Digital Masterpieces

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In our next story, some of Korea's precious cultural assets being held in foreign countries have been returned to the Korean people, albeit in digitally restored form. Here’s more.

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An Gyeon's "Mongyu Dowondo" depicts a paradise that Prince Anpyeong saw in a dream. Currently kept in Japan, this painting has been revived with digital technology. Water flows through the creek and the scenery is given a three-dimensional effect to make viewers feel as if they're walking in a dream. Kim Hong-do's "Sorim Mojeongdo" and six other precious paintings of national treasure quality which were taken overseas have been reborn as digital masterpieces with the help of high-resolution imagery and computer graphics.

[Soundbite] Nam Sang-min(Exhibit Organizer) : "The most important aspect was to bring out the hidden stories through video and music to help people understand the painters' intentions."

The digital copies were purchased with money donated by ordinary Koreans. Art experts volunteered their time and talents to restore the paintings. Currently, some 160,000 Korean cultural artifacts are held in foreign countries, but the likelihood of their repatriation appears very slim. Even when such relics are shown in Korea, so many people flock to see the cultural treasures that it's impossible to appreciate them in a leisurely way. This exhibit was organized to address such problems.

[Soundbite] Seo Jin-ho(Director, NPO Last Angel) : "Only when we know about the artworks can we yearn to bring them back. So we helped organize this exhibit to inform people about the cultural artifacts."

Plans are under way to organize a permanent exhibit of these ancient Korean paintings that have returned home through digital technology.