Art Meets Popular Culture: The Flow of Korean Pop Art

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Pop art refers to expressing familiar everyday subjects like advertisements and cartoons as art. An exhibition is currently being held where you can see the trajectory of Korean Pop Art, which began in earnest in the 1990s.

Reporter Lee Ju-sang has the story.

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[Kwon Ki-soo, Lee Dongi, Hong Kyeong-tak, Hong Won-pyo 4-Artist Exhibition: AFTER IMAGES / Until October 9 / Gallery Marie]

Artist Lee Dongi's character "Atomouse," which combines the Japanese cartoon character Astro Boy and American Disney's Mickey Mouse, marked the starting point of Korean pop art in the 1990s.

The expression "kitsch," meaning playful, cute, and vibrant, also began to appear in the Korean art scene.

Artist Hong Kyeong-tak, who filled his canvases with brightly colored pencils, opened another path for the current of Korean pop art.

He expressed the obsessive desires and explosive energy of modern people.

He also critiques a violent reality where everyday tools become sharp weapons.

Artist Kwon Ki-soo's character "Donguri" has no known gender or age.

Sporting a bright, clear smile, it reflects the image of modern people living with loneliness, wounds, and anxiety in a bleak society.

Sometimes the canvas is filled with a joyful and cheerful atmosphere.

Various elements such as characters and lettering expressed with concise lines and plain colors exude positive energy.

[Hong Won-pyo / Artist: I tend to use a lot of primary colors, and I work with the thought that those things can more intuitively, cheerfully, lively, and clearly show cute things.]

Play is the essence of humanity, and that essence is sublimated into art.

[Hong Won-pyo / Artist: I think my work starts essentially as play. I enjoy working, and those things give a creative feeling.]

Visitors can take a comprehensive look at the trend of Korean pop art, where familiar images and kitschy characters communicate with the public.

(Video Editing: So Ji-hye, VJ: Oh Se-gwan)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.