The World On arirang

Those of us living in this chaotic time ask the sages this question – Is this the way we should be living? Meeting historical figures over time and space gives us a chance to find little-known knowledge, joy, and even inspiration in the era of globalization.

The world may be going wild over Korean pop culture, but there already was a Hallyu pioneer some 200 years ago during the Joseon period. He was Chusa Kim Jeong-hui, revered as the best artist in all of Joseon who earned the respect of even esteemed Chinese writers. He supposedly made holes in ten ink stones and used up 1,000 brushes over 70 years. Although he came from a royal family and was admired for his exceptional calligraphy works and writings, he was banished to Jejudo Island at age 55. His life was confined to a house surrounded by a thorny fence, but he turned those nine years into an opportunity to create his own unique calligraphic style. We retrace the exile road that Chusa Kim Jeong-hui took and see how he achieved the pinnacle of his artistic career under the harshest of circumstances.