Korean graffiti artist Chris Shim, aka Royyal Dog, once dreamed of becoming a missionary to Africa, but now applies his talent to moving people through his art. Known for his photorealistic murals of African American women in traditional Korean hanbok dress, carrying a message of global harmony, Shim uses his work to help break down barriers between cultures. In May, 2018, Royyal Dog painted Bella, the daughter of a friend, on Lincoln Ave in Alameda, California. The Korean characters carry the message "you are born to be loved" and are offered, says the city of Alameda, as a means of "uniting people and remind us all how much we have in common."  @royyaldog/

Concerned that people have tried to read too much into his work, Korean artist Chris Chanyang Shim, aka Royyal Dog, says his painting “is all about harmony, peace, conciliation and understanding”—it’s not about color, or trying to make a statement about racism. Ten years ago, he says, he started doing graffiti out of his love for hip-hop culture. Royyal Dog told The Container Yard that when he came to the U.S. to paint he felt respected for his culture, so in choosing subject matter was compelled to blend something traditionally Korean with symbols of strong black women as a present back to the black community. When faced with the opportunity to paint his largest wall yet, on the back of an Anderson St. building looking out over the Los Angeles River, he chose Rihanna as a symbol of strength and overcoming challenges. He hopes she likes it. @thecontaineryard  @royyaldog