/ 2016 / Press / Feature Story

Made in Korea

Until the ’60s, South Korea was almost a mediaeval country, poor and underdeveloped. After
just 50 years, South Korea is now one of the most advanced countries in the world. The
rush towards modernity has been fostered by imposing a huge sense of competition and a
painstaking effort to reach scolastic, aesthetic and professional perfection.
Youngsters grow up by keeping in mind the same ideals and future aims: get the best marks
to get the best jobs. At the same time, the aesthetic models are totally conformed,
obtained through a massive us of plastic surgery.
The Country pushes the young generation towards an alienating standardization, the exact
opposite of what happens in Western Countries, where success comes from one’s ability to
emerge from the mass.
All this has caused dangerous side effects, such as stress, alcoholism, social isolation
and a high suicide rate (43 per day).

Filippo Venturi is an Italian documentary photographer.
His works have been published in different newspapers and magazines such as The Washington Post, Newsweek, Financial Times, Vanity Fair, Der Spiegel, Die Zeit, Das Magazin, Internazionale, La Stampa, Geo, Marie Claire.
He produces personal projects concerning identity and the human condition, focusing in particular on the consequences of rapid technological progress in some parts of the world.
For the past years he has been engaged in a project on the Korean peninsula, earning him the Sony World Photography award.

Awards 2019
Winner – Batumi Photodays Festival
Finalist – Grand Prix Award (Białystok Interphoto Festival)
Finalist – Verzasca Foto Awards
Finalist – Belfast Photo Festival
Finalist – Kolga Tbilisi Photo
Finalist – Gomma Photography Grant
Finalist – Premio Mario Dondero

2018
1st prize – Gomma Photography Grant
1st prize – Simultanei (Lucca Photolux Festival)
1st prize – Autore dell’Anno FIAF Emilia Romagna
1st prize – Diecixdieci Festival della Fotografia Contemporanea
1st prize – Tokyo International Foto Awards
Selected – Voies Off Awards (Les Rencontres d'Arles)
Selected – New Visions (Cortona On The Move)
Selected – Single Shot World Report Award (Festival of Ethical Photography of Lodi)
Finalist – Premio Marco Pesaresi
Finalist – Athens Photo Festival
Finalist – British Journal of Photography
Finalist – Kolga Tbilisi Photo

2017
Winner – LensCulture Emerging Talent Awards
1st prize – Portfolio Italia (Hasselblad Grand Prix)
1st prize – Premio Voglino (Frame Foto Festival)
1st prize – Premio Il Reportage (Umbria Photo Fest)
1st prize – Sassoferrato Portfolio Award
3rd prize – PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris
Finalist – Premio Amilcare Ponchielli
Finalist – Premio Marco Pesaresi
Finalist – Belfast Photo Festival

2016
Winner – Emerging Talents
1st prize – Tokyo International Foto Awards
1st prize – PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris
1st prize – PDN Emerging Photographer
2nd prize – Sony World Photography Awards
2nd prize – International Photographer of the Year
2nd prize – Moscow International Foto Awards
Finalist – Premio Amilcare Ponchielli
Finalist – Lugano Photo Days Contest
Finalist – Il Reportage Photojournalism Award
Finalist – Gomma Photography Grant

2015
1st prize – New Talent by Fondazione Fotografia Modena
1st prize – Fine Art Photography Awards
1st prize – Sassoferrato Portfolio Award
2nd prize – PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris
2nd prize – Moscow International Foto Awards