“Tradition in Motion” brings centuries of Korean heritage to life through a digital media art experience, offering a passport-free journey to the heart of Korea
-
Share via
What if you could tour Seoul’s Gyeongbokgung Palace, admire traditional Korean folk paintings that come alive before your eyes and experience the sounds of Korean instruments – all without leaving Los Angeles?
On September 4, the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles (KCCLA) will open an immersive media art exhibition that brings Korea’s history and culture to life.
The media art exhibition, titled “Tradition in Motion: Korean Culture through Media Arts,” represents a dynamic fusion of traditional Korean culture and cutting-edge digital technology. Taking place at both KCCLA and the nearby LA Korea Center, the exhibition features large-scale, high-resolution digital artworks that transport audiences to Korea while they remain in Los Angeles.
After successful debuts in Tokyo and Hanoi in 2022, followed by a celebrated run in New York, the international exhibition now arrives in Los Angeles with an expanded edition. The L.A. showcase highlights work that blends Korea’s traditional culture and arts with contemporary popular culture, such as K-pop, offering a unique combination of artistic creativity and technological innovation.
Across two venues, visitors can experience 12 distinct media artworks that guide them in Korea’s philosophy, aesthetics and spirit.
At the KCCLA Media Art Wall, the journey begins with “Traditional Korean Instruments,” where instruments like the Saenghwang, Ulla and Wolgeum create mesmerizing landscapes of light and sound.
The sensory adventure continues with “Feast of Color,” highlighting traditional Korean crafts such as Hwagak, moon jars and intricate jade artistry. “Beyond Korean Folk Painting” reinterprets Korean folk paintings through motion and projection, with animated brushstrokes that bring Korea’s classic tales to life.
Other highlights include “The Drawings of Mother-of-Pearl Inlay Artisans,” inspired by the representative drawings of six modern and contemporary mother-of-pearl inlay artisans. “Timeless Legacy,” supported by the Korea Heritage Agency, is a deep learning AI media art that employs a wide anamorphic screen and particle-based techniques to reimagine the creation of traditional crafts – such as ceramics, wooden furniture, metal inlay and embroidery – born from natural elements like earth, fire, wood and metal. It offers audiences both visual immersion and artistic inspiration by presenting the beauty and essence of Korean craftsmanship through a contemporary lens.
The LA Korea Center’s Media Art Gallery focuses on the vibrant pulse of Korea’s modern culture. Perhaps the most striking feature is “Hello KCCLA,” where colorful Korean traditional dancheong patterns rise above the Los Angeles skyline, greeting visitors with “Annyeonghaseyo,” the Korean word for “hello.”
“Whispers of Korea” takes visitors on a digital subway ride through iconic destinations in Seoul, including Gwanghwamun, Namsan and Seongsu-dong. “Play K-Music” features AI-driven K-pop music videos enhanced with virtual reality (VR) technology, delivering a surreal yet highly immersive concert experience. “Red Soul of Korea” takes visitors on a culinary journey, tracing key ingredients like gochu (red pepper) and meju (fermented soybean brick). Dynamic projections then show how these flavor bases transform into iconic dishes, such as tteokbokki and Korean fried chicken.
“Lantern Festival” celebrates Korea’s iconic Lotus Lantern Festival with displays that illuminate traditional palaces. “Sense of Wonder” showcases a graceful dancer in hanbok to express Korean elegance through movement. Finally, “The Wind from the East” completes the experience with a poetic sequence that flows from Korea’s five traditional colors to ink paintings of pines and plum blossoms, culminating in radiant waves of light.
Since its establishment in 1980, KCCLA has served as a cultural hub in Los Angeles’ Koreatown, offering exhibitions, performances, film screenings and educational programs, including Korean language and K-pop dance classes.
“It is significant to present this media art exhibition in Los Angeles, a global city of media,” said Haedon Lee, Director of KCCLA. “We hope visitors will experience Korea more vividly and discover the creativity and innovation behind both its traditional and modern arts. Going forward, we plan to collaborate with major Korean institutions, such as the National Museum of Korea, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, and the National Heritage Promotion Agency, to introduce more digital content that bridges tradition and innovation.”
Far more than digital art, “Tradition in Motion” is a bold experiment that merges tradition and modernity, art and technology. Visitors are invited not only to view Korea’s cultural heritage but also to step inside it for an unforgettable sensory journey.
“Tradition in Motion” will run at the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles (KCCLA) and the LA Korea Center beginning September 4. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.kccla.org.