PIXEL & PAINT

May 28th (Thu), Emerald Hall, Yeong Bin Gwan

The Power of K | The Force That Changes the World

K-Culture has secured a powerful momentum that goes beyond a passing trend —
it is actively reshaping the cultural landscape of the world.

PIXEL & PAINT 2026 symbolizes this movement as an inevitable "acceleration,"
born from the fusion of Korea's artistic DNA with contemporary sensibility
and technological prowess.

This forum is a declaration that Korea has evolved beyond being a mere "star factory" that
the world consumes and has emerged as an "exporter of insight" —
one that leads global discourse and sets new aesthetic standards.

Drawing on the 66-year heritage of The Seoul Economic Daily,
this forum proposes a concrete blueprint for how Korea's cultural pride
will help shape a new future for humanity.

We invite you to this historic occasion, where we design the sustainable future of
K-Culture at the intersection of art and technology.

At the meeting point of "PIXEL" — the smallest unit of digital art —
and "PAINT" — the medium of traditional fine art —
we will witness a new future of cultural innovation,
where the logic of technology and the sensibility of art converge.

The Power of K: Redefining the Global Standard

Today, K-Culture goes far beyond a fleeting trend.
It is fundamentally resetting the cultural map and standards of the world.

Expansion Without Boundaries
The overwhelming achievements of K-pop, film, and drama in popular culture
have now expanded into the full spectrum of Korean lifestyle —
encompassing our sense of style, cuisine, and fashion.

The Pinnacle of Fine Art
This influence has penetrated deep into the realm of classical and fine arts,
presenting new aesthetic standards that reach into the very heart of
Western artistic tradition.

Rising as a Global Architect
The standard Korea set has quietly become the standard the world follows.
Today, Korea stands as a true architect of global culture —
one that does not merely participate in the world's conversation, but reshapes it.

Insight, Fascination, and Resonance

[Session 1] A Meeting of Insights: Cultural Variations

A Dialogue Transcending Time
Through the discerning eye of Director Yoo Hong-jun —
an icon of intellect in our era —
an aesthetic discourse is formed that connects the past and future of Korean culture.

The Modern Inheritance of Tradition
Dr. Lee Kunwook of the National Folk Museum of Korea offers
an anthropological analysis of the performance and dynamism of
modern K-pop, examining how the energy of the traditional "gut-pan" (shamanistic ritual)
is creatively reimagined through the thread of artistic DNA.

Panel Discussion: "K as the Engine of the Fourth Industrial Revolution"
Experts diagnose the trends of the Korean lifestyle — K-food, K-fashion, K-beauty —
and discuss the future of how K-Culture has permeated every corner of the globe.

[Session 2] The Mechanics of Fascination: The Aesthetics of Convergence

Traditional Art Reinterpreted for the Modern Age
We meet artist Yee Sookyung, who incorporates traditional materials such as celadon
and cinnabar into contemporary forms of expression.
From the British Museum to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art,
we explore the power of convergence embedded in her work —
the ability to meld disparate elements into a unified whole.

K-Originality as Discovered by 'MU:DS’
We examine the "museum goods" (MU:DS) phenomenon —
items that began as "special finds" for the MZ generation, became export drivers,
and ultimately gave people a new reason to visit museums.
We explore the rediscovered power of Korean tradition
and the possibilities for its further expansion.

Hanbok: The Aesthetics of Trembling Beauty
Together with designer Geum Keysook —
whose single exhibition drew over 1.13 million visitors,
giving birth to a "national exhibition" —
we examine the aesthetics and new possibilities of hanbok.
We encounter her distinctive hanbok aesthetic,
born from research into hanbok depicted in traditional paintings
and successfully expressed through "fashion art."

[Session 3] Global Resonance: A Universal Horizon

Shaping Global Discourse
Michelle K. Sugihara, a leading figure in the American entertainment industry,
joins media scholar Professor Ma Dong Hoon to discuss the sustainability of K-Culture.

Panel Discussion: "The Future of K: Strategic Directions
Top experts and leading scholars convene to propose strategic directions for
anchoring Korea's narrative as a universal value that resonates with all of humanity.
They will present a new cultural horizon to be led by K-Momentum.