Veteran actress Youn Yuh-jung recently shared her profound admiration after viewing the special Korean art exhibition ‘Korea: 2000 years of creativity’ at the British Museum in London.
Visiting the museum during a tight schedule while in London for a Burberry campaign, Youn expressed deep emotion over the showcase. She remarked that she had never been so moved by a collection, praising the immense effort and passion behind gathering such works and sharing them internationally.
During a phone interview, Youn explained why the exhibition left such a strong impression on her. As a performing artist representing a dynamic modern country, she felt immensely proud to showcase 5,000 years of history and 2,000 years of heritage to international audiences without needing to deliver a history lecture herself. She extended her heartfelt gratitude to the late Chairman Lee Kun-hee and Director Hong Ra-hee for collecting and donating the artifacts to the nation.
Highlighting specific pieces, Youn mentioned that seeing the ‘Inwangjesaekdo’ painting again was wonderful, and she was introduced to new works like Baek Nam-soon’s ‘Paradise’. She was accompanied by curator Kim Sang-a from the Asian department, who provided detailed explanations of each piece.
Youn also noted the bustling crowd of foreign visitors showing great interest, which made her feel like a proud patriot alongside her young staff members. The special exhibition marks the first large-scale showcase centered on Korea at the British Museum in 42 years since 1984, featuring around 100 items and 180 works including national treasures.
During her London trip, Youn also met British actress Helena Bonham Carter at the Burberry campaign shoot, who greeted her warmly after watching the film ‘Minari’. Currently taking a break from filming, Youn reiterated her heartfelt appreciation for the historic cultural display.
