Kazakhstan’s Ethnic Korean artist settles down in his mother country to continue his artwork

Moon Victor, a representative Koryo artist from Kazakhstan. Courtesy of Koryoin Village, Gwangju.

“I will live my life repaying the favors that you have done for me.”

Moon Victor, 72, a representative ethnic Korean artist in Kazakhstan, said this shortly after entering Korea through Incheon International Airport from Kazakhstan on January 31.

According to an official at the Koryoin Village in Gwangju on February 1, Moon came to Korea alone after wrapping up his life in Kazakhstan. His two children live in Finland and Canada, respectively. At the time of his arrival, he was carrying some clothes and about 50 unfinished works that were rolled up. He will settle down in the Gwangju Koryoin Village Support Center in Gwangsan-gu, and continue his artistic activities. The village has prepared a residential space, an art studio, and an exhibition room for Moon.

It is said that his settlement in the Gwangju Koryoin Village has been in progress since 2022. While living in Kazakhstan, he had been suffering from chronic diseases such as knee pain for a long time, but had not received proper medical treatment due to his financial situation. Upon hearing his situation at the time, the Gwangju Koryoin Village decided to provide the full amount of medical treatment with the support of the local community and invited him to the city.

After receiving treatment at Chonnam National University Hospital, his health reportedly improved significantly. Since returning to Kazakhstan, he repeatedly expressed his gratitude and affection for the Gwangju Koryoin Village and Gwangju citizens.

Moon drew and delivered the logo symbolizing the Gwangju Koryoin Village, and donated artworks such as an abstract painting of the forced migration of Koreans and a portrait of General Hong Beom-do. At the same time, he prepared for permanent residence in Korea, including obtaining an F-4 visa, which is granted to overseas Koreans. Moon said he would focus on nurturing younger artists in the Gwangju Koryoin Village. "I will pass on the painting methods I have learned so far to future generations so that they can continue the strong national spirit and indomitable pioneering spirit of ethnic Korean ancestors," he said.

Moon is known as the third generation of ethnic Koreans in Kazakhstan and one of Kazakhstan's leading artistic figures. He was born in 1951 in the Bastobe district of Ustobe, Kazakhstan, which is the first settlement of the ethnic Koreans, and graduated from the Gogol Almaty Art College in 1975. Since 1977, he had worked as the chief artist of the National Koryo Theater for 20 years and made his name known.

His works are housed in the Presidential Palace of Kazakhstan, the National Museum of Kazakhstan, as well as art galleries in the United States, Germany, Britain, France, Egypt, Japan, and Russia.

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.