Chije Kang, the architect and photographer from Figueres who is a success in New York

GironaChije Kang is an architect and cinematographer from Figueres with a distinguished international career. Born in Figueres in the 1990s to a Korean family, when Asian immigration was virtually nonexistent in the Empordà region, she has forged a talented and passionate creative path, working in both photography and filmmaking. After training in Barcelona, ​​she now lives in New York, where she combines prestigious architectural commissions, primarily focused on interior design, with audiovisual projects in independent film, advertising, and contemporary art. Two years ago, she participated in the film The room next door by Pedro AlmodóvarAs assistant to Barcelona-based cinematographer Edu Grau, with whom she won the Goya Award in 2025, Kang, perfectly integrated into the artistic and social bustle of New York City, maintains strong ties to Figueres and its surroundings, where her family and the Empordà landscape continue to inspire her in every project.

Filming two Hollywood stars

Working on Almodóvar's latest film, starring two great actresses like Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore, has undoubtedly been one of the most stimulating projects of Chije Kang's career. In a chance encounter in Los Angeles, Edu Grau, who introduced her to the world of cinema, discovered the Figueres-born architect's natural talent for photography and, without hesitation, brought her on board. Kang became deeply involved in the entire process, from "the initial search for the aesthetic and visual spectrum to the work on set." Furthermore, thanks to her background as an architect, given that the film is set in New York and the apartments and country house where the plot unfolds are so important, Kang was able to establish many lines of communication with the art directors. "Almodóvar is spectacular, and the two actresses, who initially intimidated me a little, are wonderful people, and the atmosphere was very warm and friendly," she recalls with emotion.

The first Koreans in Figueres

Chije Kang's Figueres roots stem from a pivotal decision by her father: a professional athlete on the South Korean national team, he discovered the Alt Empordà region on a trip to southern France and was captivated. He decided to settle there, initially working in a gym and later opening his own taekwondo school, the first in the entire area, at a time when the sport was virtually unknown. Kang was born and raised in this environment. "We were the only Koreans in Figueres," she recalls. "Everyone asked me if I was Chinese or Japanese, and when I was little, I felt like just another kid in the class, completely integrated. I wasn't aware of any difference from the rest of my classmates." She adds, "I think my artistic style is a beautiful blend of my family's Korean heritage and the Catalan culture I grew up with."

It was precisely during her childhood in Figueres that Kang began to develop her creative drive, captivated by the beauty of the natural surroundings, from the Albera mountains to the beaches of Cap de Creus. "The colors of the Empordà are ephemeral, constantly changing, and as a teenager, I was obsessed with capturing the shapes of the clouds in these changes. It was here that my love for photography awakened," she recalls.

Marrying architecture and photography

So how did a young Catalan-Korean woman, enamored with the Empordà landscape, end up studying architecture? "I was a very good student. My parents suggested I pursue a science degree, and architecture seemed like the perfect balance to combine my interest in visual creation with technical and scientific rigor," Kang explains. She first studied in Barcelona and then won a scholarship in New York, where, working with American firms like Handel Architects, she recently contributed to the construction of large residential skyscrapers on the East Coast of the United States. Currently, at the Nainoa studio, she designs interiors for high-net-worth American clients, creating modern, open-plan homes in earthy tones. All this while never losing sight of her passion for photography, since when she arrived in New York, Kang was constantly experimenting with still photos and amateur videos. Then, thanks to the encouragement of Edu Grau, she decided to study photography at ESCAC in Terrassa to professionally combine these two disciplines.

Living in New York

Two creative and interconnected worlds, photography and architecture, pulse with energy in a city like New York, brimming with possibilities and dynamism. "Many cultures and ways of thinking mix, and everything coexists," says Kang. This diversity, she asserts, dissolves closed identities and becomes an engine of exchange. "The fact that you're from another country, that you grew up differently, with a different perspective, or that you speak different languages, isn't a problem; it's highly valued," she explains. Based in New York, but always with a foot in Catalonia, Kang has a multitude of projects underway, such as a documentary filmed in the Empordà region, visual segments for fashion shows, and various research projects on the role of architecture in performative environments.