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Mural created by Kyung Lim Shin and Moon Hyang Lee. From Kyung Lim Shin's Artist Statement: "Han is complex concept evolved from Korean historical experience of frequent foreign invasion, social injustice, and inequalities suffered by women, common people. Han is unresolved sorrows and anger that manifest as a dull lingering ache both physically and psychologically. In this mural, Moon and I wanted to explore challenges Korean American face to fulfill American dream. Sense of displacement and inadequacy felt by 1st generation Korean American, heigthened by LA Riot experience. The pressure 1.5 generation must have felt to excel and success in new environment as they are forced to bridge parent to American culture when they are still young kids them-selves often. And identity crisis of 2nd generation; sense of alienation from both parent's culture and American culture; American born Asian American still often asked about a place of their origin. 'Where are you from?' Hip-Hop culture symbolized young generation, a marginalized subculture often with stigma to older generation or/and mainstream culture. This cultural phenomena demands us to confront a feeling of disconnection between culture and generation. It also symbolized confrontation to old by young by verbalization and exhibition of thought and emotion. In essence, it is not different than Madang Guk and Sa Mul No Ri. We have been catalyzed Han by getting ahead, dancing, and singing. And we wanted to find harmony within conflict."

Korea 025.001