MCM hosted artist Kim Chang-ok's exhibition Kim Chang-ok: Traces of Consolation during Frieze Week Seoul 2026. Actors Yoo Teo and Jo Yu-ri attended, bringing a notable presence to the occasion. The exhibition highlights the artist's latest creative journey, reinterpreting the depth of traditional Korean lacquer art through a contemporary lens. The traces layered across the canvas, shaped by countless hours, nature, and endless cycles of waiting, deliver a profound message of comfort. Lacquer art, or ottchil, is a traditional technique in which lacquer tree sap is applied and dried repeatedly over wood or fabric, sometimes taking months or even years to complete a single piece.
Yoo Teo and Jo Yu-ri spent time closely examining the artist's key works on site. The two actors observed the surfaces that hold the artist's intense labor and contemplation. They experienced firsthand the warmth that art offers. It was a meaningful moment to share the meaning of everyday consolation together.
Through this exhibition alongside Frieze Week Seoul, MCM explored the intersection of contemporary art and traditional craft. Artist Kim Chang-ok speaks to the value of slowness through the nature of lacquer, which is completed only after long waiting. The layers formed by accumulated time are also traces of life itself. It was a space where brand, artist, and audience breathed together.
The exhibition took place during Frieze Week Seoul. Yoo Teo has been active recently, showing a wide spectrum in film and drama. Jo Yu-ri is active in multiple fields as both a singer and actor. Both have consistently expressed their interest in art. This visit is an extension of that engagement.
What form does consolation take for you?
Yoo Teo and Jo Yu-ri spent time closely examining the artist's key works on site. The two actors observed the surfaces that hold the artist's intense labor and contemplation. They experienced firsthand the warmth that art offers. It was a meaningful moment to share the meaning of everyday consolation together.
Through this exhibition alongside Frieze Week Seoul, MCM explored the intersection of contemporary art and traditional craft. Artist Kim Chang-ok speaks to the value of slowness through the nature of lacquer, which is completed only after long waiting. The layers formed by accumulated time are also traces of life itself. It was a space where brand, artist, and audience breathed together.
The exhibition took place during Frieze Week Seoul. Yoo Teo has been active recently, showing a wide spectrum in film and drama. Jo Yu-ri is active in multiple fields as both a singer and actor. Both have consistently expressed their interest in art. This visit is an extension of that engagement.
What form does consolation take for you?
FAQ
When and where was Kim Changok: Traces of Comfort held?
The exhibition took place at MCM during Frieze Week Seoul 2026. It spotlighted Kim Changok's new creative journey, showcasing works that reinterpret traditional lacquerware through a contemporary lens.
What did Yoo Teo and Jo Yuri do at the MCM exhibition?
The two actors carefully viewed Kim Changok's major works, closely examining surfaces that condensed the artist's rigorous labor and thought. They experienced the warm comfort art offers and shared reflections on solace in everyday life.
What is the lacquer technique?
Lacquer involves applying layers of lacquer tree sap to wood or fabric, then drying repeatedly. A single piece can take months to years to complete, characterized by the depth created through accumulated time.
