Han (한;恨) of Machine

Han of Machine | 기계의 한 (恨)*

“Han of Machine” is an experimental sound work which explores how technology mediates the emotional and sonic landscapes between Korea and the San Francisco Bay Area through the diasporic experience. Using machine learning–based sound generation and algorithmic composition as a creative tool, I process the sounds of Korean instruments I remember from my childhood, such as gayageum, janggu, piri, jing, and more, and transform them into new, machine-interpreted compositions drawn from my present surroundings in San Francisco: the rhythmic rumble of the Muni train, the murmur of church mass, and the rustle of ocean wind and lake fog. Through this project, I examine how memory and technology intertwine within the sonic textures of the two lands I belong to, amplifying the sense of disorientation, loss, and cultural memory that shape my diasporic identity.

*Han (한; 恨) is a deep, enduring emotion of sorrow, longing, and unresolved grief that carries both pain and resilience.