I took this photo in Seoul, on National Liberation Day, while riding back from the War Memorial. I was in South Korea to interview artists about political memory, and also to document the broader field of democratic expression. In this picture, I captured right-wing protestors holding a rally in Seoul’s central square. They were supporters of President Yoon, who had taken a hard line against North Korea while expanding relations with Japan. The rally was loud but orderly, with police guarding the barricades and almost everybody wearing sun protection: bucket hats, parasols, long sleeves even for many of the cops. The picture is heavy with contradictions. A statue of Admiral Yi, who defeated the Japanese in the 1590s, rises in the background, framed by the bus window. Liberation Day itself celebrates the end of Japanese rule in 1945. In this context, who could rally for Yoon’s pro-Japanese government? My research tries to make sense of a country that—threatened by North Korea, allied with America, and once colonized by Japan—finds itself embattled and unsure. I printed the picture on campus, in the Edelstone darkroom, from my 35mm negative. The Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression provided research funding. The picture is dated Aug. 15, 2024.