Korean painter Lee Jong-sang passes away at 88

Renowned Korean traditional painter Lee Jong-sang, known by his pen name Illang, passed away on September 8 at the age of 88. Born in Yesan, Chungnam, Lee was a pivotal figure in the modernization of Korean painting.

He is widely recognized for creating the official portraits used on South Korean currency, including the portraits of Shin Saimdang on the 50,000-won note and Yulgoe Yi I on the 5,000-won note. Throughout his career, he produced 11 national standard portraits of historical figures and various historical records.

Lee dedicated much of his life to researching the autonomy of Korean art, studying Goguryeo tomb murals and traditional techniques. His international recognition included a massive 71.3-meter installation mural displayed at the Louvre Museum's Carrousel du Louvre in France in 1997. Additionally, he was a lifelong advocate for Dokdo, leading the ‘Dokdo Culture Planting Movement’ through his consistent artistic depictions of the island since 1977. He served as a professor at Seoul National University and as the director of the Seoul National University Museum.