International Conference on “East Asian Palace Culture and Art”
to Commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Opening of
the National Palace Museum of Korea
The National Palace Museum of Korea, under the Korea Heritage Service and directed by Jeong Yong-jae, will host an international conference entitled “East Asian Palace Culture and Art” in collaboration with the Art History Association of Korea, chaired by Kang Heejung. The conference will take place from June 27 to 28 at the auditorium of the Annex Building of the National Palace Museum of Korea, located in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
This conference is convened to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the opening of the National Palace Museum of Korea, serving as a platform to share the accumulated achievements of domestic and international research on royal culture, while also affirming the Museum’s scholarly and curatorial capabilities. The significance of the event is further enhanced by the sponsorship of the Harvard-Yenching Institute, a distinguished research institute dedicated to Asian studies.
* Harvard-Yenching Institute: Founded in 1928, this non-profit institution supports Asian studies through various programs for visiting scholars and research fellows.
The conference will commence with a keynote address by Professor Park Jeong-hye of the Academy of Korean Studies, followed by a total of eighteen scholarly presentations across seven thematic sessions over the course of two days.
On the first day, the conference will be structured around the following three themes: “Royal Family and Decorative Arts: Rituals and Material Culture,” “Palaces and Portraits: Space and Function,” and “Royal Family and Treasures: Collection and Institutional Systems.” Presentations will be delivered by distinguished scholars including Yu Pei-Chin (余佩瑾), Deputy Director of the National Palace Museum in Taipei; Inokuma Kaneki (猪熊兼樹), Director of Crafts at the Tokyo National Museum; Yukio Lippit, Professor at Harvard University; Paik Eun Gyeong, Curator at the National Palace Museum of Korea; and Son Myenghee, Head of the Restoration Technology Division at the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage.
The second day will feature four thematic sessions: “Royal Family and Royal Clan: Lineage and Records,” “Royal Court and Buddhism: Faith and Patronage,” “Rulers' Architecture: Imagination and Representation,” and “Palace and Painting: Exchange and Transmission.” Presentations will be given by internationally renowned experts including Professor Eugene Wang of Harvard University; Professor Tran Duc Anh Son of Đông Á University in Vietnam; Professor Itakura Masaaki (板倉聖哲) of the University of Tokyo; Professor Hwang Jung-yon of the Academy of Korean Studies; and Professor Seo Yoonjung of Myongji University.Each session will be followed by designated discussions led by Korean experts in the respective fields.Detailed information about the conference program is available on the official website of the National Palace Museum of Korea (https://gogung.go.kr).
This conference is open to all attendees through on-site registration. However, in the event that the main venue reaches full capacity, participants will be able to view the proceedings via live relay monitors installed outside the auditorium. To accommodate those unable to attend in person, the event will also be streamed live online. The real-time broadcast will be available in four languages—Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese—and may be accessed through the official YouTube channel of the National Palace Museum of Korea (https://www.youtube.com/@gogungmuseum).
As the only national museum in Korea dedicated exclusively to royal heritage, the National Palace Museum of Korea has, over the past two decades since its founding, steadily cultivated its capabilities in royal heritage exhibitions, research, collection management, and conservation science. This international conference, jointly organized with the Art History Association of Korea—a scholarly society with a 65-year legacy—has been convened to commemorate the Museum’s 20th anniversary and to provide a multidimensional art historical examination of royal cultures in Korea and beyond.
Through this academic gathering, the National Palace Museum of Korea seeks to further establish itself as a world-class institution for the exhibition and study of royal heritage. It will continue to promote international scholarly exchange and contribute meaningfully to the advancement of research in this field. Furthermore, by expanding related exhibitions, research initiatives, and public programs, the Museum aims to enrich cultural content and broaden access to the appreciation of royal heritage for audiences both in Korea and around the world.
Attachment
1. Poster & Event Schedule