Inspired by Miss Koreatown pageants based in Los Angeles in the ‘80s-‘90s, this series features 3 mixed-race Koreans to re-define the concept of beauty for a Korean diaspora. As Koreatowns formed across the U.S., the beauty pageant was a rare occasion for immigrants to gather as a community to celebrate beauty and kinship, and to educate Americans about Korean culture. The sashes reference the various stages of Korean immigration and farmwork carried out by early immigrants - “Miss Sugar” (sugar cane plantations in Hawaii), “Miss Orange” (citrus groves in California), and “Miss Cabbage” (cabbage farms for kimchi making). Los Angeles, as one of the most diverse cities in America, provided a fertile ground for the Korean community to grow and create its own sense of identity, characterized by cultural exchange. Click the video to watch AMERICA FEVER - MISS KOREATOWN.
Inspired by Miss Koreatown pageants based in Los Angeles in the ‘80s-‘90s, this series features 3 mixed-race Koreans to re-define the concept of beauty for a Korean diaspora. As Koreatowns formed across the U.S., the beauty pageant was a rare occasion for immigrants to gather as a community to celebrate beauty and kinship, and to educate Americans about Korean culture. The sashes reference the various stages of Korean immigration and farmwork carried out by early immigrants - “Miss Sugar” (sugar cane plantations in Hawaii), “Miss Orange” (citrus groves in California), and “Miss Cabbage” (cabbage farms for kimchi making). Los Angeles, as one of the most diverse cities in America, provided a fertile ground for the Korean community to grow and create its own sense of identity, characterized by cultural exchange. Click the video to watch AMERICA FEVER - MISS KOREATOWN.
.png)
.jpg)
