UNJournal Jon Lee | Kim Ki-jong is an artist who has gained attention in the Korean art world for his contemporary interpretation of the moon jar, a symbol of traditional Korean ceramics. His works are considered to have a mesmerizing power to stimulate the inner feelings and emotions of Koreans beyond the mere shape of the pottery. As a specially selected artist for the National Exhibition, his skills are widely recognized. Kim has developed his own unique style of painting that harmoniously fuses tradition and modernity, using a variety of materials and techniques to maximize the beauty of h
UNJournal Jon Lee | The 2025 “Diplomacy and Reunification K-Folk Painting Exhibition” will be held from March 12 to 18 at the Korea Museum of Art, Insa-dong in Seoul. The K-Folk Painting Exhibition is co-hosted by the Diplomacy Journal and the K-Folk Painting Research Center, co-organized by the Korea Masters Association and the monthly K-Folk Painting, and sponsored by the Damwha Cultural Foundation. The event is designed to pray for peace and reunification of the Korean Peninsula through art and to recognize the status of Korean culture on the global diplomatic stage. In particular, various
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo A special exhibition will be held to strengthen cultural ties between South Korea and Uzbekistan in the new year of 2025. The 52nd International Cultural Exchange Exhibition will be held from March 5 to 11 on the second floor of the Insa-dong Museum of Korean Art in Seoul, marking the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The international event was organized in consultation with Uzbekistan's Ambassador to Korea Alisher Abdusalomov and Diplomatic Journal Chairman Lee Jon-young. The exhibition will be a magnificent cultural exchange, bring
By UN Journal Kayla Lee “Welcome to the New Year (Byeoksachobok) Sehwa Exhibition,” a large-scale exhibition of folk paintings with traditional Korean values of bringing good luck and wishing for the beginning of the year and warding off bad luck, gets underway through Jan. 6, at the Korea Museum of Art, Insa-dong, Seoul. The exhibition showcases the works of more than 100 folk painters from across the country and seven invited artists from the Korea Masters Association, and is attracting great response and interest. The event was co-hosted by the monthly K Folk Paintings and the Diplomacy Jou
UNJournal Jon Lee | The white tiger painting is one of the four deities in traditional East Asian culture, and is a painting of a white tiger symbolizing the west. It depicts four sacred animals: the blue dragon, the jujak, the white tiger, and the hyeonmu, which represent the directions of east, west, south and north, as well as the five elements, the seasons, and various attributes of nature. Symbolism and characteristics of the white tiger The white tiger represents the west and symbolizes gold. In the Five Elements, gold represents hardness and strength, which is in line with its bravery a
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Author Shin Kyung-ae, whose novel Strange Albergue tells the story of finding answers to life's problems through fantasy techniques, has now published an art practical book on the theme of celebrities. The Entertainer is a textbook and guidebook for those who dream of becoming an entertainer, and it seriously deals with the reality of the entertainment industry, problems, and social concerns from the perspective of a parent. In particular, this book is expected to be a guide that combines both fun and practicality, as many people dream of becoming an entertainer, but th
UNJournal Jon Lee | A special exhibition of New Year's paintings (Sehwa), traditional paintings to ward off evil spirits and wish for good fortune, “Welcome to the New Year” (Byeoksachobok 辟邪招福) will be held at the Museum of Korean Art in Insa-dong, Seoul. The exhibition is co-hosted by the monthly K-Folk Painting and Diplomacy Journal, the World Peace Art Exhibition Organizing Committee, and the K-Folk Painting Research Institute, and is supported by the UN Journal, Citizen Administration Newspaper, K-Culture, Korea Culture, Damwha Cultural Foundation, K-Culture Promotion Foundation, World Cu
By UN Journal Kayla Lee A special cultural exchange exhibition commemorating the 32nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Kazakhstan opened at the Korea Museum of Art in Insa-dong, Seoul, on Nov. 1. The exhibition was co-organized by Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Korea, Nurgali Arystanov, and Diplomatic Journal Chairman Lee Jon-young, and was designed to promote cultural ties and artistic exchanges between Korea and Kazakhstan. The exhibition ran from October 30 to November 5, and the awards ceremony was held on November 1 at 3 p.m., with several ambassadors
UNJournal Jon Lee | Ilwolobongdo (日月五峯圖) is a traditional painting from the Joseon Dynasty and an important work of art that symbolizes the authority of the king. It is widely known as a folding screen placed behind the throne in palaces, and is characterized by a scene depicting the sun, moon, five mountain peaks, and the turbulent waves below. It symbolizes the long life of the king and queen and a prayer for the country's prosperity. Natural elements and symbols The sun and moon symbolize the king and queen in Ilwolobongdo, and they are symmetrical to each other, representing the harmony of
UNJournal Kayla Lee | Korean traditional paintings, known as folk paintings, are gaining attention in the global art market as a new genre called “K-folk paintings” with a modern twist. Combining traditional paintings with lacquer, a unique Korean craft technique, K-Folk Painting is a work of art that harmoniously fuses traditional Korean art with modern aesthetics and is recognized worldwide for its uniqueness. Damwha Lee Jon-young, the artist at the forefront of this pioneering endeavor, is developing a new technique that utilizes lacquer to create a contemporary interpretation of the tradit
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Novelist Han Kang, 53, has become the first South Korean author to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Han received the notification from Sweden's Hanlim Institute on Oct. 10 (local time) and said she thought it was a voice phishing when she heard it. “I'm very surprised and honored,” she said. The Swedish Academy described Han's work as “intensely poetic prose that confronts historical trauma and reveals the fragility of human life,” and praised her original style and innovation in contemporary prose. Han won the Booker International Prize for The Vegetarian in 2016, ra
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