Chairman Yoon Young-dal of Crown Haitai's Unique Love for Sculpture

Full Support for the 2023 Hangang Sculpture Project
Interest in Sponsoring Publication of Specialized Books
Aiming to Strengthen Competitiveness in the Global Market

"After talking with critics, I realized that I had been feeling frustrated because I didn't really understand sculpture well and was just moving around blindly. It hurt my pride, but I also empathized, so I studied a lot. The critics say that now I seem to have at least somewhat opened my eyes to sculpture, which is a relief."

Chairman Yoon Young-dal of Crown Haitai is introducing the exhibition ahead of the opening of the '2023 Hangang Sculpture Project' held at Ttukseom Hangang Park in Seoul on the 31st of last month.
[Photo by Crown Haitai Confectionery]

Yoon Young-dal, Chairman of Crown Haitai Confectionery, said this with a hearty laugh at the opening event of the '2023 Hangang Sculpture Project' held on the 31st of last month at Seoul's Ttukseom Hangang Park. Despite approaching his eighties, his steps and expressions as he toured the exhibited works were full of energy. He carefully examined each piece, pointing out areas where the paint or finishing was not smooth with a "hawk's eye," expressing his regrets. Park Cheol-nam, Artistic Director of the Hangang Sculpture Project, said, "(Chairman Yoon) has considerable insight into sculpture to the extent that he can catch details," adding, "From an artist's perspective, it might hurt their pride, but he accurately points out the problems."

Now in its third year, the Hangang Sculpture Project is a special exhibition designed to showcase the beauty of Korean sculpture not only to citizens but also to overseas art professionals. The event is co-hosted by the K-Sculture Organizing Committee, chaired by Yoon, and Crown Haitai Confectionery. Yoon, who has been a patron of the domestic sculpture scene for over 20 years, supported this exhibition by covering over 1 billion KRW in various expenses including exhibition operations, artwork transportation, installation, and insurance, enabling artists to focus solely on creating their works. Director Park emphasized, "He is the only person who sincerely wishes for the development of domestic sculpture and supports this field both materially and spiritually," adding, "In a situation where the sculpture field is shrinking compared to other art fields like painting, he is a great support."

Yoon Young-dal, Chairman of Crown Haitai Confectionery, is smiling brightly while introducing the exhibition at the opening ceremony of the '2023 Hangang Sculpture Project' held at Ttukseom Hangang Park in Seoul on the 31st of last month.
[Photo by Crown Haitai Confectionery]

Chairman Yoon has also emphasized AQ (Artist Quotient) management in his corporate activities. He seeks ways for the company to support three main fields: literature, visual arts, and music, encouraging employees' interest as well. He formed a connection with sculpture while searching for the most needed area of support within the visual arts. Among literature, he supports poetry, and in music, he sponsors traditional Korean music (gugak). Yoon said, "Making snacks can also be seen as a form of sculpture," and evaluated, "Since employees have been exposed to culture and arts, the copywriting and design sketches in the product manufacturing process have greatly improved."

He is also dedicated to expanding the base and competitiveness of Korean sculpture, known as K-Sculpture, not only through exhibitions but also through related publishing activities. Recently, he published a book compiling writings by experts active in the field such as sculptors, art critics, and exhibition planners. Yoon said, "If we only hold exhibitions without explanations about sculpture, it is like a company putting out products to sell without introducing their taste or appearance," adding, "We plan to expand the publication of related books to promote sculpture further." Ultimately, aiming for the globalization of K-Sculpture, he is planning specialized overseas editions and global exhibitions.

Meanwhile, the 2023 Hangang Sculpture Project, themed "Walking Along the Hangang," will be held until October 15. It will showcase 109 large-scale works by 41 of Korea's representative sculptors (and teams). To allow visitors to feel the beauty of art within nature, the Ttukseom Hangang Park has been transformed into a large-scale installation art piece with large sculptures harmonizing with the Hangang River, organized around five sub-themes: light, sound, wind, waves, and people.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.