A major new exhibition at London’s British Museum is inviting visitors to look beyond Korea’s global pop-culture phenomenon and explore more than 2,000 years of the country’s artistic and cultural heritage.
Opening on Oct. 1, “Korea: 2,000 Years of Creativity” brings together works spanning from the early Iron Age to the present day, including objects dating to around 400 BC and contemporary pieces by Korean artists. The exhibition runs until Jan. 31, 2027.
Curator Sang-ah Kim said many young people in the United Kingdom have become familiar with Korea primarily through K-pop, films, television and other contemporary cultural exports. The exhibition aims to show the much longer history of creativity, technical skill and cultural development behind the modern phenomenon.
Among the highlights are Buddhist statuettes and sutras dating from the centuries after Buddhism was introduced to Korea, as well as highly regarded Goryeo celadon ceramics. The exhibition also features works connected to the collection of the late Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee and his family.
Contemporary Korean art is represented by works such as Yeesookyung’s “Translated Vase,” a sculpture assembled from fragments discarded by ceramic artists. The piece explores how broken and imperfect materials can be transformed into something new.
Visitors familiar with recent Korean pop culture may also recognize traditional imagery featured in the exhibition. Paintings such as “Tiger and Magpie” and the “Sun, Moon and Five Peaks” screen have appeared in contemporary Korean-inspired entertainment, including the Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters.”
The exhibition also examines more recent chapters of Korea’s history through works by artists including Suh Do-ho and Lee Jung-seop. Suh’s “Self-Portrait” explores themes of home, migration and belonging, while Lee’s work reflects experiences shaped by the Korean War and separation from his family.
More than 180 works are included in the exhibition, with most objects loaned by the National Museum of Korea and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. Many of the historic objects have never previously been displayed in the United Kingdom.
By bringing ancient artifacts, religious works, traditional crafts and modern art together, the British Museum exhibition presents Korea as a culture whose creative history extends far beyond its current global entertainment boom.
The exhibition will remain on display in London through Jan. 31, 2027, giving international audiences an opportunity to explore the historical and artistic traditions that continue to influence Korea’s cultural identity today.
