Kim Gil-sook wins grand prize at National Folk Painting Competition

Artist Kim Gil-sook has won the grand prize in the general category at the 27th National Folk Painting Competition. Her winning work, ‘Pyongyang Governor Welcoming the Newly Passed Scholar,’ is a large-scale reproduction of a late Joseon Dynasty ceremonial painting from 1826. The piece was highly praised by judges for its intricate detail and its successful restoration of parts of the original that had been lost to time.

In the student category, Noh Ha-yun received the grand prize for a creative work titled ‘How Did They Live Back Then Because It Was Uncomfortable?’. The piece depicts tigers engaging in modern daily activities, such as using smartphones and watching YouTube, blending traditional motifs with contemporary life.

The competition, hosted by the government and organized by the Chosun Folk Painting Museum, aims to promote and preserve traditional folk painting. The winning works are scheduled for exhibition at the Chosun Folk Painting Museum and the Korea Art Museum in Insa-dong, Seoul.