The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_X_on_2023.svgbt_X_over_2023.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_X_on_2023.svgbt_X_over_2023.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Song Ji-hyo to make silver screen return in 'House of Meeting'

  • 3

    First S. Korea spy satellite successfully launched into orbit

  • 5

    5 Korea tourism clips top 225 mil. views

  • 7

    Yoon accepts resignation offer of head of state broadcasting watchdog

  • 9

    Is ruling party's reform drive at end of road?

  • 11

    Life expectancy of Koreans falls for first time in 52 years over COVID-19: data

  • 13

    INTERVIEWHip-hop group Uptown returns after 13 years with new lineup

  • 15

    Rights activists criticize wage discrimination against migrant boat crews

  • 17

    Yoon's state visit to Netherlands to focus on semiconductor cooperation

  • 19

    Crackdown on illegal short selling takes priority over MSCI listing: FSC vice chair

  • 2

    N. Korean leader calls for increased aerial combat posture amid tension over satellite launch

  • 4

    Seoul says FEOC guidance reduces uncertainty, will continue close consultation with US

  • 6

    Tension mounts between Yoon administration, opposition party

  • 8

    Nexon workers in conflict with umbrella union over stance on feminism

  • 10

    Daegu mayor criticizes officials for spreading false hope about Expo bid

  • 12

    NewJeans wins 2 grand prizes at Melon Music Awards 2023

  • 14

    Late Ven. Jaseung's additional notes on last will found at his residence

  • 16

    DL, SPC chiefs apologize for worker deaths under poor labor conditions

  • 18

    Hyundai chief pledges to support globalization of archery

  • 20

    Cabinet passes motion requesting parliamentary reconsideration of 'yellow envelope bill'

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sun, December 3, 2023 | 12:45
Multicultural Community
Korea EncountersKorean youths experiment with art, bodypainting in 1960s
Posted : 2018-08-21 17:35
Updated : 2018-08-21 17:43
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
?By Matt VanVolkenburg

                                                                                                The Korea Times archives
The Korea Times archives
The 1960s are known as a decade when the horizons of art and fashion were expanded dramatically, and Korea was no exception to this trend. While daily newspapers covered these topics in a limited way, their weekly magazines, which tended to sensationalize, gave a good deal more coverage to cutting-edge art and fashion, especially when it involved scantily clad women.

Though the Hankook Ilbo published the country's first weekly in 1964, the form came into its own when Seoul Shinmun began publishing Sunday Seoul in late 1968. Other weeklies soon followed. These magazines were clearly aimed at a male audience and often featured nude photos of Korean and Western women, the latter provided by Associated Press. Unsurprisingly, American and European experimental fashions of the time received eager coverage, including bodypainting, see-through clothing and clothing made of stickers or paper.

It was not long before these trends reached Korea. As the Kyunghyang Sinmun reported in August 1968, bodypainting "finally" reached Korea when a British artist held a bodypainting exhibition at the Olympus Hotel in Incheon. Out of "respect for Korean tradition," his wife wore a bikini rather than be painted in the nude.

In mid-November 1968, Sunday Seoul published an article on bodypainting featuring nude photos of experimental artist Jeong Gang-ja. Jeong had first come to public notice with the performance "Transparent Balloon and Nude Happening" in May 1968 at the music hall C'est Si Bon. The Korea Times covered this event on June 9, 1968, writing: "It was happening all right. It takes 15 balloons, a semi-nude woman's body, loud, loud primitive beats and psychedelic lights to make some graduates of art schools claim that they have produced a work of art."

Despite such dismissiveness, the weekly magazines covered experimental art exhibitions, fashion shows featuring see-through clothing, paper clothing and Korean bodypainters. The cover of the Weekly Kyunghyang on Oct. 29, 1969, featured TV actress Kim Yun-hui apparently topless and covered in bodypaint, while a more modest April 1970 photo spread featured women in miniskirts with flowers and faces painted on their legs or arms.

Sunday Seoul, which made efforts to promote youth culture, went further, publishing rather revealing color photos of a nude Korean model having her body painted in July 1970, followed weeks later by photos of the aforementioned artist Jeong Gang-ja and her fellow male artists with their naked bodies entwined. These photos were taken during a rehearsal for an upcoming exhibition, but as it turned out, the rehearsal was the only performance. This left the reporter wondering whether the term "experimental" was "just a prank," suggesting that Jeong and her friends may have taken advantage of a magazine that had previously described her as being "more famous for disrobing than for art work."

The photos of Jeong and her male compatriots, as well as street performances that drew police attention that summer, may have been the last straw, however. While a crackdown on youth culture starting Aug. 28, 1970, is best remembered for forcing haircuts on long-haired youths, the list of targets, which included "bodypainting nude shows, avant-garde drama which showed sexual acts performed in the streets, and avant-garde clothing involving excessive exposure," made clear the authorities' interest in clamping down on experimental art and risque fashion. Though almost all of the thousands detained by police in the ensuing crackdown were caught for having long hair, the critical eye of the police had a chilling effect on experimental art.

The disappearance of nude centerfolds from most weekly magazines by May 1970 suggests restrictions had begun earlier, but as authorities decried "decadent behavior masked as avant-garde art," nude performance art and bodypainting disappeared from the public eye. Sunday Seoul still found a use for art, however. Its "Sunday Gallery" feature, which aimed to reward male readers, likely had its genesis when the magazine realized the ban on nudity did not extend to paintings of naked women.


Matt VanVolkenburg has a master's degree in Korean studies from the University of Washington. He is the blogger behind
populargusts.blogspot.kr.
Emailjdunbar@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
LG group
Top 10 Stories
15 Korea tourism clips top 225 mil. views 5 Korea tourism clips top 225 mil. views
2Tension mounts between Yoon administration, opposition party Tension mounts between Yoon administration, opposition party
3Nexon workers in conflict with umbrella union over stance on feminism Nexon workers in conflict with umbrella union over stance on feminism
4Is ruling party's reform drive at end of road? Is ruling party's reform drive at end of road?
5Daegu mayor criticizes officials for spreading false hope about Expo bid Daegu mayor criticizes officials for spreading false hope about Expo bid
6Rights activists criticize wage discrimination against migrant boat crews Rights activists criticize wage discrimination against migrant boat crews
7DL, SPC chiefs apologize for worker deaths under poor labor conditions DL, SPC chiefs apologize for worker deaths under poor labor conditions
8Hyundai chief pledges to support globalization of archery Hyundai chief pledges to support globalization of archery
9Crackdown on illegal short selling takes priority over MSCI listing: FSC vice chair Crackdown on illegal short selling takes priority over MSCI listing: FSC vice chair
102023 Korea-EU CSO Network Human Rights Conference to emphasize diversity, practice inclusivity 2023 Korea-EU CSO Network Human Rights Conference to emphasize diversity, practice inclusivity
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra dazzles audience at Korea International FestivalTaipei Philharmonic Orchestra dazzles audience at Korea International Festival
2[INTERVIEW] Hip-hop group Uptown returns after 13 years with new lineup INTERVIEWHip-hop group Uptown returns after 13 years with new lineup
3ONE PACT debuts hoping to leave big impact on K-pop scene ONE PACT debuts hoping to leave big impact on K-pop scene
4[INTERVIEW] ASTRO members aim to shine in musical theaterINTERVIEWASTRO members aim to shine in musical theater
5'Our Season' director, veteran actor discuss creating relatable mother-daughter story 'Our Season' director, veteran actor discuss creating relatable mother-daughter story
DARKROOM
  • It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

    It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

  • 2023 Thanksgiving parade in NYC

    2023 Thanksgiving parade in NYC

  • Appreciation of autumn colors

    Appreciation of autumn colors

  • Our children deserve better

    Our children deserve better

  • Israel-Gaza conflict erupts into war

    Israel-Gaza conflict erupts into war

  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel: 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844
Date of registration: 2020.02.05
Masthead: The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group