K-Culture Spotlights Joseon Folk Paintings' Humor and Satire
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
A major exhibition at Gallery Hyundai, “Majesty and Creativity: Variations of Korean Minhwa (folk painting),” showcases 27 carefully selected 19th–20th century minhwa and court paintings, arguing that minhwa is a foundation of modern Korean art. Once dismissed by aristocrats as vulgar, minhwa—known for its humor, satire and popular symbolism—has gained renewed interest through the global K-culture wave and media like the animation “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” which borrows motifs such as the magpie-and-tiger (ggatchi-horang-i) paintings. The show highlights works like the playful “tobacco-smoking tiger” and symbolic still lifes (e.g., plum-and-book tableaux with fruit symbolizing fertility). Paired court paintings demonstrate mutual influence between elite and popular genres around the late 19th–early 20th century. Concurrent exhibitions present contemporary artists who carry on traditional painting techniques, and Gallery Hyundai plans further international outreach. The exhibition runs through Feb 28 with free admission.
