“Untying the Knot” © 2026, Roah Yang

The social contradictions we face often appear as enormous knots that seem impossible to untangle. Within a cycle of maintaining the status quo—where corruption and greed, hatred and prejudice, are tightly woven together—individuals can easily feel powerless. Yet the movement of the hand depicted in this work is directed not toward destruction, but toward resolution.

Rather than severing deeply entrenched injustice with a single stroke, the careful and persistent act of unraveling tangled threads represents a form of practical resistance aimed at creating a better future. This meticulous process reconnects the fragmented experiences of a community, uncovers hidden possibilities, and ultimately opens pathways for positive change.

At the fingertips that patiently loosen the tangled knot, a new form of connection—the one we have long hoped for—finally begins to emerge.


Roah Yang, a student at Cityhill Academy in Korea, is drawn to the patient work of untangling social contradictions rather than turning away from them. She sees change not as a force that pushes through all at once, but as a process of working through the tangle with patience.