Over 120 Korean Old Books Published Abroad First Revealed in Manhattan, New York

For the first time, over 120 rare books related to Korea, recorded and published in a third Western country other than Korea and Japan between the 1700s and 1960s, will be publicly exhibited.

The New York Korean Cultural Center announced on the 2nd (local time) that it will hold a special exhibition titled 'The Wonder Unbound,' showcasing foreign publications containing stories about Korea, as part of 'Asia Week New York,' the largest Asian art event in New York organized by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Asia Society.

This exhibition, which offers an objective and fascinating perspective on modern Korea, will feature over 120 original rare books carefully selected from more than 1,350 volumes collected over the past 20 years by Professor Lee Seung-cheol, director of Dongduk Women's University Museum and an active hanji (traditional Korean paper) artist. These books will be revealed to the public for the first time.

Written mainly by foreigners who visited or worked in Korea between the 1700s and 1960s, these books include not only texts but also various visual materials such as photographs and illustrations depicting Korean culture, economy, and daily life at the time. Most of the authors were experts from diverse fields including missionaries, diplomats, soldiers, historians, art historians, and explorers. Since these books were published in their native languages after their return home, they serve as invaluable resources for objective research on modern Korean history.

Glimpses of Korea by Urquhart E.J [Image courtesy of: New York Korean Cultural Center]

Curator Cho Hee-sung of the New York Korean Cultural Center, who planned the exhibition, explained the exhibition's direction: “Rather than focusing on the content of the books, this exhibition aims to widely promote the value of these materials themselves, which are being publicly displayed for the first time, with an emphasis on the visual and aesthetic aspects such as cover design, illustrations, and photographs.”

Professor Lee Seung-cheol said, “Through this exhibition, I hope to provide a foundation for researchers studying Korean studies abroad as well as those interested in Korean history and culture to understand and research Korea from a deeper and more macro perspective.”

The opening event of the exhibition will be held on the 15th from 6 PM to 8 PM at Gallery Korea of the New York Korean Cultural Center, with collector Professor Lee Seung-cheol and key figures from related fields in attendance.