Help me to continue my study!

[My full story is below in English]

Hallo, ik ben Byeongsu Lim, een 28-jarige uit Zuid-Korea. Sinds augustus 2023 studeer ik aan de 'Mime' opleiding van de Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Amsterdam, Nederland. Voorheen actief in Seoul, werkte ik als acteur, kunstenaar en theaterinstructeur op kunst- en humaniora middelbare scholen. In februari 2023 ben ik naar amsterdam verhuisd om mijn artistieke ontwikkeling op een veilige manier verder te verkennen. Momenteel studeer ik aan de Mime Opleiding in Amsterdam en leer ik tegelijkertijd nederlands en engels (mijn studiegenoten hielpen mij dit te schrijven:)).

Helaas loop ik nu tegen praktische en financiële problemen aan die mijn leven hier bemoeilijken. Omdat ik niet uit Europa kom heb ik geen recht op een beurs of studiefinanciering, lopen de kosten voor collegegeld, huisvesting, vervoer, verzekering en levensonderhoud op tot meer dan 1800 euro per maand en dat minstens een jaar lang. Zelf probeer ik dit te financieren door mijn Koreaanse cultuur te delen middels het koken en verkopen van Koreaanse gerechten en en geef ik Koreaanse les. Toch blijkt dit niet genoeg en kan ik mijn studie binnenkort niet meer te zetten.

Bij deze vraag ik om jullie steun als donateurs om mijn studie en artistieke ontwikkeling voort te zetten. Inclusief de wens naar voortdurende artistieke uitwisselingen. Misschien kunnen we samenwerken aan artistieke projecten? Als dank zou ik graag een keer Koreaans eten voor jullie willen maken, culturele ervaringen uitwisselen en nodig ik jullie graag uit voor mijn toekomstige performances. Heel heel veel dank!

Ik wens je een warme winter toe. Blijf gezond en sereen.

[Full story]

 I am a young artist currently studying in the 'Mime' department at the Amsterdam University of the Arts in the Netherlands. I am writing this letter to seek support for my studies and life here, and I hope that through this, ongoing artistic exchange can take place with the individual or organization providing funding.

 Since my undergraduate years, I have had a deep interest in the 'environment' and have conducted various artistic experiments in this field. I wrote and directed the award-winning play <Mutation> at the Miryang Performing Arts Festival, which dealt with environmental themes. I also conceived and directed an exhibition titled <Arctic in Gallery>, illustrating the close connection between the melting of the Arctic and our daily lives.

[Mutation_archive photo]

[Arctic in Gallery_archive photos]

 Following these projects, I continued to develop my values and thoughts on the environment while creating and directing plays such as <Farm Animals> and <Performance Baattu: Byeongsu Lim>. Simultaneously, I worked on establishing my personal theatrical worldview. In 2022, I participated in the documentary <Crossroads of the Era>, produced by Lukete, which focuses on artists engaged in creative activities related to the environment. During the documentary, I shared the background and process of creating the 'Arctic Exhibition.

[Crossroads of the Era_archive photo]

 The exact moment my interest in mime began is unclear, but a persistent desire to sense myself and various life forms not through intellectual understanding but through my body has always circulated within me. Though it may sound somewhat abstract, there was a point where I constantly exclaimed, 'Throw away the complex thoughts and breathe with the body!' Perhaps this stemmed from a reflection and introspection on my entrenched thoughts that circled like a well in my mind, fearing to accept and embrace other beings in my life.

 Another motivating factor was the ongoing realization during my creative process that I wanted to move beyond traditional text-centric theatrical formats and explore performing arts that incorporate various sensations. This led me to develop an interest in body sculpting, installation art, media arts, sound design, and performance.

-In contemporary Netherlands, 'mime' as practiced differs significantly from the traditional French pantomime. Here, the term 'mime' refers to a broad spectrum of physical theater that utilizes the body extensively.-

 In July 2022, actively utilizing body movements, audience participation, immersive elements, eating and drinking, and sound design, I created and directed the documentary theater piece, <Performance Baattu: Byeongsu Lim>. Simultaneously, I performed in the production.

[Performance Baattu: Byeongsu Lim_archive photos]

<Performance Baattu: 000> is part of an ongoing series by the creative arts group 'Performance Baattu,' aiming to document various entities (human, plant, animal, space) in the world and share them with others. The creation of '<Performance Baattu: Byeongsu Lim>' marked a significant step in actively experimenting with and establishing my artistic direction.

[Performance Baattu: Performance Baattu_ archive phots]

 In January 2023, before coming to Europe, I created the second work in this series, <Performance Baattu: Performance Baattu>. The creative arts group 'Performance Baattu' constantly seeks encounters with different entities for their works. We explored the attitudes we should adopt and the stories demanded between these encounters. This discussion naturally expanded into a narrative about our environment, reaching a point where we questioned how we should view countless other life forms and existences.

 Through these projects, I embarked on studying 'Mime' in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to delve deeper into and expand my artistic values. Sustaining my studies here requires considerable financial support, covering university tuition, accommodation, transportation, insurance, and living expenses. The detailed figures for these fixed expenditures are as follows:

Monthly Fixed Expenses:

University Tuition: €626.49 (€5,615 split over 9 months)

Housing: €545.00 (Rent of €845.00 with a housing subsidy of approximately €300.00 received from the Dutch government)

Transportation: €280.00 ~ €300.00 (Round-trip tickets from Leiden-home to Amsterdam-school)

Insurance: €38.00 (Compulsory student insurance)

Food/Living Expenses: Approximately €300.00

-> €1,809.49 (per month)   -> Total: €16,000.00 (per 9 months) + alpha

 Currently, the funds I have brought from Korea are significantly insufficient to cover all these fixed expenses. Consequently, I am actively seeking part-time work within the allowed work hours for international students in the Netherlands. Simultaneously, I am engaging in activities to introduce Korean culture to my school friends, selling various Korean foods, and teaching the Korean language to foreigners as a means of promoting Korea. Despite these efforts, it is still challenging to secure enough funds, and I am in need of financial support to continue my studies.

 Art plays a crucial role in making people perceive and experience life and the world from new perspectives. In a modern society focused on results and capabilities since industrialization, art is an essential element in making individuals realize that 'life is not just a means but a purpose in itself.' Due to the nature of this genre, artists need a safe space and time to thoroughly experience and contemplate the processes of life and work to produce a single outcome.

 I would be grateful for your support through funding, enabling me to continue my studies and artistic endeavors in a safer environment. Additionally, I plan to share and invite those who contribute to my funding to future artistic projects and create programs that involve treating individuals to Korean cuisine. Through such artistic interactions, I sincerely hope to foster beautiful relationships and environments beyond simple funding.

Thank you.