K Auction November Auction: Kim Whanki's "Dapgyo" Estimated at 1.5 Billion KRW, 108 Works Valued at 8.6 Billion KRW

The November auction, set to take place at the K Auction headquarters in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 26th, will feature a total of 108 works, with an estimated value of approximately 8.6 billion KRW. Leading the auction is Kim Whanki's 1954 piece "Dapgyo," alongside masterpieces by renowned artists whose works collectively offer a comprehensive view of the 70-year history of abstract art in modern Korean art. "Dapgyo" is the most notable among the five works by Kim Whanki featured in this auction. It is highly rare, depicting uniquely Korean landscapes and sentiments through Kim's distinctive visual language. The title "Dapgyo" (踏橋), meaning "stepping on the bridge," originates from a traditional custom performed during the first full moon of the lunar year, where people would step on bridges to ward off misfortune and pray for health and blessings. Another work by Kim Whanki, "Untitled," illustrates the artist's journey as he explored and stylized Korean motifs, and from the

General

11.14 13:05

Lee Kun-hee Collection’s First International Tour: Largest Exhibition in Over 40 Years Featuring National Treasures and Treasures

The National Museum of Korea and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art announced that the first overseas touring exhibition of the late Lee Kun-hee’s donated collection, titled "Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared," will open on November 15 at the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C. This exhibition features 297 cultural heritage pieces from 172 works, including seven National Treasures and fifteen Treasures such as Jeong Seon’s "Inwangjesaekdo," held by the National Museum of Korea, as well as 24 modern and contemporary Korean artworks by artists such as Park Soo-keun and Kim Whanki from the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. The National Museum of Asian Art postponed the exhibition’s opening once due to a temporary closure caused by the U.S. federal government’s shutdown, but with the government’s reopening on November 12 (local time), the special exhibition is now able to proceed. The National Museum of Asian Art, a Smithsonian Instit

Performance·Exhibit

11.14 12:40

[Namsan Stroll] Japanese Manga Take Over Theaters: What Half-Human, Half-Monster Characters Tell Us

Recently, Japanese manga have been dominating Korean theaters. Titles such as "Demon Slayer," "Chainsaw Man," and "Jujutsu Kaisen" are drawing crowds like much-needed rain in a parched box office. Interestingly, these manga share a notable commonality: beings such as monsters, demons, and devils appear as targets to be vanquished, but at the same time, they are depicted as entities fused with human characteristics. In other words, characters who are "half-human, half-monster" are consistently at the center of these stories. In "Demon Slayer," the protagonist Tanjiro seeks to restore his sister Nezuko, who has become a demon, back to her human form. Denji from "Chainsaw Man" is a human fused with the Chainsaw Devil, and Yuji Itadori from "Jujutsu Kaisen" is possessed by a cursed spirit. Looking further back, "Attack on Titan" also features a protagonist who is a hybrid of human and titan, and even in the recent "K-Pop Demon Hunters," the character Lumi exhibits a form that blends human

General

11.14 11:28

[Stones and Stories] Only What Is Shaped with Heart Can Stand Strong

The saying that mindset determines the outcome is just as true in the game of Go. If you underestimate your opponent and approach the match carelessly, your net will be full of holes. You will not catch even a small fish, let alone a big one. Instead, you will struggle against your opponent’s counterattacks, and the tide will gradually turn against you. The belief that you can always turn things around prevents you from regaining your focus. When building territory along the edge, a two-space extension is appropriate, but if you recklessly extend by four spaces, your house does not become bigger, just weaker. The same applies when building in the corner. Placing stones broadly toward the center only invites your opponent into your own territory. Even when shaping a small bowl, you must put in your utmost care; if your mind is adrift as you play, how can your positions be solid? Your perspective narrows, and your judgment of the situation becomes flawed. Even worse is baseless optimism.

General

11.14 11:22

All Five NewJeans Members Do Not Appeal... ADOR Exclusive Contracts Confirmed Valid

As all five members of the group NewJeans chose not to appeal the first-instance ruling on the "exclusive contract validity confirmation lawsuit," the court's decision affirming the validity of the exclusive contracts between the members and their agency, ADOR, has been finalized. According to the music industry on November 14, Haerin, Hyein, Minji, Danielle, and Hanni did not submit an appeal by the deadline of midnight on this day. As a result, the first-instance ruling delivered by the 41st Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Jeong Hoeil) on October 30 remains in effect. At that time, the court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, stating, "The exclusive contracts are valid," in the lawsuit filed by ADOR to confirm the validity of the contracts. After losing the first trial, all NewJeans members have expressed their intention to return. Haerin and Hyein were the first to announce their return through ADOR on November 12. ADOR stated, "We will do our best

General

11.14 11:09

[Bread-Baking Typewriter] Courage to Let You Go, Perhaps the Courage to Live On

"That day, you left for the place you had longed for. I was left behind in a world without you. (Omitted) We could not ask each other anything. Every word lost its voice, circling in our throats before disappearing. Instead, we beat each other's backs and wailed like animals. My stomach hurt so much it felt like it would burst. A pain like labor. On the day I lost you, that pain returned once again." Courage to Let You Go tells the story of a mother who lost her seventeen-year-old daughter to mental illness. Unlike the words widow, widower, or orphan, there is no term for this kind of loss; parents who lose a child are left without even a name. The author does not write to organize her pain, but to survive within it. This book is a record of those unbearably sorrowful and anguished days. On average, 36.1 people end their own lives each day in Korea. With a suicide rate of 28.3 per 100,000 people, Korea ranks first among OECD countries. However, these numbers cannot fully capture the st

Book

11.14 11:08

[How About This Book] Japan Led, Korea Overtook, China Encroached... The Full Story of the Battery Three Kingdoms

In September 2023, during her annual address at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced an immediate investigation into subsidies for Chinese electric vehicles. Following this, a nine-month investigation starting in October concluded that the value chain of Chinese battery electric vehicles was benefiting from unfair subsidies, posing an economic threat to electric vehicle manufacturers in the European Union. At the time, according to market research firm JATO Dynamics, electric vehicles sold in China were about 40% cheaper than those sold in Europe and approximately 50% less expensive than those sold in the United States. China was the biggest beneficiary of climate policy subsidies. Manfred Weber, leader of the European People's Party, stated, "We do not want Chinese electric vehicles to benefit from our climate policies," and emphasized the need for trade protection measures to avoid an attack similar to what happen

Book

11.14 10:00

[This Week's Books] "Woke Capitalism" and More

Woke Capitalism In the United States, the term 'woke' has lost its original meaning of 'being awake' and has instead come to signify 'pretending to be woke.' The author uses this as an example to criticize the phenomenon of corporations co-opting the language of progressivism to encroach upon democracy. Woke capitalism claims to stand for social justice, but the author warns that, in reality, it is a strategy designed to secure long-term corporate profits. Companies like Gillette and Nike are criticized for using discourses on human rights and feminism in their marketing to manipulate consumer consciousness. The author argues that, beyond left-right debates, such corporate power exacerbates inequality and undermines democracy. (Written by Carl Rhodes | Yeomun Books) Next Value-Up The author identifies the causes of the Korea Discount as distrust in capital markets, inefficient governance structures, and an overemphasis on real estate, proposing 'trust capitalism' and 'Value-Up 2.0' as

Book

11.14 10:00

Bacteria Are Teeming... Why You Should Never Use the Gym Shower Barefoot

K Auction November Auction: Kim Whanki's "Dapgyo" Estimated at 1.5 Billion KRW, 108 Works Valued at 8.6 Billion KRW

Lee Kun-hee Collection’s First International Tour: Largest Exhibition in Over 40 Years Featuring National Treasures and Treasures

[Namsan Stroll] Japanese Manga Take Over Theaters: What Half-Human, Half-Monster Characters Tell Us

[Stones and Stories] Only What Is Shaped with Heart Can Stand Strong

All Five NewJeans Members Do Not Appeal... ADOR Exclusive Contracts Confirmed Valid

[Bread-Baking Typewriter] Courage to Let You Go, Perhaps the Courage to Live On

[How About This Book] Japan Led, Korea Overtook, China Encroached... The Full Story of the Battery Three Kingdoms

[This Week's Books] "Woke Capitalism" and More

Special Coverage

In the News