The Chunchugwan (Blue House), the place where the first exhibition by the disabled artists was held in September, now becomes a place for Literary Exhibition to welcome visitors. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister PARK Bo Gyoon, MCST) together with the National Museum of Korean Literature, Samseong Museum of Publishing, and YongIn Museum of Literature will hold A Special Exhibition on “YI Sang, YEOM Sang-seop, HYUN Jin-geon, YUN Dong-ju, Wander Cheong Wa Dae” at the second floor of the Chuchugwan[1] from December 22 (Thur) to January 16 (Mon) next year.

Near the Blue House, Mt. Bukak and Inwang, Gyeongbok Palace, and the Seochon area are spaces full of artistic flavors where nature and the city atmosphere meet and have been the main background of art since the ancient times. This was also the background where many writers were active. YI Sang, YEOM Sang-seop, HYUN Jin-geon, and YUN Dong-ju, representative modern and contemporary writers who were active during the time, also left their well-known works. Through the special exhibition from December 22, visitors will be able to feel and observe the time those writers suffered, the pain of the times, the traces of love and friendship, and the breath of the artists.

In the exhibitions from Part 1 to Part 4, visitors will be able to see the world of their works through the covers and illustrations of their well-known books, along with the portraits of YEOM Sang-seop, HYUN Jin-geon, YI Sang, and YUN Dong-ju. Part 5 exhibits literary works by painters, including LEE Jung-seop, CHUN Kyung-ja, PARK No-su, and LEE Que-dae who were active in the Seochon area. A total of 90 pieces of materials, including literary works and portraits of writers, will be provided with a variety of things to see.

YEOM Sang-seop, the main character of Part 1, was born in, Jongno-gu, a middle-class village in Seoul, and established himself as the best realist of modern literature with works that reflect the 'Seoul middle-class consciousness', including three representative works. In the special exhibition, along with the cover of YEOM’s “Sunflower”[2] and “Three Generations”, the cover illustration of Gyeonwoohwa by NA Hye-seok, with whom he has been acquainted since studying abroad in Japan, will also be on display.

In the second part, the exhibition of HYUN Jin-geon, who established himself as a representative artist in the 1920s, continues with works depicting the agony of colonial intellectuals and the hard lives of the people. HYUN settled down in Jongno-gu after being imprisoned for Erasure of Japanese flag while working as a reporter for the Dong-A Ilbo, where he wrote “Muyeongtap” and “Heukchisangji”. In the special exhibition, the cover of “Muyeongtap” and the cover of “Gaebyeok”, which featured “A Lucky Day” are displayed.

Part 3 is an exhibition of more than a pioneer and genius poet in Korean modernist literature. YI  Sang lived most of his life at his uncle's house in Jongno-gu, which is currently operated as a memorial hall for YI Sang's house. Through the cover of PARK Tae-won's “A Day in the Life of Novelist Gubo”, which contains YI Sang's illustrations, including “Wings”, which is YI’s representative work and illustrated by himself, visitors will be able to witness the world of works that are more than “stuffed genius”.

Part 4 is decorated by YUN Dong-ju. While attending Yonhui College[3], YUN lodged at the house of novelist KIM Song in Jongno-gu, and this place remains as “YOON Dong-ju boarding house”, which is still under operation. During that time, poet YUN created the poems of the sky, wind, stars, and transcribed 18 poems. In the special exhibition,  “Deer” of BAEK Seok, along with the cover of the sky, wind, stars, and poems are displayed.

In the last part, the covers of literary works by artists who worked near the Blue House will be presented. People who visit the place will be able to see works by LEE Jung-seop (Nusang-dong, Jongno-gu) and PARK No-soo.  

In addition, during the exhibition period, there will be docents providing services on explaining  the works of art every day (4 times on weekdays, 6-7 times on weekends), and a photo booth is operated for visitors to deeply engage with the artists.