UNJournal Jon Lee | Jujak-do is a symbolic painting that is considered one of the four immortal birds that guard the south in East Asian cultures, including ancient China and Korea. Jujak is depicted in the form of a red bird, reminiscent of a red phoenix, peacock, or phoenix, and is usually depicted as a male-female pair. The painting is not just a beautiful representation of a bird, but also symbolizes the order of the universe and carries a deeper meaning that is linked to the principles of nature. Symbols and roles Jujak symbolizes fire in the Five Elements of Principles, and represents su
UNJournal Jon Lee | “Baeksubaekbokdo百壽百福圖” is a traditional Korean folk painting that wishes for longevity and good fortune. Baeksubaekbokdo means “a hundred years of life,” which implies a wish for longevity. In addition, 'Baekbok百福' means a hundred kinds of 'blessings' and expresses the wish for various blessings in life. In this sense, Baeksubaekbokdo has a strong symbolic meaning as a wish for health and happiness. Composition and symbolism The Baeksubaekbokdo is mainly composed of various symbols and elements that symbolize longevity and good fortune. Some of the most common symbols that
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo “Culinary diplomacy is my tool as food plays a significant role in connecting people. I tried to introduce Africa's rich traditions and diversity through food,” said the spouse of the Tanzanian Ambassador to Korea and author of the book "The Tastes of East Africa: Uncovering Culture Through Cuisine.” In an exclusive interview with Diplomacy Journal, Chaba Rhuwanya Mavura said, “I think this cookbook has been published at the right time when the Korea-Africa Summit was held in June, which was the very first summit of its kind between our nations, it is quite clear that
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo To commemorate the successive Peruvian and Korean Presidencies of APEC 2024 -2025, the Diplomatic Journal co-hosted a cultural exchange exhibition with the Embassy of Peru in Seoul from Sept. 4-10 at the Maru Art Center in Insa-dong, Seoul. The Korea-Peru cultural exchange exhibition featured 30 beautiful and amazing and 35 K-folk paintings by Korean Minwha artists. The Amazon is known as one of the world's most important biodiversity treasures, water reservoirs, and sources of natural resources. Delivering welcoming remarks at the opening ceremony of the exhibition h
By UN Journal Kayla Lee People wearing jeans with jeogori, or a bolero-style female Hanbok (traditional attire) jacket, royal Hanbok or leather pants with hip-torn black jeogori, those carrying traditional fans and bags with traditional patterns, and even dogs clad in Hanbok. These are part of the scenes witnessed from Dongdaemun History & Culture Station to the way to the 2024 Hanbok Expo at Art Hall of Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul’s Jung-gu District, Korea.net reported. It made one feel like the past Joseon era coexisted with the present. Walking from Dongdaemun History & C
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Artist Seo Eun-hye, who paints Korean wildflowers, has been selected to exhibit her work on the big screen in New York's Times Square for the second consecutive year. According to the Busan art community on July 4, Seo was selected as one of 12 artists from around the world to participate in the 'Art Forum: No Boundaries' exhibition organized by Vision Art Media, and had the opportunity to display her work as video art on the big screen in New York Times Square on July 19. This is the second year in a row that Seo has been honored with the selection, as she was the firs
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo The Association of Royal Crafts Culture of Korea and ORIHERI (Oriental Heritage) of Vietnam signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote bilateral cooperation in the exchanges of traditional cultural crafts between the two countries at the Janggyo Building in Seoul on Aug. 9. Lee Chil-yong, president of the Association of Royal Crafts Culture, and Tran Thi Ngoc Diep, chairwoman of ORIHERI, signed the MOU in a signing ceremony held at the Janggyo Building in Seoul. Under the pact, both sides agreed to promote cultural heritage exchange and introduce the import
UNJournal Kayla Lee | Many Korean legends and myths are closely linked to nature. One of the most notable is the 'Manbyeonghwajodo' (萬病花朝圖). As its name suggests, this unique flower is said to have the mystical ability to cure all ailments, and the legends and stories surrounding it have been passed down through the ages. Manbyeonghwajodo is a painting that depicts the characteristic elements of the flower in a stylized manner, rather than in a realistic form. Each canvas is labeled with the names of flowers, such as Hangyuoknyeo Jikgeumhwa, Hongdohwa, Dongjeonghosangbuyonghwa, Yeongjuhwa, Okd
UNJournal Jon Lee | In 2024, the bond between Korea and Africa was strengthened through a series of significant events. The Korea-Africa Summit featured the <Harmony in Symbols> exhibition, which was sponsored by the Ghanaian Embassy and showcased the works of ten notable Korean artists. These artists used traditional Ghanaian Adinkra symbols in their unique works. The exhibition was a highlight of cultural and artistic events during the summit. One of the notable artists we met was Yi Seo-hoo, whose use of the Abode Santann symbol, symbolizing cosmic power and omnipresence, has gained r
UNJournal Jon Lee | The 27th World Peace Art Exhibition 2024 has completed the first and second rounds of judging. The overall grand prize (Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award) went to Kang Moa (Folk Painting), and the category grand prizes (Seoul Mayor's Award and Chairman's Award) went to Cho Kyung-sun (Folk Painting), Kim Young-ok (Western Painting), Joo Eun-young (Western Painting), and Oh Yoon-hee (Korean Painting) and Cho Jin-won (Calligraphy). They will receive a certificate and a purchase cash prize. The 550 selected works out of 1,250 entries will be exhibited from August 21
UNJournal Kayla Lee | A solo exhibition by artist Jeon Byung-hee will be held on the 5th floor of Insa Art Plaza (Lefranc) in Insadong, Seoul from July 10 to 23. In this exhibition, Jeon has developed a technique called "petal touch three-dimensional oil painting technique," in which the artist sculpts petals with paint as if embroidering the emotions felt in her heart, and expresses her wishes for happiness as petals on the tip of her brush. I work in a way that feels a little unfinished because I want the viewers to fill in the gaps in their minds. It is a work that is completed by the artis
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young "Mercy in the heart, peace in the world!" This is the theme of the 2019 Buddha’s birthday celebration in the year of the Buddha, 2563! However, in recent years, we have witnessed many conflicts and instability around the world. Conflicts between nations, racial tensions, mistrust in politics, economic inequality, and many other issues have disrupted our daily lives. In the midst of this turmoil, the values of peace and mercy are more important than ever. The need for peace Conflict around the world is not just a localized problem. The modern world is globalized, and
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young Director Han Myung-ku questions the movie industry and society with his unique perspective on social issues. His next movie, 'Geojedo POW Camp,' is in full production as the set site has been finalized. Han, who won the Best Director award at the Indian International Film Festival for his film "The Silence of One’s Lover," will direct "Geojedo POW Camp," a dramatic film with a total budget of 75 billion won, which is scheduled for release in 2025. The executive producer will be Kim In-sik, chairman of the steering committee of the Korea Association of Film Producers
By UN Journal Kayla Lee If Wittgenstein, a master of modern philosophy, once said, "The ultimate goal of philosophy is to show the fly the way out of the bottle," then the ultimate goal of art would be described as "to make the fly in the bottle dance, sing, and dream, so that it can overcome the gravity of reality." In other words, art, with its unique imagination and creativity, is the pursuit of self-reflection, which includes not only philosophy but also the so-called literary periods of literature, history, and the humanities, and should be aimed at eternity while seeing the limits of hum
By UN Journal Kayla Lee To commemorate the 32nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belarus, the Diplomatic Journal and the UN Journal co-hosted a cultural exchange exhibition with the Embassy of Belarus in Seoul from July 3-8 at the Maru Art Center in Insa-dong, Seoul. The Korea-Belarus cultural exchange exhibition featured 11 works by Belarusian color magician Marc Chagall, 20 beautiful tourist photographs of Belarus, and 37 works by Korean Minwha (folk painting) artists. More than 60 foreign ambassadors, domestic artists and other guests, including Amb