The Nude in Korean Contemporary Art: Trends and Functions

Nudity is a new phenomenon for Korean art, as it appeared in the first quarter of the 20th century. Since then, the image of the nude has undergone great changes and has come to be used as a tool for exploring various topics. Despite the controversial attitude towards the naked human body, nudity has become an integral part of Korean contemporary art. This graduation paper is devoted to the study of the nude in Korean contemporary art. The purpose of the study is to identify trends and functions of the depiction of nudity in Korean contemporary art. To achieve this goal, the idea of nudity is examined within the frameworks of Western and Eastern art, specific characteristics of nudity in various periods of Korean contemporary art are pinpointed, the themes and symbolism of nudity are scrutinized through the works of Korean contemporary artists, and charts categorizing main topics and evolutions in the portrayal of nudity are created. Conclusions were drawn about the trends, role and functions of nudity in Korean contemporary art based on the works of Korean artists, including paintings and photography. Thus, the main functions of nudes in Korean art are to reflect various themes and demonstrate the aesthetic preferences of a certain period. In addition, nudity has moved from a realistic standard of depicting the human body to a variety of shapes and styles. Prospects for studying this topic using the example of the work of specific artists or in the context of a specific issue were also outlined.