Moonsung Lee: From Blizzard Animator to Lyrical Documentary Photographer
Moonsung Lee, originally from Seoul, relocated to the United States in 2007 to pursue animation. He dedicated 17 years to character animation at Blizzard Entertainment, concluding his tenure in 2024. Currently, he operates a bakery alongside his wife and began delving into photography in 2023. Despite lacking formal training, Lee holds a BFA in Illustration/Animation and draws inspiration from renowned photographers and poets. His artistic endeavors examine the transformative nature of photography on everyday subjects. His ongoing projects include Still Lifes from Home (2023), South of Orange (2023–2026), and Domestic Photographs (2025–2026). Lee showcases his work through social media, prints, and zines, aiming to connect with those who value photography as an art form. An interview featuring him was published by Lenscratch, with tags for Elliott Linwood and Lyrical Attentiveness.
Key facts
- Moonsung Lee was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, and moved to the U.S. in 2007 to study animation.
- He spent about 17 years as a character animator and layout artist (CGI cinematography) in the Cinematics department at Blizzard Entertainment until 2024.
- He now runs a bakery with his wife and began taking photography seriously in 2023.
- Lee holds a BFA in Illustration/Animation but has no formal training in photography.
- His influences include Walker Evans, William Eggleston, Stephen Shore, Joel Sternfeld, the Düsseldorf School, and poet William Carlos Williams.
- He works in straight photography and lyric documentary, using medium and large formats to describe mundane subjects in detail.
- His ongoing projects include Still Lifes from Home (2023), South of Orange (2023–2026), and Domestic Photographs (2025–2026).
- He circulates work via social media, prints, and zines, and wishes for it to appear in exhibitions and publications.
Entities
Artists
- Moonsung Lee
- Walker Evans
- William Eggleston
- Stephen Shore
- Joel Sternfeld
- Bernd Becher
- Hilla Becher
- Thomas Struth
- Simone Nieweg
- Bernhard Fuchs
- Laurenz Berges
- William Carlos Williams
- Elliott Linwood
Institutions
- Blizzard Entertainment
- Düsseldorf School
- Lenscratch
Locations
- Seoul
- South Korea
- United States
- Yongsan