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Illustration by Hokyoung Kim

Letters from the Editors

I have been thinking about sex as a theme for our magazine for some time. Perhaps it is not surprising that it did not unfold until our fourth volume, given the vulnerability in navigating this theme.

When we started working on this volume, the theme of sex seemed like a big departure from our last three volumes in many ways. I thought that having a theme of sex would give the volume an “edgier” feel—maybe we would have a darker colour palette or push some boundaries. In retrospect, I am not sure where my expectations were going with this line of thought. Edgy for whom and how? Does sex have to look or feel so dark? What kinds of boundaries were I thinking of, when sex can often feel like one massive boundary?

This volume required a certain “back to the very basics” for a topic that is anything but basic. Even though it is a shorter volume than usual, it felt like it took longer to put together while feeling harder, requiring more of us to give and more humility. There is any number of other topics we could have talked about, but at the centre of it, it felt necessary to talk about what it means to move in this world in the bodies that we carry.

Mirae and I invite you to join us in confronting preconceptions and embracing the spectrum of experiences. I hope you will accept our invitation with an open heart.

Wishing you softness,
Harriet
This may be the most challenging volume we’ve ever put together. The three letters evoke warmth and desire but also discomfort and insecurity. They exist in a space of dichotomy—one that feels even more personal than our previous volume’s exploration of aging. Sex is already heavily coloured with preconceptions, especially within Korean society. These cultural perceptions inevitably influence how those of us in the diaspora also understand it. Reframing my mindset to break away from its “taboo” image and think beyond its superficial associations was a challenge. But it was precisely this tension that drew us to this theme: to dive into its complexity and how it threads through our lives, often in ways we don't fully recognize.

When brainstorming this theme, the first thing that came to mind was the globally resounding statistic: South Korea’s birth rate has dropped to the lowest in the world, at 0.72. While this number doesn’t directly reflect many of us living in the diaspora, I’ve been reflecting on how it might actually signal the realities that we’re also navigating today. What are we feeling, thinking, and navigating when it comes to sex?
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I thought of a quote from Hwang Sun-woo of 여둘톡 (Two Women Talk Together): 우리 사회는 “더 나은 삶에 대한 의지와 욕구가 강한 여성을 자연스럽게 살도록 내버려두지 않는다.” (Our society “doesn’t allow women with a strong will and desire for a better life to live naturally”).

These lingering questions guided this volume, explored through four pieces, each with its depth and perspective. They examine the invisible pressures shaping our desires, the societal expectations we carry, and the private negotiations we make with our bodies, relationships, and, in some cases, our faith—all while celebrating the pleasures and joy that sex can bring. Each piece touches on a social reality that together reveals the intricate ways sex exists in our lives.

​This volume is an invitation to confront our preconceptions and fully embrace the spectrum of what sex represents in our lives.

For the future,
mirae.
Cover Art:
Hokyoung Kim is an illustrator based in New York. She is interested in making images with stories and moods with light and shadow. 
| Website: hokyoungkim.com, IG @hokyoungkim_