It is raining in Paris, and the late July weather is milder than in other parts of Europe that are wilting under the apocalyptic heat. The city is also emptier than anticipated and the journey from the airport is quick and painless, and when I finally reach Lee Bae’s studio and walk towards his building, I notice the Eiffel Tower looming over the neighborhood.
His studio is opposite a Korean supermarket, but for some strange reason I had located the Asian quarter somewhere between the Louvre and the Opéra de Paris, also known as rue Sainte-Anne. As it happens, the 15th arrondissement has come to be known locally as “K-Town” after Korean government officials and business representatives settled here in large numbers over the past decade, in the process redefining the neighborhood’s culture and ecosystem. Lee
