By Chung Ah-young
Yoo Hong-jun, former director of the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) and professor of Myongji University, has brought out the first of a new history book series, “The Story of Korean Art” (Nulwa: 412 pp., 28,000 won).
Encompassing the era from prehistoric times to the Balhae age (698-926), the book is the first of a three-volume series. The second volume will cover the Unified Silla (668-935) and Goryeo (918-1392) kingdoms, while the third will deal with the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) — all to be completed in three years.
Although the book appeals to students studying art history as a guide, Yoo said that it is not exclusively academic, which would be a struggle for readers. Rather, it is an easy story-telling book that can be “comfortably read from the couch.”
The publication’s origins go back to the 1980s when Yoo gave lectures on Korean art history to youngsters, which continued until the 1990s. His lectures made a strong impression on his audience who were accustomed to boring, hard and academic teaching lessons in art history classes. But with his experience as a practical scholar, his lectures inspired the young audience,