Director Cheon Sin-il traveled the world in search of stone works and founded the Korean Stone Art Museum with his collection. The 18,000m² site contains over 1,200 historical stone carvings, pagodas, and Buddha statues, some of which were recovered from Japan. The animal sculptures were believed to bring good fortune. Guardian statues were also placed at the entrances of villages to ward off evil and misfortune. A sense of Korean wit can be seen through these statues: the guardian of fertility displays accentuated sex organs and the guardian of longevity has no teeth. The museum also has a variety of paintings across the ages and embroidered pieces reminiscent of the Joseon Dynasty when it used to be imperative for women to learn needlepoint. Look closely at the expressions on the stone faces. The stone garden is always fun to explore in different weather for a new perspective on the pieces.
* This column was last updated in November 2022, and therefore information may differ from what is presented here. We advise you to check details before visiting.
