Somewhere That's Just Like Home - Joo Young Kim

Somewhere That’s Just Like Home is the first issue in an ongoing editorial series exploring identity, cultural memory, and belonging within diasporic communities—centred on South Korean international students in their twenties. Through interviews, collaborative storytelling, and bilingual narratives, it documents life in London as a space of both disconnection and discovery.

A key feature of the publication is the practice of code-switching between English and Korean, reflecting our lived experience and how language becomes both a bridge and a barrier in diasporic life. Alongside this, conversations on faith emerge as recurring touchpoints—revealing how they imbue experiences with grounding, community, and the sharing of love.

Designed as a portable guide, the publication brings together personal narratives, moments of reminiscence, maps, visual motifs, and cultural references to offer empathy, understanding, and a sense of agency. At its core, it is a journey to rediscover traces of Korea in London—rooted in vulnerability, love, and gratitude for the stories entrusted within.

The publication comes with a hand-finished ceramic piece by Antonia Park and Yunha Kang. This project, developed in collaboration with ceramic design, explores the balance between fragility and permanence—mirroring personal growth through life’s shifting phases.

Inspired by traditional Korean knots, pixelated motifs bridge digital aesthetics and handmade craft. Colour-coded pixels represent anonymous interviewees, converging into a cohesive knot—a metaphor for community, interwoven identities, and a sense of home.

Each ceramic piece functions as a portable, wearable artefact—inviting touch, sound, and memory. With integrated attachment points, these objects act as vessels of cultural meaning and emotional resonance.

Self-published publication with unique handmade leather and ceramic 'keyring' decoration 
2025 
Softcover in comb binding 
200 x 100mm