Shin (2019) is a collaborative project between Hyeji Nam and LEA, both originally from South Korea and currently based in Oslo, Norway, and Vienna, Austria.

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The term Shin means god, spirit, or new in Korean, and the film Shin is grounded in Korean shamanism and traditional witchcraft. In Korean tradition, shamans are said to channel spirits through their bodies, serving as mediums for fortune-telling, exorcism, worship, and prayer. These shamanic ceremonies typically include minimalistic rhythms and music, chanting, acting, dancing, and singing, often expressed through powerful emotions such as crying and laughter, aiming to release blocked energies, sorrow, and anger—referred to as Han (a deep, collective form of grief and frustration) in Korean culture.

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In this project, Hyeji Nam and LEA use the female figure as a powerful expressive tool, symbolizing a response to the oppression of patriarchal society. As South Korean women, both artists have experienced the effects of a society shaped by capitalism, superficiality, patriarchy, war, social pressure, and a sense of hopelessness. Through Shin, they break away from these societal constraints, expressing their resistance through a spiritual ritual.

LEA and Hyeji juxtapose traditional Korean shamanism with modern video and sound installations to explore themes of politics, culture, and gender. These themes can sometimes appear confrontational; however, when communicated through the abstract expression of Korean shamanic ritual, the atmosphere is charged with emotional intensity, yet devoid of explicit rhetoric. This approach offers both artists and audiences a path to deeper self-reflection, contemplation, focus, and interaction with ideas on a fundamental level.