Lowpress

A content studio and publisher that has been documenting people, food, and regions since launching <boouk> in 2016. They produce stories gathered by visiting locations in person, meeting people, and reporting, producing them in various formats including books, magazines, and branded content. Since 2019, they have published <goeul>, which records regional food culture, covering Gyeongju, Damyang, Gangneung, Daegu, Suncheon, Busan, and Daejeon. Recently, they have taken a fresh look at Seoul

Q. Low Press started with *The Kitchen* in 2016. What kind of stories did you initially want to personally research and turn into books?

I didn't start with a specific story in mind. I created *The Kitchen* out of a personal curiosity: "What kind of kitchens do other people live in, and how do they eat?" When I visited these places in person, I discovered that kitchens contained not only what people eat, but also their tastes in choosing items, lifestyle habits, and even the history of their lives. Since then, I have been seeking out and documenting stories I had overlooked in the lives of ordinary people, meeting them in person along the way.

Even when photographing food, I re-decorate or

I capture the actual appearance without any setup.

In the text, the editor's interpretation is that of the person who conducted the interview.

Let's check if it covers the voice.

At Raw Press, 'Raw' refers to the subject as we want it to be.

It can be seen as an attitude of unwillingness to change.

Q. 'Rawpress' is a name combining 'Raw,' meaning unprocessed or raw, and 'Press,' meaning publishing. How does this name remain in your current working methods?

While reporting, I often encounter stories that are completely different from what I expected. In such moments, rather than trying to fit them into my initial plan, I try to observe the people and spaces right before my eyes. When photographing food, I capture it exactly as it is served without re-dressing or setting it up, and in my writing, I ensure that the editor's interpretation does not drown out the voice of the person I interviewed. At Low Press, 'Raw' can be seen as an attitude of refusing to transform the subject into the form we desire.

Q. You work on branded content and various projects in addition to magazines and books. Do you have criteria for deciding which work to take on?

I envision how Low Press's perspective will manifest. Rather than simply delivering a predetermined message in an aesthetically pleasing way, I am drawn to work where there is room to discover new stories through direct questioning and reporting. Even when working with brands, I look for stories in their thoughts or attitudes rather than trying to explain the brand itself. Whether it is a book or a magazine, the process is not much different in that it involves discovering, reporting on, and weaving them into a single perspective.

Q. <Goeul> covered seven regions, starting from Gyeongju and extending to Damyang, Gangneung, Daegu, Suncheon, Busan, and Daejeon. How do you decide which region will be the protagonist of a volume?

There aren't any strictly fixed criteria. First, I examine the region's food culture and ingredients to see if there are enough stories worth covering. Sometimes, I choose relatively well-known regions with book sales in mind. Conversely, even lesser-known places become candidates if they possess a unique food culture and have people carrying it on. It is also important to select regions and food cultures that haven't been covered before, so that when looking at <Goeul> as a whole, it doesn't become biased toward any specific area.

While making <Kitchen>, if you look into food and the kitchen

I realized that I could see that person's life.

That is the reason I kept food at the center when I started <Goeul> as well.

Q. I am curious why you start local stories with food, ingredients, markets, and restaurants rather than tourist attractions.

While making *The Kitchen*, I realized that looking into a person's food and kitchen reveals their life. That is also why I placed food at the center when I started *Goeul*. Every region has different climates, topography, and ingredients. The food that has been eaten for a long time also holds the lifestyle and history of that place. That is why I visit production areas following ingredients, and I explore the region by covering markets and old restaurants. As I do so, it naturally leads to the stories of the people who have lived there.

Q. What do you think is the most strongly reflected regional characteristic in Low Press?

I think it is Seoul. Since I started in Seoul, traveled across the country, and returned to create this book, I retain much of the perspective of a traveler curious about unfamiliar places rather than that of an insider in a specific region. Recently, however, I have turned that gaze back to the Seoul where we live.

Q. From the perspective of having personally covered various regions, what does a 'good local brand' look like?

Brands that deeply understand the place where they have settled leave a lasting impression. Some carry on local materials and techniques, while others are people who have migrated from elsewhere to create a new culture. The excellent brands I met while covering <Goeul> also didn't go out of their way to emphasize their "local" identity. By observing the materials they used, how they managed their spaces, and the relationships they formed with the people around them, I could feel the history of that place. It seems that when such places endure, they eventually become the very landscape that defines the region.

Q. What aspects of 'Neo-Local' discussed in this edition of <Edit Debt: Neo Local> resonated with you?

I was glad that the concept of "local" is not limited solely to things that are old or unique. <Goeul> has also documented not only long-standing food cultures and shops but also people newly settling in the region or starting new ventures. After all, what is emerging now will eventually become part of the region's culture as time passes.

Q. Then, what does 'today's local' look like from Lowepress's perspective?

New shops open next to old markets and restaurants, people who left return, and others settle in unfamiliar areas. I believe that these movements come together to create the region as it is today. For this pop-up as well, rather than defining the region with a single image, I wanted to showcase the diverse facets of the different areas encountered in <Goeul> and the people who live within them.

Q. It seems your perspective on the regions has changed as <Goeul> has traveled through seven different areas. What do you look at more closely now?

At first, I focused on finding things unique to that region. As I travel to various places, I now pay closer attention to things that have been passed down for a long time. I observe who continues to preserve these traditions and what newcomers are starting. Since regions are constantly changing, I want to document what is happening there right now.

Q. Are there any reporting and editing standards you would like to uphold even when covering new regions and stories in the future?

I want to continue the practice of going out in person to see things and meet people. Although there is much more we can learn from materials alone, I believe that the moments when encountering unexpected stories in the field changes one's initial perspective are what have made Low Press's books. Rather than grandiose narratives, I do not want to let go of the work of looking deeply into the lives of ordinary people and finding and recording voices that have not yet been discovered.

Maker's Pick

<고을 경주>

If you are encountering Low Press for the first time, I recommend *Goeul Gyeongju*. This is because it is the first *Goeul* (village) series born from the expansion of the gaze that looked into people's lives in *Bu-eok* (Kitchen) to the region. In the 2024 revised edition, the publisher revisited Gyeongju after five years to cover newly opened shops and spaces, as well as the changed travel landscape, and added new stories. In this single volume, you can experience the beginning of *Goeul*, which records the food and people of a region, and the changes in Low Press's perspective over the years.

COMING SOON!

Low Press this coming September

Meet them in person at!

September 17 - 30, 2026, The Hyundai Seoul POP-UP ICONIC B1

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