Meet the Korean equivalent of the Japanese salaryman — the ‘Ajeossi’. The term refers to middle-aged men from their 40s to 60s bearing certain stereotypical appearances and behavioural traits. 

In Boomers, Haneul Lee discovers ‘Ajeossis’ who defied these characterisations with their unique, larger-than-life personalities, strangely unafraid of judgement in a society so preoccupied with conformity. As much as these images capture slivers of their stories, they also documented Lee’s emotions and subjectivities as she gradually built a relationship with each subject and observed the charms and allure of a generation greying, but shining still. 

Curated by He Yining