Youngsook Choi is a London-based artist and researcher with a PhD in human geography. Self-described as a woman, mother and migrant of Korean origin, Choi explores the institutional abuse of human labour and nature, often through the lens of working-class women and migrants. Factory Girl (2011), the work featured in this exhibition as well as the artist’s first solo show in Korea, is an homage to the young women who worked in the large clothing factories in 1960’s and 70’s Korea under the dictatorship that institutionalised labour abuse for accelerating export. Provoking conversations around the contemporary value system of human labour, this sculptural work features a mannequin donning a 1970’s style woman’s dress made of a fabric printed with Bacchus bottles – the Red Bull of Korea. As a quick remedy for physical exhaustion, Bacchus is still much favoured in many working environments where intensive labour is required. As a symbol of blue-collar culture, Bacchus also alludes to the economic system that continuously exploits manual labourers. Factory Girl, standing alone under the disco ball, chronicles the dreams and memories of these young female workers that allowed them to escape briefly from their abusive working conditions for a night or two. Choi also works as a public art practitioner and researcher and is the current recipient of a Liverpool Biennial 2021, a-n The Artists Information Company and Open Culture Research Bursary. Choi has worked on commissions with various institutions and communities, such as Arts Catalyst, Barbican Centre, Rich Mix, Milton Keynes Arts Centre, MK Islamic Arts Heritage and Culture and Heart of Glass, all in the UK. Currently, Choi is the selected artist for Constellations 2020/21 supported by UP Projects and Flat Time House, and the associate artist of Asia Art Activism at Raven Row in London.