About Minhwa
About Minhwa
An ongoing series of stories about minhwa, Korean folk painting, written by artist Jieun Ro. New stories are added from time to time.
Part 1 · First Meeting with Minhwa
No. 01
Paintings Made of Wishes: What Is Minhwa?
Long ago in Korea, colorful paintings were made to hold people’s wishes.
No. 02
From Palace to Marketplace
The same wishes appeared on royal screens and on simple paintings sold to ordinary families.
No. 03
Where Paintings Lived
Folding screens came out for weddings, birthdays, and ancestral rites — paintings were part of family life.
No. 04
The Nameless Painters
Most minhwa have no signature. Painters shared drawing guides — and still made each picture their own.
No. 05
How Minhwa Was Rediscovered
Once seen as “just home decoration,” these paintings found their way into museums — and back into artists’ hands.
Part 2 · Reading the Symbols
No. 06
The Tiger and the Magpie
Korea’s most famous minhwa pair is more funny than scary — and it even inspired a Netflix star.
No. 07
Peony, the Flower of Kings
The peony wished for wealth and honor — in royal palaces and in ordinary homes.
No. 08
Books as Paintings: Chaekgeori
When books were precious, people painted shelves full of them — a king started the trend.
No. 09
When Letters Become Pictures: Munjado
Eight Chinese characters for good values, decorated with fish, birds, and dragons — a picture puzzle to read with your eyes.
No. 10
Birds and Flowers in Pairs
In bird-and-flower paintings, every bird and blossom was chosen to send a blessing.