Traditional Korean Minhwa (folk painting) Rides the K-Animation Wave at Gallery Hyundai
Creatrip Team
7 months ago
Gallery Hyundai opens the year with two exhibitions—“Splendor and Creativity: Variations of Korean Minhwa” and “Hwado”—bringing 27 works of 19th-century minhwa (folk paintings) and court paintings into conversation with contemporary reinterpretations by six living artists. The show features popular motifs such as hojakdo (호작도: painting of magpies and tigers), sipjangsaengdo (십장생도: ten symbols of longevity), and large-scale court screens like hopido (leopard painting). The exhibition highlights how humble, humorous minhwa—often carrying prayers for longevity, fertility and prosperity—resonate today, helped by global interest sparked by Netflix’s animated hit “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” whose characters were inspired by minhwa animals (the tiger “Duffy” and magpie “Seossi”). Contemporary artists expand minhwa’s language using traditional materials and global textiles, creating a living, modern folk art. The shows run through Feb 28.
