Gyeongju Celebrates the 80th Anniversary of Liberation with 'Dokdo Ink Wash Painting'

Kwon Yongseop, Jung Gwangtae, and Jang Gwangpal
A Stage United by Art and Song

The 'Dokdo Ink Wash Performance,' held in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Liberation, concluded successfully. The event, which brought together art, music, and the public, was filled with fervent patriotism and profound cultural inspiration.

Kwon, the master painter, is performing by infusing the spirit of ink wash painting. Photo provided by the reader

At the performance held on the 13th at the 'Dokdo Love Rest Area' near Gyeongju IC, Kwon Yongseop, a Korean-American painter known for his Dokdo-themed works, and his wife Yeo Youngnan demonstrated a rapid ink wash technique, completing a 7-meter-long large canvas in just 10 minutes.

Kwon, who has spent the past 25 years traveling to over 20 countries to showcase Korea’s scenic beauty and the allure of Dokdo, expressed his intention to reignite the passion for the Dokdo movement, which had quieted for a time, through this performance.

Hwa Baek Kwon (second from the right) is showing a hand heart with officials after the performance ended.

The event opened with witty hosting by Jang Gwangpal, the second-generation comedian and descendant of Jang Sopal, a pioneer of Korean comic storytelling. Next, singer Jung Gwangtae, well known for the song "Dokdo Is Our Land," took the stage and passionately sang of his 40-year devotion to Dokdo.

In particular, over 220 senior participants joined a flash mob waving the Taegeukgi, creating a magnificent scene together with an audience of over 250.

The organizers stated, "This event will serve as the prelude to cultural diplomacy for the Gyeongju APEC summit scheduled for October 30 and the 80th anniversary of Liberation," adding, "We hope this will be an opportunity to further promote the value of Dokdo both domestically and internationally through art and performance."

Over 220 senior participants joined a flash mob waving the Taegeukgi, creating a magnificent scene together with an audience of over 250.

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