As K-culture's influence expands worldwide, K-art is making its mark at major international auctions. Works ranging from traditional art such as Joseon white porcelain to contemporary artists with distinctly Korean aesthetics are competing fiercely and selling at high prices.
An 18th-century moon jar offered at the "Japanese and Korean Art" auction held at Christie's in New York's Rockefeller Center on the 24th of this month (local time) sold for $3.186 million (approximately 4.8 billion won, including buyer's premium). The 18th-century Joseon white porcelain piece, measuring 42.5 cm in height and 42.5 cm in diameter, far exceeded its pre-sale estimate of $1 million to $2 million (approximately 1.45 billion to 2.9 billion won). Joseon moon jars are uniquely Korean ceramics found nowhere else in the world, including China and Japan. While Korea's Cultural Heritage Protection Act makes it difficult to sell Joseon white porcelain overseas, global auction houses such as Christie's have taken on the role of discovering Korean ceramics that were taken to Japan and elsewhere and presenting them on the world stage. A moon jar that sold for $4.56 million (approximately 6 billion won) at Christie's New York auction in March 2023 holds the all-time record. In September of that year, a moon jar sold for $3.57 million (approximately 4.7 billion won) at Sotheby's New York.
