Korea's national treasures as guests at Dresden Castle

Costly burial objects, magnificent jewelry, royal robes or delicate porcelain from more than 1,500 years ago bear witness to Korea's rich art and cultural history in Dresden's Residenzschloss. "100 Ideas of Happiness" (March 15 to August 10) is the first survey exhibition of Korean art in Germany for 25 years," said Marius Winzeler, acting SKD Director General. The guest appearance is a return visit to the 2017/2018 presentation "The Dream of a King" in Korea.

Almost 350 individual objects bear witness to the multifaceted artistic traditions of the Asian country from the time of the ancient kingdoms to the Joseon Dynasty in the 19th century. Contemporary clothing creations provide a link to the present. The loans include unique national treasures such as the famous Silla gold crown from the ancient tomb of Geumgwanchong and numerous works that are being shown outside the country for the first time. The show is sponsored by private foundations and partners in both countries.

Gold jewelry and ancient tomb culture

The exhibition focuses on ancient tomb culture, Buddhism and Confucianism as the state religion, ceramic art and the hanbok, traditional Korean clothing. In addition, works of art from the SKD collection, which were collected by German travelers in Korea in the 19th century, such as armour, weapons and folding screens, are also on display. These include one from the Grassi Museum of Ethnology in Leipzig, which was restored in Korea in 2024. Magnificent goldsmith's work from the royal tombs of the ancient Silla Empire bear witness to former wealth, including a belt made of pure gold, special headdresses or magnificent earrings and rings.

The Korean National Museum, which opened in 1945, is a network of 14 museums in South Korea with a total of around 2.4 million cultural treasures from all over the world. Its Director General Kim Jae hong referred to the many years of fruitful cooperation with the SKD. The fact that works of art from both countries together paint a multi-layered picture of Korean culture makes the presentation all the more extraordinary.