NMK News & Exhibition

NEWS & EXHIBITION

Fighting Epidemics in the Joseon Dynasty

To explore how the people of Joseon dealt with the fear of contagious disease, the National Museum of Korea held the theme exhibition Fighting Epidemics in the Joseon Dynasty from May 11 to June 21. The exhibition was organized to show ancient Koreans’ determination to fight together to overcome their fear and how they managed to survive epidemics that would have been more frightening then than we find them today. It conveyed a message of hope amidst the uncertainty of today caused by COVID-19.

Part 1 introduced the major contagious diseases that raged during the Joseon period and told the story of those who were sacrificed and those who managed to survive and rose up again. The funeral ode by mid-Joseon scholar of ritual studies Jeong Gyeongse 1563–1633 in memory of his son, who had died of smallpox, expressed the wretchedness and sorrow caused by disease. Yi Jae 1680–1746 , a scholar during the time of King Yeongjo, wrote a poem of gratitude to the doctor who treated two of his grandchildren who had caught smallpox, praising his fidelity and outstanding medical techniques. In the album of portraits of eighteen people who passed deungjunsi, a special exam for military officials, held in 1774, the portraits of Kim Sangok, Jeon Gwanghun, and Yu Jinha clearly reveal their smallpox scars. Considering that three of the eighteen subjects in the portraits suffered smallpox, the album allowed us to guess the terrifying power of smallpox, which was rampant during the Joseon period.

Part 2 focused on efforts to beat new diseases that spread through Joseon such as typhus fever in the early seventeenth century and measles in the eighteenth century. Prescriptions to Prevent Epidemics (Treasure No. 1087-2, Heo Jun Museum) was written by the famous physician Heo Jun in 1613 at the command of King Gwanghaegun in the fifth year of his reign. In this book Heo Jun wrote about the causes of epidemics and stressed that in order to bring them to an end the ruler must reflect on himself and the community must unite to practice humanistic medicine and share the pain to deal with the situation. The Jahyul jeonchik (ordinance for saving children in need), intended to provide emergency aid to children abandoned due to famine and disease, reflected historical wisdom in fighting epidemics through community protection of the weak.

Part 3 explored the people’s desire to beat the terror of disease through religious faith. Smallpox, an ever-present threat throughout the Joseon Dynasty, was itself treated as a lofty deity that went by a name such as Hogu Mama. The exhibition featured Painting of the Daesin Grandmother (Gahoe Museum), who was called upon to show her powers when unknown diseases spread, and Stone Statue of the Medicine Buddha (Daegu National Museum), who was believed to save people in times of epidemic.

Production of Online Videos

The National Museum of Korea has produced a series of videos for online use featuring distinguished figures in society and the arts and culture field who were invited to choose an object from the collection, which is then explained by the curators. Twelve of these videos have been made with the participation of various people, including Kim Jongkyu, honorary president of the Korean Museum Association, and Mark Tetto, businessman of a venture capital investing group, as well as poets, actors, and hiphop artists.

The videos present major items from the museum’s collection, including the Album of Genre Paintings by Kim Hongdo, the Pensive Bodhisattva, and an Indian sculpture of Vishnu, the content covering interesting topics such as the conservation and treatment of the chosen items and the invited figures’ anecdotes about the museum. Planned and produced to enable the whole family to look at the museum exhibits while sitting at home, they are released on the NMK website (www.museum.go.kr) and through social media.

The Museum and the War

Statue of Avalokiteshvara Rescued by US Troops

Late Goryeo–early Joseon Dynasties

The COVID-19 outbreak forced the National Museum of Korea to reclose temporarily, starting on May 29, but the people at the museum stayed busy preparing for the theme exhibition of deep significance. The Museum and the War is being held to mark the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War (June 25, 1950). It sheds light on how the NMK worked to preserve cultural heritage that was in danger of being lost and helped to keep the nation’s cultural legacy to continue.

Cultural heritage that underwent the ordeals of war are on display in the gallery. In addition, the story is told of the crisis the NMK faced and the damage that it suffered from the time Seoul was taken by North Korean troops on June 28, 1950 until it was recaptured by UN forces on September 28. Visitors also learn about the activities undertaken by the NMK, while it was moved to Busan as a place of refuge from the fighting. The relics uncovered as the fighting raged some seven decades ago, and the materials on the “1st Invitational Exhibit of Modern Artists” hosted by the NMK bear witness to the determination to overcome the ravages of war and rise. The Museum and the War is being held in the Joseon Dynasty Gallery 2, on the first floor of the Permanent Exhibition Hall. This exhibition initially opened on the NMK website and YouTube on June 25 and will run through September 13.

Museum Reopens on Reservation Basis

The National Museum of Korea reopened on May 6 the Permanent Exhibition Hall, which had been temporarily closed due to COVID-19, on a reservation basis. Visitors could book ahead for entry to the museum on the NMK website (www.museum.go.kr). To avoid crowding, the number of visitors was limited to 300 people per hour and all guided tours and group tours had been discontinued. Reservations for the Children’s Museum could also be made online, with entry limited to 70 people per session.

Those who made advance reservations had to wear a mask and undergo a temperature check when they reached the entrance to the Permanent Exhibition Hall. Once inside, visitors presented their QR code, received at the time of reservation, at the desk for scanning and passed through the security checkpoint before finally entering the exhibition hall. On-site bookings could be made in cases where online reservation was difficult. Nevertheless, it was advised to check the museum website before visiting.

Though the online reservation system of visiting the museum was new and unfamiliar, the reopening of the museum even on partial basis provided some comfort for everyone wearied by COVID-19. For those who are far away from the museum, the NMK is planning to expand its online contents.

Renewal of Facilities at the Children’s Museum

The National Museum of Korea has redesigned the Children’s Museum logo and installed a large sign that can be instantly recognized even from far away, and also renovated old and worn down facilities such as the waiting room, lunch lounge, and reading room into places suited for the Children’s Museum. Also, it has expanded the online reservation system and installed a ticket machine as part of its renewal of the entryway.

The lunch lounge, always a popular resting place, has been made even more attractive. Here children and their parents can sit and rest, watching videos of the exhibitions and activities or reading some of the recommended children’s books. At the NMK we hope that our young visitors using the renewed facilities will be able to spend their time more happily and comfortably and learn to cultivate their own thoughts and ideas.

YouTube Virtual Graduation “Dear Class of 2020”

A virtual event titled “Dear Class of 2020” was hosted by YouTube for all high school students and university students around the world whose graduation ceremonies were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Commencement speeches were made by leaders and artists including the former U.S. presidential couple Barack and Michelle Obama, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, pop stars Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, and BTS from Korea. The boys from BTS made two kind of videos shot at the National Museum of Korea. One features BTS performing three of their songs – “Boy with Luv,” “Spring Day,” and “Mikrokosmos” – in the museum’s outdoor Open Plaza. The other video, running 12 minutes and 33 seconds, shows the members after the performance making a heartfelt commencement speech on the Path to History inside the museum with the Stele of Master Wollang from Wolgwangsa Temple in the background. Starting with the leader RM, the members in turn reflect on their own graduation ceremonies to console and show their support for graduating students around the world. Released on YouTube at 4 a.m. on June 8, the videos have enthusiastically received by fans and racked up a high number of views.