Traditional Art Rides ‘K-Demon Hunters’ Wave as Contemporary Scene Stalls
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
South Korea’s 2025 art year saw a surge of interest in traditional and heritage artworks, fueled in part by the global hit Netflix animation “K-Pop Demon Hunters” (케이팝 데몬 헌터스, aka ‘Kedeheon’) which popularized images like the magpie-tiger and ilwolobongdo (일월오봉도: sun-moon-and-five-mountains painting). Major museum shows — including a collaborative 350th-anniversary exhibition for geomjae (겸재) painting, several Joseon folk-painting (민화) exhibitions, and blockbuster Silla gold crown displays — drew huge crowds. The National Museum and regional institutions reported record visitors and big sales of museum “museoods” (museums+goods) merchandise. By contrast, contemporary and modern art struggled: public institutions favored imported blockbuster shows over ambitious curatorial programs about Korea’s own modern art, and smaller innovative exhibitions were rare. The year also saw renewed censorship controversies after a museum removed a critical essay draft from an exhibition catalog, prompting broad artistic protest. Market troubles persisted — high-end transactions slowed, authentication disputes resurfaced, and local galleries leaned on continued partnerships with major international fairs to stay afloat, raising concerns that Korea’s market risks becoming dependent on the Western system without nurturing local artistic talent.
