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Choi Soonwoo
Limb Eungsik, Portrait of Choi, Soon-Woo, 1981, Gelatin silver print on paper, 25.5×33cm. MMCA collection

Choi Soonwoo

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Choi Soonwoo (1916-1984, pen name Hyegok) was an art historian who served as the fourth director of the National Museum. After graduating from Songdo High School in Kaesong in 1936, he worked as a clerk in the Archaeology Department of the Gaepung County Office and studied art history by exploring historical sites with Ko Yuseop. He began working at the Kaesong Provincial Museum in 1946 and was transferred to the National Museum in 1949. When the Korean War broke out, he was tasked with transporting the National Museum’s collection to Busan. He met Jeon Hyeong-pil (pen name: Kansong) when he covered up an attempt to relocate Jeon’s Bohwagak collection in Seongbuk-dong to North Korea, and the two became close friends. Both his pen name “Soonwoo” and his pen name “Hyegok” were given by Jeon Hyeong-pil. Choi later served as the supply department head, curator, and director of the National Museum, leading research and exhibitions on Korean cultural heritage. From the late 1950s, he was in charge of Masterpieces of Korean Art, a traveling exhibition that toured the U.S. and Europe (1957–1959) and curated 2,000 Years of Korean Arts (1973) and 5,000 Years of Korean Art (in Japan in 1976, the U.S. from 1979 to 1981, and in Europe in 1984) to promote abroad the excellence of Korean culture. He was also interested in contemporary art and interacted with contemporary artists, including Kim Whanki, Kim Swoogeun, Chang Ucchin, Kim Kichang, and others. In 1956, he established Art Critics Association along with Kim Youngjoo, Lee Kyungsung, Kim Chung-up, Han Mook, and Chung Kyu. He lectured at Hongik University and Ewha Womans University and in 1981 received an honorary degree of Doctor of Literature from Hongik University. He served as the first president (1965–1966) of the Korean Art Critics Association (Hanguk misul pyeongnonga hyeophoe), a member of the Cultural Heritage Commission, and president of the Art History Association of Korea. Focusing on research on the history of Korean crafts and Korean painting, Choi wrote several publications, including Hoehwa (Painting, 1973), Mokchil gongye (Wood lacquering crafts, 1974), Goryeo doja (Goryeo ceramics, 1975), Hanguk hoehwa (Korean painting 1-3, 1975), Hanguk hoehwa (Korean painting 1-3, 1982), Hanguk cheongja doyoji (Kilns of Korean celadon, 1982), Cheongja – Togi (Celadon and earthenware, 1983). His posthumous works include Choesunu jeonjip (Collected works by Choi Soonwoo, 1996), Muryangsujeon baeheullim gidunge gidaeseoseo (Leaning against an entasis column of Muryangsujeon hall, 1994), and Naneun naegeosi areumdapda (I think mine is beautiful, 2002).
* Source: MMCA

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