A conversation across centuries

For those interested in culture and especially Korean culture, Korean Cultural Centres around the world are hubs of knowledge, inspiration and connection. While their core mission is everywhere the same, KCCUK holds a special place among them. Based in London, an internationally recognised art capital, it serves not only as a bridge between Korea and the UK but also as a meeting point for one of Europe's largest Korean communities.

Choe Sooryeon | 장엄연습 Practice of Decorating a Shrine | 2023

A few days ago, following the huge event of BTS THE CITY running through London, I had the pleasure of visiting another wonderful exhibition organised by KCCUK. This time, I was especially fortunate to experience it with a guided tour from one of the Centre's knowledgeable team members, whose passion for Korean art added another layer of appreciation to every piece on display.

Korean Traditional Painting in Alter-age: Pure and Hybrid is an exhibition celebrating tradition, the past and artistic roots, while at the same time embracing evolution, progress and the future. Organised by the Korean Cultural Centre UK in collaboration with the Ilmin Museum of Art, it brings together masterpieces from the late Joseon Dynasty and the twentieth century. Masters including Jeong Seon, Yi Gwangsa, Kang Sehwang, Kim Jeonghui, Jang Seungeop, An Jungsik, Lee Sangbeom, No Soohyeon and Pak Nosoo are placed in dialogue with contemporary painters Jean Song, Choe Sooryeon, Choi Haeri and Hwang Kyumin. The exhibition reveals how past and present can continuously inform one another, rather than remaining separated from each other. 

The main question running through this exhibition is not simply what Korean traditional painting is, but how far it has come and what it has become. Through this mix of historical works and contemporary interpretations, visitors are invited to reflect on the meaning and identity of Hangukhwa, traditional Korean painting, and to discover that tradition is not something fixed in time, but something that continues to grow with every generation.

One of the most fascinating ideas explored throughout is the concept of copying. In Western art, copying is often associated with imitation, yet in East Asian artistic traditions it is considered as an essential part of learning and creative development. By studying the brushstrokes, composition and philosophy of earlier masters, artists were not just reproducing images but absorbing their spirit before finding their own voice. Walking through the artworks, it becomes clear that every generation of Korean painters has done exactly that, building upon the past while creating something undeniably their own.

Yi Gwangsa | 초서 필 신화 시 병풍 Mythological Poems | 1705 - 1777

The historical works featured in the exhibition remind visitors of the extraordinary ri

chness of Korean painting. Jeong Seon, celebrated for depicting Korea's own landscapes rather than imagined Chinese scenery, helped establish a uniquely Korean artistic identity. Yi Gwangsa's expressive calligraphy demonstrates the close relationship between writing and painting, while Kang Sehwang represents the ideal scholar-artist, combining poetry, calligraphy and painting with remarkable elegance. Kim Jeonghui's powerful calligraphic works reveal how deeply personal ink painting could become, and Jang Seungeop's technical brilliance and versatility continue to impress nearly two centuries later. The journey continues through An Jungsik, Lee Sangbeom, No Soohyeon and Pak Nosoo, artists who carried traditional Korean painting into the modern era while preserving its philosophical foundations.

The contemporary artists respond to this legacy in very different ways. Jean Song explores ideas of hybridity, adaptation and coexistence through botanical forms and urban pigeons, transforming familiar subjects into thoughtful reflections on identity and change. Hwang Kyumin examines the very act of copying itself, treating repetition not as imitation but as an artistic process through which new meaning emerges. His work invites us to rethink originality and recognise that every artist stands in conversation with those who came before.

Choe Sooryeon blurs the boundaries between literature, calligraphy and painting. Through the repetitive act of reading and copying classical Chinese texts, she transforms written language into visual expression, revealing that scholarship and artistic practice have always been closely connected. Choi Haeri completes the contemporary quartet with works that continue this dialogue between inherited tradition and contemporary artistic language, demonstrating that Korean painting remains a living practice rather than a historical artefact.

What makes Pure and Hybrid particularly compelling is that every room reveals unexpected connections between artists separated by centuries. Brushstrokes, subjects and ideas echo across time, reminding visitors that innovation has always been part of tradition. The historical paintings no longer feel distant, while the contemporary works gain a deeper resonance through their conversation with the past.

As I walked through the exhibition, I realised that its title offers the perfect summary. Purity and hybridity are not opposing ideas. They depend on one another. Tradition survives not because it remains untouched, but because every generation rediscovers it through fresh eyes and new experiences.

Once again, KCCUK has curated an exhibition that goes beyond simply displaying beautiful artworks. It invites visitors to think, to compare, and to appreciate the remarkable continuity of Korean artistic heritage. Whether you have a long-standing interest in Korean culture or are discovering Hangukhwa for the first time, Korean Traditional Painting in Alter-age: Pure and Hybrid offers a thoughtful, engaging and beautifully presented journey through the past, the present and the future of Korean painting. It is, quite simply, another reminder of why KCCUK continues to be one of London's most rewarding cultural destinations. And the best part, the exhibitions presented by the Centre are open to all without any cost.