In conjunction with the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister CHAE Hwi-young, MCST) is hosting the Korean craft exhibition Future Heritage from October 27 (Monday) to November 30 (Sunday) at Cheongun Hybrid Complex in Gyeongju in collaboration with the Korea Craft and Design Foundation (President Jang Dong-gwang, KCDF). Kicking off with the opening ceremony on October 27(Monday), the month-long exhibition will highlight the values and philosophy of craft culture across the past, present, and future, while interpreting the guiding principles of APEC—connection, innovation, and prosperity—through the language of craft.

Featuring 66 works by 36 leading artists, including Choi Byung-hoon, Jeong Da-hye, Jung Ku-ho—highlighting the excellence and future potential of Korean craft

The exhibition brings together 36 craft artists, from master artisans to emerging talents, to showcase the full spectrum of Korean craft. Centered around the three themes of Excellence, Transmission & Collaboration, and Sustainability, a total of 66 works across metal, ceramics, textiles, and glass offer a multi-dimensional look into the value and future of Korean craft.

Part 1, which highlights the technical mastery and artistic sophistication of Korean art, features works by the first-generation contemporary ceramicist Kim Ik-young, lacquerware artist Jeong Hae-jo, textile artist Jang Yeon-soon, furniture artist Choi Byung-hoon and Park Jong-sun, and glass artist Kim Jun-yong.

Part 2 focuses on the theme of Transmission & Collaboration in craft, spotlighting the theme of “connection” delivered by craft. Park Chang-young, the holder of National Intangible Culture Heritage Gannil (the art of horsehair hat making) for hat assembly, and fifth-generation artisan Park Hyung-bak will present traditional gat (Korean horsehair hat), which have recently gained global attention through the popularity of K-pop Demon Hunters, illustrating the cultural bridge between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary content. A family of honorary yugijang (the art of brassware making) artisans—Lee Bong-ju, Lee Hyung-geun, and Lee Jiho—will showcase craftsmanship over three generations, demonstrating the inheritance of skills and the craftsman spirit. Creative director Jung Ku-ho will unveil bandaji (half-opened chest), completed in collaboration with metal artisans, to suggest the expansive possibilities of expression and collaboration in craft. Artist Jeong Da-hye, the first Korean recipient of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize in 2022, will reinterpret traditional horsehair craft from a contemporary perspective, harmonizing ancestral techniques with modern aesthetics.

The final section, Part 3, explores sustainable directions for craft. The works of artists Kang Geum-sung, known for reimagining the traditional jogakbo (patchwork) with a modern touch; Park Sun-min, who has revived discarded glass bottles into new craft forms; and Cho Sung-ho, who creates jewelry from recycled materials, present a vision of the future where nature, humanity, and art coexist. Their works closely resonate with the APEC’s vision for a sustainable future.

A connected exhibition “Symbiosis” at Gyeongju’s cultural space House of Choi to bridge regions and generations through ceramics

For the same exhibition period (October 27–November 30), a related showcase titled Symbiosis will be presented at the local cultural venue House of Choi. The exhibition features the works of renowned contemporary ceramicists, including Yoon Kwang-jo—leader of a new wave of modern buncheong ceramics mainly in the Gyeongju region—and artists Lee Hun-chung and Yoo Ui-jeong. Various ceramic works installed throughout “House of Choi Yoseokgung 1770” reveal fresh perspectives on contemporary ceramics, set against a traditional space, embodying the theme of coexistence of regional culture and artistry.