As someone born and raised in South Korea, Haryn critiques the social practice of bowing from an internal perspective. The fundamental act of bowing is not merely a gesture of courtesy embodying politeness, but rather an unconsciously disciplined physical behaviour produced through socio-structural power.

This zine serves as an introduction to the project accompanying Haryn’s pre-graduation thesis. The project not only extends this internal critique, but also provides context for how Western media often portrays Korean (and Japanese) politeness as a purely aesthetic image, frequently depicted and consumed within a capitalistic framework.