By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young Folk painting is a traditional art form embodying the Korean people's aesthetic sensibility and spirit of daily life. It fills the murals of ancient palaces and the folding screens of folk museums, and today, 200,000 folk painters wield their brushes. Yet, folk painting is nowhere to be found in the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's (MCST) Cultural Arts Promotion Act. While crafts are included, and even ‘comics’ are covered, folk painting doesn't even have a name in the legal framework. Is this truly normal? The MCST proclaims the globalization of K-C
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Ilwolobongdo (日月五峯圖) is a traditional painting from the Joseon Dynasty and an important work of art that symbolizes the authority of the king. It is widely known as a folding screen placed behind the throne in palaces, and is characterized by a scene depicting the sun, moon, five mountain peaks, and the turbulent waves below. It symbolizes the long life of the king and queen and a prayer for the country's prosperity. Natural elements and symbols The sun and moon symbolize the king and queen in Ilwolobongdo, and they are symmetrical to each other, representing the