In the heart of Korean cities, recycling depots (고물상, gomulsang) are much more than simple businesses. They are living spaces, social refuges for a generation of elderly people often left destitute by the pension system. Here, people don't just come to sell the fruit of grueling work for a few won; they also come to share a coffee, exchange news, and find a little human warmth.
It's a parallel economy of survival, where informal solidarity responds to the inadequacy of social protections.
« A person from another era »
The work of a gleaner, often seen as a simple act of survival, has deep roots in Korean history. Visual archives are an essential memory for understanding this story beyond official narratives. They reveal the daily lives of post-war ragpickers, their organization as a reconstruction force, and their gradual marginalization by the state.
To explore these documents is to give context and dignity to a job that continues to shape the landscape of Korean cities today.Echoes of the Past
« Hand to mouth »
To meet the man behind the gleaner, one must dive into his daily life. Follow Lee Sang-man on his rounds, where every piece of cardboard collected tells a story: that of the bonds of trust forged with shopkeepers, and that of a glorious past whose pride remains intact. It is the narrative of a life where illness and precarity forge a philosophy of the present moment, and where dignity is found in the simplicity of an existence lived "hand to mouth."
