In this exhibition, the artist presents the stories of two completely different girls in an omnibus style. One is a small, introverted Pierrot girl who had to survive life in a fast-paced city, and the other is a young haenyeo (female diver) from a barren island who had to dive into the sea without any equipment to gather seafood and support her younger siblings. Their tough and intense lives are portrayed with distinct colors and backgrounds.

The Pierrot girl, one of the figures in the works, originated as a self-portrait from the artist’s own childhood. The second character, the young haenyeo, began to take shape as the artist explored the elderly haenyeo she met after moving from Seoul to Jeju Island, expressing her curiosity and respect for their childhoods. These two girls, from completely different environments and eras, met and empathized through the exhibition.

Haeyneo are women whose job is to go into the sea and catch sea cucumbers, abalone, and kelp. They are women who go into the sea to collect seafood using only their own breathing control and no mechanical devices, and their job is called 'mulji'. Haenyeo do not simply view the sea as an object of harvest, but have chosen to coexist by continuously cultivating it, and have passed down the wisdom they have acquired in the process from generation to generation. In addition, female divers have adapted to the marine ecological environment, accumulated material skills and marine knowledge, and can be said to be eco-feminists who played a leading role in the household economy through the harvesting of marine products. They are also an example of gender equality in that they took on a leading role in the social economy and household economy along with men by forming a traditional livelihood of half farming and half fishing and a strong women's community.

The Moonlight haenyeo series is a series that has been loved since my first exhibition. However, the Moonlight series should not be hasty in drawing. It's because I have to sketch and color with a relaxed mind to create a peaceful atmosphere in the painting. And as the series of moonlight haenyeo is more like a work of talisman or meditation than the work of special message. Also, I do know that the audience loves and cares for my work because of that feeling of calmness. Perhaps it's because of my belief that if I try to get greedy and forcefully complete the work, the audience will not be able to feel the same calmness as before. The round moon in the work expresses the buoy(tewak) that haenyeo float in the water when they do into the deep water. It is also a guide for female divers who have dived out of the water and is the only shelter where they can lean on and rest. The buoy, which used to shine exceptionally, will be a resting place for haenyeo to rest in the middle of the sea today. And I wish my painting works like buoy to someone. And the description below is the description of the work number 11 added with pure gold foil. The gold used in this artwork is made from pure gold with a purity of over 96%, using edible gold leaf. The pure gold leaf technique begins by painting with oil paint. Just before the paint fully dries, the remaining tackiness is used to delicately fix the pure gold leaf onto the painting with a soft brush. While using gold leaf adhesive simplifies the process, it reduces the gold’s luster. Therefore, only oil paint and gold leaf are used. After that, a very thin layer of oil paint is applied to blend the boundary between the gold leaf and the paint. The gold leaf is then reapplied, and this layering process is repeated several times to complete the work.”

Jaeyi Kim’s goal as a painter is not just popularity or recognition. She strives for communication with her audience through her understanding of her own identity and the idea of inner strength. To her, success is not only measured by accomplishment, but more so by her own satisfaction of having worked as hard as possible to achieve her own highest levels of performance. As an artist, she does not settle for popularity, rather, she constantly pushes herself to grow and improve.

The focus of Jaeyi’s paintings have a commonality of hopefulness in the face of frustration. Her work is a response to the questions and doubts that have followed her throughout her life. Jaeyi sees the work of painting as one of the most pure and primitive acts a person can engage in, as a young mind looking back on the forgotten past and leaving a record of the memories encountered in order not to forget again.

Elements like frames, stairs, and curtains symbolize the transcendence of time and space. Recurring motifs such as crowns, ribbons, and pollen in Jaeyi’s paintings signify blessings. She seeks to bless herself, as well as those like her, who continue to struggle with the growing pains of adulthood in the chaos of urban life. Her work serves as a message of courage to herself and to others who may share her journey. “Princess Pierrot,” represents a reflection of her perseverance and determination. 

Born in Seoul, Korea, in 1972, Jaeyi Kim is the youngest of one son and three daughters. As a child, she was weak, short, sensitive and introverted. She. She studied drawing, oil painting, and commercial design at a private academy during her last two years of high school, but after graduation, began working in a field unrelated to painting, relegating her artistic pursuits to a hobby.

Jaeyi didn’t fit the mold of the "ideal" person in the Korean zeitgeist. Korean society does not respect individuality and often values extroverted and outwardly social personalities. Jaeyi faced criticism for her introverted nature and began hiding her true self. Over time, she managed to build a facade of extrovertedness. But one day, seeing herself in a group photograph, smiling brightly, she felt that although it was her face, it was totally unfamiliar. In that moment, she realized she was deeply unhappy and not the person she wanted to be. That was when she decided to reconnect with her true self. She chose to embrace her introverted nature once more.

Her pieces explore the dreams she had as a child and the growth pains she thought would disappear as she grew older, but which persist into adulthood.

Jaeyi’s work draws heavily from her childhood. Her paintings tell stories of dreams that have one by one been given up. Though she remains clumsy and lonely like she was in the past, she is now at peace with herself. She is incomplete but free—sensitive, yet peaceful. Life may present many unexpected challenges, but she is confident she will overcome whatever obstacles lie ahead. These stories, which were both strange and beautiful, are buried within the painting and tell the viewer "may you remember your dreams."

The reason her work draws sympathy and hope from viewers is that the artist's questions bring out the pure longings that have been buried deep inside the heart of the viewer. Her hope is that she and her audience can sympathize with each other deeply, as if her eyes can touch those of the viewer. Her pieces explore the dreams she had as a child and the growth pains she thought would disappear as she grew older, but which persist into adulthood.