An artwork with a dazzling golden shine greets guests at the reception desk in the lobby of the LOTTE HOTEL SEOUL main building. Though not large in size, the painting holds eye-catching appeal, blending vibrant Chinese characters with water droplets on an ocher-colored backdrop. It is the work of Kim Tschang-yeul, who painted water droplets for more than 40 years and left his mark on Korean modern art. Titled “Recurrence,” it reveals the Thousand Character Classic learned from his grandfather at a young age, over which droplets of water are strewn across the canvas. It appears to hint at the artist’s nostalgic longing for his childhood. From the late 1980s, he immersed himself in works combining the Thousand Character Classic with water droplets, with the painting of “Recurrence” exploring the essence of the self-identity and human nature. The Thousand Character Classic is an ancient work of poetry capturing laws of the universe, nature and human life, while embodying the essence of Eastern thought. The water droplets gleaming in gold over the Thousand Character Classic represent the quintessence of Korean modern art encapsulating Eastern spirit.

Hailing from Maengsan, Pyeongannam-do, Kim fled to South Korea in 1946 and immersed himself in painting classes under the tutelage of painter Lee Quede. In 1969, he began painting in Paris, initially focusing on abstract painting before turning to the theme of water droplets in 1972, after which he came to be known as a “water droplet painter.” Three years into his life in Paris, he began painting water droplets one day after noticing the sunlight glistening brightly on some water he sprinkled on the canvas, which carried over into his work. For 40 years he painted water droplets, as the medium of his works varied from canvas and newspaper to sand and wood panels. Kim Tschang-yeul’s water droplets are a reflection of his lived experience of division, coming full circle through the pain and scars of Korean history in the 20th century. He gained widespread recognition and left his mark on Korean modern art, sparking discourse and interest in the art world at home and abroad. He was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit silver crown in 2012 and made an officier of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2017. His collections can be found at prominent art galleries around the world.