Monday Muse: Hannah Yoon

A picture of family, community, and collective warmth

Years ago, I published a photoblog. Remember those? The premise was simple: a photo a day with some links to see more of that artist’s work. Instagram changed everything, so I’m trying something new: the Monday Muse, a visual inspiration for your email inbox. No algorithms, no ads. Just a picture to start your week. Would you like to show something of yours here? Please email anytime! —AA

Hannah Yoon, This is Family, March 1, 2026

My Dad’s been in and out of the hospital a lot lately, so I’ve been reading about death, aging, and dying in recent weeks. I know it sounds dark, but I’ve been finding it helpful to focus on the passage of time and what it means to embrace the finitude and quality of our lives. I read Atul Gawande’s Being Mortal, and I finished Donald Hall’s Essays After Eighty the other day, and I highly recommend them both. It helps to think about what our lives might look like years from now — easier said than done, I know.

Amid all of this, I came across a wonderful picture by photographer Hannah Yoon, who has become a favorite blogger of mine over the past year. She made this image earlier this month for her grandmother’s 100th birthday. On the surface, it’s a family snapshot celebrating this important event, but when you slow down and look closely, it’s a rich tapestry of colorful characters, with multiple stories unfolding within the frame. Hannah’s picture is about people and relationships, and, above all, the connections among family members. In her latest post, she writes about community and the Korean concept of Jeong:

Jeong (정) represents deep, unspoken emotional bonds, collective warmth, and long-term attachment developed over time between people, places, or objects. Jeong is commonly experienced through sharing, mutual care, and selfless actions. Jeong de-centers each person and focuses on the collective experience.

These days — especially now, with so much terrible stuff happening around the world — each of us can use more Jeong in our lives. The bonds of close friends and family are good for our minds, bodies, and overall health. These relationships nurture our spirits, and we shouldn’t take them for granted. It’s obvious stuff, but easy to forget.

I hope you’ll read Hannah’s post this week and check out her newsletter, Notes from Hannah Yoon. You can learn more about her on her website and follow her on Instagram — she shows photography there @hannahloveyoon.

Thanks again for sharing your work with me, Hannah! Take care of yourselves this week, friends, and be well. Cheers!

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