The National Museum of Korea said the cumulative number of visitors to the overseas traveling exhibition "Treasures of Korea: Collecting, cherishing, and sharing," which showcases donations from the late Samsung former chairman Lee Kun-hee, reached 15,667 as of the 18th.

The National Museum of Korea and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art announce that starting on the 15th (local time), the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, DC, presents the special exhibition Korea's Treasures: Collected, Cherished, and Shared. /Courtesy of National Museum of Asian Art

Opening on the 15th at the National Museum of Asian Art, the exhibition marks the first overseas showing of the Lee Kun-hee collection and carries significance as the largest Korean art exhibition held in North America in about 40 years.

On view are a vast array of 330 cultural heritage items and modern and contemporary artworks, including National Treasure "Inwang Jesaekdo" by Gyeomjae Jeong Seon, seven National Treasures, and 15 Treasures, presenting the essence of Korean aesthetics. It also introduces major artworks that make up 20th-century Korean art history.

Local response has been enthusiastic. The National Museum of Asian Art, which is hosting the special exhibition, said, "Compared with exhibitions of a similar scale, the number of visitors has jumped by about 25%." Hwang Seon-woo, a curator at the National Museum of Asian Art, said, "The moon jar and beopgodae are drawing particularly strong interest," adding, "Visitors span a wide range of ages, from young students to seniors."

A beopgodae is a stand made to mount a drum used for Buddhist rites at temples and often takes the form of a lion or haetae. Word of mouth that it resembles "Duffy," a popular character from a Netflix animation, has made it a hot topic among younger audiences as well.

On the 17th (local time), Ambassador to the United States Kang Kyung-hwa and National Museum of Korea Director Yoo Hong-jun view the Moon Jar in the Korea's Treasures—Lee Kun-hee Collection gallery at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, DC. /Courtesy of News1

The exhibition-linked cultural product brand "MUDS" is also drawing attention. Key items such as the Inwang Jesaekdo lamp and a celadon plate set sold out within a week of the opening, and total orders have already exceeded 1 billion won.

At a celebratory opening event on the 17th, Yoo Hong-jun, director of the National Museum of Korea, said, "We hope people around the world discover the value of Korea's traditional aesthetics and feel the strength of Korean art that connects the past and present." The Washington exhibition runs through Feb. 1 next year, and from 2026 it plans to carry the momentum to Chicago and London in the United Kingdom.

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