'Peonies Bloom and Green Grapes Appear'... National Library of Korea Hosts Poetry Media Art Exhibition

"Writer's Notebook" Exhibition Opens on March 20

Kim Youngrang, Lee Yuksa, Yun Dongju, and Jeong Jiyong's Works Presented Through the Seasons

The National Library of Korea announced on March 19 that it will present a new exhibition titled "Writer's Notebook," which brings the poems of Kim Youngrang, Lee Yuksa, Yun Dongju, and Jeong Jiyong to life through media art. The exhibition will be held from March 20 at the "Path of Knowledge" exhibition space in the National Library of Korea, Seocho-gu, Seoul.

Exterior view of the media art exhibition titled "Glass Window 1," based on the poem by Jeong Ji-yong. Photo by National Library of Korea

This exhibition features four representative works of modern Korean poetry, each symbolizing a different season, reimagined as interactive content for visitors. The featured poems are "Until the Peony Blooms" by Kim Youngrang, representing spring; "Green Grapes" by Lee Yuksa, evoking the sentiment of summer; "Boy" by Yun Dongju, themed around autumn; and "Glass Window 1" by Jeong Jiyong, capturing the essence of winter.

Visitors can interact with the exhibition in various ways, such as touching or moving along the walls and floor to make peony flowers bloom, clusters of grapes appear, or lines from the poems expand into light, with each work offering a unique interactive experience. In particular, "Green Grapes" is depicted using a digital ink painting technique that highlights the dynamic lines and the beauty of empty space, while "Boy" utilizes calligraphy to three-dimensionally convey the visual beauty of Hangul and the lyrical qualities of the original poem.

The library explained that the exhibition was designed to help generations familiar with digital media approach modern and contemporary Korean literature more easily. After experiencing the exhibition, visitors can revisit the original texts in print at the "Path of Knowledge" bookshelves.

To commemorate the opening, the National Library of Korea will host an "SNS Visit Certification Event" from March 20 to 31, giving commemorative gifts to 100 participants. In addition, the "K-Culture with Commentary" program, which offers guided explanations of three experiential zones including "Immersive Library," will be held four times daily. "BTS’s Bookshelf," an exhibition featuring Korean literature read by BTS, will also run from March 20 to April 12.

Lim Jaebum, Head of Knowledge Information Services at the National Library of Korea, stated, "This exhibition will offer a special opportunity to rediscover the infinite value of Korean literature through digital technology. We will continue to develop specialized content utilizing our precious culture and arts, so that many people can enjoy new cultural experiences in their everyday lives."

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