Nam June Paik’s Robot K-456 Walks Again in Kwon Byung-jun’s New Multimedia Piece
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
At the Nam June Paik Art Center in Yongin, artist Kwon Byung-jun revived Nam June Paik’s iconic Robot K-456 (1964/1996) in a 50-minute multimedia performance titled “Ghost Theatre X Robot K-456: The Circuit Turned Back On.” The human-sized robot, originally built by Paik with engineer Shuya Abe and named after Mozart’s K. 456, shuffled onto the stage after being restored with donated circuit diagrams. Kwon’s show also features 14 acrobatic, non-functional robots (emphasizing artistic expression over practical use) that perform gestures, dances and playful acts like scattering coffee beans. The piece reflects Paik’s legacy of “humanizing technology” and extends his vision of media art into today’s era of emotional bonds with robots and AI. A memorial program for Paik will follow at Bongeun Temple (a Buddhist temple) and the Art Center marking the 20th anniversary of his death.
