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Hyunsil Publishing
* Source: Multilingual Glossary of Korean Art. Korea Arts Management Service
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Minjung Art
An artistic movement that came to prominence alongside Korea’s democratization movement in the 1980s. Minjung artists often sought to critically portray the violent repression and corruption of the military dictatorship, to represent the experiences of laborers and farmers, and to achieve social change through art. In contrast to abstraction, which constituted the mainstream of 1970s art in Korea, Minjung Art is notable for the use of representational and figurative forms. One possible point of origin for Minjung Art is Oh Yoon’s work in the Reality Group (Hyeonsil dongin). The group was formed in 1969 by Kim Ji-ha, Oh Yoon, and Lim Se-taek. A variety of Minjung art groups were established, including the Reality and Utterance (Hyunsilgwa bareon) in 1979 by Kim Jungheun, Oh Yoon, Joo Jae-hwan, art critic Sung Wan-kyung, and Choi Min, the Gwangju Freedom Artist Association (Gwangju jayu misulin hyeopuihoe) in 1979 by Hong Sungdam and Choi Youl, the Imsulnyeon (The Year Imsul) in 1982, and the Dureong in 1983. These groups all commonly critiqued Western capitalism. In terms of form, Minjung artists adopted traditional and ethnic folk modes of expression using diverse media such as collage, printmaking, oil painting, and photography. Following the 15 Years of Korean Minjoong Arts: 1980-1994 Exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Minjung Art became an accepted part of Korean art history. Overseas, Minjung Art has also become a recognized term that describes this genre and its unique focus on the political and social history of Korea.
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Research Society for Art Criticism
The Research Society for Art Criticism (Misul bipyung yeonguhoe) was founded by several critics interested in the field of progressive realism, such as Lee Youngwook, Shim Kwanghyun, and Lee Youngchul in 1989. The group aimed to develop the theoretical grounding for a new Korean nationalist art movement and methodology applicable to the rapidly changing social and cultural environment in Korea. They focused on Korean modern art, critical theory, cultural theory, and mass media theory. By providing theoretical support for Minjung art, the group played a significant role in the mainstream emergence of socially critical art in Korea. Major members of the society included Sung Wan-kyung, Lee Youngwook, Shim Kwanghyun, Lee Youngchul, Park Sinui, Eom Hyeok, Park Chan-kyong, Beck Jee-sook, Lee Youngjun, Kim Suki, Kim Jinsong, Kang Sungwon, Paik Han-ul, Oh Museok, Lee Yunam, Cho Bongjin, Choi Bum, Cho In-su, Gal Hong, Yang Hyunmi, Kim Yongcheol, and Lee Juyeong. The group was disbanded in July 1993.
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