Diplomatic corps in Korea visit KU for first public display of

Junggwangdae Masks
View world folk mask collection exhibition at Korea University museum

Korea University invited members of the diplomatic corps in Korea for a special viewing of “Magic Art Symbol [K]reative,” currently open at the Korea University Museum, on June 15th, 5:20 PM.

Ambassadors and delegates from various diplomatic missions in Korea, including H.E. Jaime Pomareda (Ambassador of Peru), H.E. Eric Walsh (Ambassador of Canada), Oscar Gustavo Herrera Gilbert (Ambassador of Equador), Rodolfo Solano Quirós (Ambassador of Costa Rica), and Luis Fernando Iribarne Restuccia (Ambassador of Uruguay), attended the viewing with Jaeho Yeom (President of KU) and Kyung-wook Jeon (Director of the Korea University Museum).

“Magic Art Symbol [K]reative” is being featured at the Korea University Museum from May 16 to July 29. The collection displays Korean masks as well as those from Asia, the Americas, Melanesia, and Europe.

The special exhibition showcases over 350 masks from 21 different countries. Visitors can view and compare unique mask styles from Korea, Japan, China, Tibet, and African nations, courtesy of prestigious organizations including the National Museum of Korea, the National Folk Museum of Korea, and the Myeongin Mask Museum, which had been previously spread out across the nation until this exhibition.

The eight junggwangdae masks, which were collected in the 1920s and 1930s by Jin-tae Son, who was one of the early pioneers of Korea’s folk and history studies and served as the director of the museum at Bosung College (known today as Korea University), are being unveiled to the public for the first time. Up until now, the Korea University Museum held the junggwangdae masks in its private collection.

Visitors have the unique opportunity to compare masks from various parts of the world by purpose, function, country, and culture in one place, gaining in-depth understanding of different folk cultures of the world through mask culture.