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• In the eighteen years that I have been wandering through Asia, I have met in village squares, in the yards of houses with coconut leaf roofs, and on street corners in cities, countless singers, musicians, and dancers. In jungles, mountains, and isolated islands without colorful stage lights and sound systems, and in some cases, without electricity, I took photographs of them using the light from fires and lanterns.
  
  All of a sudden, the poor and humble village transforms into a dazzlingly decorated festival ground. I would press down on the shutter, disbelieving my own eyes. Villagers changed out of their shabby shirts and old pants into traditional costumes, revealing their true selves. I did not know that such dazzling beauty of their unique culture had been obscured by the shroud of western civilization. Only after I had seen this happen many times, and cleansed my soul many times, did I realize that I had only been looking at what lies on the outside. Only then was I able to see them with my mind’s eye.
  All of them were artists. Everyone sang, danced, painted, and carved. Everyone was a craftsman and a performer.
  
  I became determined to tell the story of Asia through these artists, through their lives and environment. The exhibition “Asia of Light and Sound” is one of my attempts to do so. In these 726 photographs from 11 different cultures, I have not only captured their sounds and dances but their nature and environment as well as a sliver of their lives.
  
  

Now I must talk about my plans after this exhibition. I plan to talk about Asia of color and form, through the stories of people who paint religious murals in their homes, who paint on their walls and carve on their tools of trade, scenes from their daily lives, festivals, and labor.
I think it was fate that I crossed paths with the audio documentarian Sang-il Choi. Although we do different work, we are interested in the same things. We used to go researching rituals all around Asia for years at a time. I am curious to find out what will be the effect of this union between his music and my photographs.

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• As we say in the business of broadcasting, a producer speaks only through his programs. No matter how much I know and how much material I have collected as a producer, it is useless if it isn’t recognized through my broadcasts. However, this time I have chosen the medium of exhibition to present the sounds of Asia. This is because I felt it would be a pity to let the sounds that I have collected be forgotten after one or two broadcasts.
  
  In the past year, I have visited four countries in Asia. Although time was limited, as I had to work within the constraints of my production schedule, it was the sound collecting trip of my dreams. However, the parts of Asia that I have been to constitute but a tip of the iceberg. This is why I cannot say with confidence that I understand the sounds of Asia. Still, we have decided to hold this exhibition because Asia is coming towards us with such urgency. It is as if Asia is voicing itself through me.
  
  As is my habit, I sought out the folk music, especially the folk songs of Asia. Truth be told, this is the only way I know. However, I also believe that folk songs everywhere contain the unembellished thoughts and sentiments of their people. In the parts of Asia that I have visited, there were places with similar folk songs to Korea, and many more with completely different kinds of songs. It made me understand, both mentally and physically, how the vastness of Asia and the diversity of its culture is reflected in its folk music.
  
  

I have but only stepped one foot into the doorway to Asia. It would take more than the rest of the time I have left to fully understand the sounds of Asia, and it looks to be a challenging task. I feel a sense of urgency, as there is no way of telling how Asia might change while I hesitate to act. I hope this exhibition acts as the push I need to renew my determination.
It is a genuine honor to be holding this exhibition together with the master photographer Kim, Soo-Nam. I have seen this much of Asia only because I have strived to follow in his footsteps, preceding long before me. I convey my deep gratitude to him, for inspiring and inciting curiosity in cultures within me, even as we work in different fields.