By Honorary Reporter Shaymaa Mohammed Roshdi from Egypt
Photos = Kim So-young

Kim So-young holds a calligraphy performance in Inje-gun County, Gangwon-do Province on June 2, 2023. 

Kim So-yong is a Hangeul calligraphy artist who also heads the Gangwon-do Province branch of the Korea Calligraphy Design Center and the Seoul-based Geulssidang Studio.  

As a calligraphy performing artist and designer with 150 works, she has held shows and taken part in exhibitions since 2016 including last year's Dubai Calligraphy Biennale and the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage's event "Culture Heritage Connecting One ASEAN Community," as well as the display "The Mugunghwa (Rose of Sharon) Flower Has Blossomed" on the electronic billboard of Times Square in New York in 2021.  

The following are excerpts from an email interview with her on Dec. 30, 2023. 

Kim So-young uses a big brush on one of her works.

What does calligraphy mean to you?

My journey to learning calligraphy was challenging but incredibly rewarding. Calligraphy allows me to reflect on my own identity and values and express myself to make a positive impact on the world. I find calligraphy the essence of living life.

You also do calligraphy as a performing art.

Calligraphy performances allow me to showcase my work to a wider audience. Creating art with a large brush in front of a live audience is not only fulfilling for me but also moving for the audience. This unexpected combination of calligraphy, dance, music and clothing in my performances happens organically through my spirit of creativity.

What makes Korean calligraphy special?

Korean calligraphy is similar to those in other East Asian countries with its unique writing tools and ink. I also use brushes crafted by a master calligrapher, a living cultural heritage.

What was your most memorable performance?
The one that stands out to me is my street performance at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. Though challenging, the experience was memorable because of the large crowd there.

Calligrapher Kim So-young in October 2023 holds a performance in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. 

How was your participation in the Dubai Calligraphy Biennale last year?

Korean calligraphy attracted major interest at the event with a large audience presence. My performance there was a great opportunity to show the beauty of Korean calligraphy and Hangeul; they gave me a generous welcome. Every time I write Hangeul, I can hear the sound of it being read behind me.  

What are your plans for your art?

My ambition is to become a globally recognized calligraphic performer and develop the next generation of calligraphers as an educator. I've regularly combined drawing and calligraphy at exhibitions as it complements my art, but hope to showcase this fusion at international art exhibitions.

msjeon22@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.