Nepal’s Rich Heritage Surprises Korean Artists 

Ved Gurung

Korean artist

Korean poet Kim Hyong Hyo also known as Sagarmatha Gurung for his Nepali name is the son-in-law of Nepal. He frequently visits Nepal (Kim’s father-in-law country) as a trekker, social activist and sometime as an artist.

Kim not only comes to Nepal time and again and brings his Korean colleagues to visit Nepal’s cultural and heritage sites, but also enables Nepali artists and literary persons to visit Korea and engage them in various literary and art exhibition programs to promote bilateral relations between Nepal and Korea at the public level.

Recently, Kim came to Nepal along with his two senior-most Korean artists-Rim, Young-taek, and Park, Heung-soon who participated in the Korea-Nepal 2020 Painting exhibition program in Kathmandu. Nepal Korea Culture Center had organized the joint painting exhibition from January 8-15 on the occasion of the Nepal Visit 2020 campaign. The paintings of five Nepali and four Korean artists were put on display during the painting exhibition.

Paintings of Korean artists-Rim, Young-taek-famous Ballpoint pen artist, Doo Siyoung -chairman of the Korean People’s Artists Association, Park, Heung-soon-ex-chairman of The Korean People’s Artists Association, and Doo Hye Jeong, along with Nepali artists- Dhanu Yakha, BK Nar Bahadur, Lal Kaji Lama, Pramila Pariyar BK and Jenney Ghale were on display.

The two Korean artists explicitly appreciated the cultures and heritages of Nepal after visiting a few heritage sites in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur. They even claimed that the Nepali cultures and heritages were in parallel with the world’s famous heritage.

Senior-most Korean artists Heung-soon (69) and Rim Young-taek (74) found Nepal completely different from what they had heard about it before coming to Nepal. “We are very happy to see the ancient cultures and heritages of Nepal,” said both of them while speaking to Highlights tourism.

The Korean artists visited Pashupatinath, Swyambhu, Boudha, Patan Durbar, and Bhaktapur Durbar areas during their stay in Nepal that mesmerized them. They found these heritages the most spectacular and amazing one.

“Nepal’s richness in culture is different from what I thought of it before coming here,’ said Rim Young-taek. In a way, Rim was very much surprised to see the Nepali heritages at Bhaktapur, Patan, and Swyambhu. “If these heritages could be preserved and presented before the world, “adds Rim. Rim and Park were very much fascinated by the beautiful sights of Himalayas also.

Kim Hyong Hyo

“I felt like coming back to Nepal again and also felt as if I am lost in a dream, “said Rim. Rim and Park after coming back from seeing the sunrise and sunset view of Nagarkot were very much exhilarated. Both Korean senior artists appreciated the Nepali hospitality, cultures and rich heritage. They took long hours as much as three hours to observe the heritage site at Patan, Bhaktapur, and Swayambhu.