Hangul, Becoming Art Engraved on Stone

Invitational Exhibition by Seal Engraving Artist Kim Naehye

"Jiphyeonjeon Exhibition"

The Sejong the Great Historic Site Management Office will hold the invitational artist exhibition "Jiphyeonjeon Exhibition" at the Sejong the Great History and Culture Hall from September 8 to 27, 2026.

Artist Naehye Kim's "Preface to the Hunminjeongeum Translated." From Volume 1 of "Worinseokbo," published in 1459, only the Korean text without Chinese characters and annotations was carved in relief on two pieces of Danyang stone. / Sejong the Great Historic Site Management Office.

The exhibition features 24 representative pieces by artist Kim Naehye, known for showcasing the unique formative beauty and artistry of "Hangul seal engraving." Each work gains deeper significance as it is engraved on Hae-nam and Danyang stones, both of which face depletion.

Kim stated, "I want to introduce the new field of Hangul seal engraving and announce that the era of Hangul is coming to the world of seal carving, which has long been considered a pinnacle of East Asian art."

The exhibition is divided into five sections: "Hunminjeongeum Edition Style," "King Sejong and the Eight Scholars," "Classical Poetry," "Baek Seok and Kim Sowol," and "My Wish."

In the "Hunminjeongeum Edition Style" section, works engraved with edition-style heritage such as the "Preface to the Hunminjeongeum Eonhae," "Yongbieocheonga," and "Wol-incheongangjigok" will be on display. Highlights include "Hangul Resembles the Earth," featuring the Hunminjeongeum Haerye edition's consonants and vowels engraved in relief, each on 1cm Hae-nam stones irregularly attached to raw stone, and "Young People," where 2,350 individual Hangul letters are each engraved on 2,350 Hae-nam stones and then attached to Hanji paper.

Writer Kim Naehye's "Hunminjeongeum Eonhae." A portion of the Hunminjeongeum Eonhae was reversed and engraved in relief using the form of intaglio on Haenam stone in a negative style. / Sejong the Great Relics Management Office.

In the "King Sejong and the Eight Scholars" section, nine sheets of Hanji bearing the seals engraved with the names of King Sejong and the Eight Scholars of Jiphyeonjeon will float atop a stone water bowl. The following "Classical Poetry" section reinterprets four pieces—Jeongseokga, Sangchun-gok, Jangjinjusa, and Chunmyon-gok—presented anew as seal engravings.

In the "Baek Seok and Kim Sowol" section, visitors will find works inspired by "Gajeurangjip," "Goya," and "Old Stories." In the "My Wish" section, on display are the full text of "My Wish," written by Kim Koo, and the "Declaration of Korean Women's Independence" proclaimed by the Patriotic Women's Association in Jiandao in February 1919.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.