious, cohesive community—is realised against the natural aesthetic beauty of the surroundings.
DONGPO (동포), meaning brethren, comrades or people of the same ancestry, is a Korean term that has a transcendental, transnational quality which embraces the broad category of Korean diaspora whilst emphasising links among various overseas groups around the globe.
As a Korean-born, British-raised individual, this journey into New Malden is an exploration of identity and my place within the Korean diaspora as well as British society.
Video made for the Victoria and Albert Museum with Daniela Geraci.