This hoodie was designed by beloved artist Christine Sun Kim for The Hundreds to support GYOPO’s free year-round programs.
 
Christine Sun Kim’s halmoni (grandmother) was forced to leave North Korea for the South in 1947, and eventually immigrated to the United States with Christine’s parents. After growing up in Southern California, Christine continued onwards and moved to Germany, where she has started her own family. Christine shared with us that she often wonders if her child will end up immigrating to another country– how far and to where will the gyopo path lead?

The term gyopo refers to our geography, but also is an identity construction that holds together generations of Koreans. Christine traces and unites her living matrilineage with four tigers, drawn by her halmoni (96 this month!), mom, kid’s, and own drawings. Koreans have been depicting tigers (호랑이) in artworks for thousands of years. Sometimes they appear ferocious with penetrating gazes, to ward off evil spirits and influence. In satirical paintings, they are given ridiculous expressions, to mock the oppressive aristocratic yangbans of feudal society. Christine’s family continues the tradition of interpreting the essence of the tiger, with different energies and expressions.