Artist Jeong Sun-won (pen name Jimun), a former Hyundai Motor president and economist, is holding his first solo exhibition at age 74. Titled 'Tteolgam' (meaning 'astringent persimmon'), the show runs from June 10 to 18 at Muusu Gallery in Insa-dong, Seoul, featuring ink paintings that reflect his life journey. The exhibition includes three series: 'The Mind to Paint,' 'Four Seasons,' and abstract ink works, all exploring themes of time, relationships, and contemplation through traditional Korean literati painting.
This exhibition matters because it represents a significant late-career artistic debut by a prominent figure who spent decades in business and policy—as vice president of the Hyundai Research Institute, head of planning at Hyundai Motor, and a member of the Bank of Korea's Monetary Policy Committee. Jeong's transition from economist to artist challenges assumptions about creative expression and aging, while his work modernizes traditional ink painting by treating empty spaces as 'windows for viewer contemplation.' The show also highlights the growing trend of retired executives turning to visual arts as a means of personal expression and legacy-building.