Samsung held a gala dinner to mark the opening of the UK special exhibition 'Lee Kun-hee Collection,' composed of artworks donated by Lee Kun-hee, Seon Dae (Chairman). The event was evaluated as having unfolded a forum for civilian diplomacy based on Korean cultural heritage, with attendees including figures from the British political and diplomatic circles, as well as CEOs (Chief Executive Officers) of global companies such as ASML.
Samsung held a gala dinner on the 30th of last month (local time) at the British Museum in London, UK, to commemorate the opening of the special exhibition 'Korea: 2,000 years of Creativity.'
Jointly planned by the National Museum of Korea, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, and the British Museum, this special exhibition is a large-scale Korean art special exhibition held at the British Museum for the first time in 42 years since the 'Korean Art: Five Thousand Years' exhibition in 1984. This special exhibition is the third overseas touring exhibition, following those held in Washington D.C., USA last year and Chicago this year.
Attendees included Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hong Ra-hee, Honorary Director of the Leeum Museum of Art, Lee Boo-jin, President of Hotel Shilla, and Lee Soo-hyun, President of Samsung C&T, among others. Princess Anne of the British Royal Family attended the reception held prior to the gala dinner to congratulate on the opening of the special exhibition.
In addition, more than 240 people, including British political and diplomatic figures, executives of global companies, and key cultural figures, gathered together, showing high interest in Korean art. In particular, Christoph Fouquet, CEO of ASML; Kai Beckmann, CEO of Merck; Andreas Pichler, CEO of ZEISS; and Patrick Bannerman, CEO of imec, among other key global partners collaborating with Samsung Electronics in the semiconductor field, also attended.
ASML is a company that essentially monopolizes the supply of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment essential for advanced semiconductor production, while Merck and ZEISS hold unparalleled technology in the fields of semiconductor materials and optics, respectively. imec is conducting future semiconductor technology collaboration with Samsung Electronics.
On this day, Chairman Lee Jae-yong exchanged greetings with attendees to strengthen networks and performed the role of a civilian diplomat as a Woo Ri-na-ra (CEO) entrepreneur. In his remarks, Lee (Chairman) also expressed "respect and gratitude" to three Korean War veterans who attended the event, including Mike Lowe. He also conveyed thanks to Princess Anne, who visited the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan last July to pay tribute to the sacrifices of Korean War veterans.
Lee (Chairman) emphasized the long-standing bond, stating that Korea and the UK have maintained a cooperative relationship for over 140 years, and that after first establishing ties with the UK through Samsung C&T's import of daily necessities more than 80 years ago, it has grown by making the UK a major hub for its European business over the past 50-plus years.
He also introduced the philosophy of sharing passed down since Founder Chairman Lee Byung-chul. Lee (Chairman) stated, "Founder Chairman Lee Byung-chul began collecting artworks with the conviction that cultural heritage should be cultivated and passed on to future generations, and Lee Kun-hee, Seon Dae (Chairman), followed this by collecting works over his lifetime, striving not for ownership but for preservation," adding, "Hong Ra-hee, Honorary Director of the Leeum Museum of Art, has dedicated herself to expanding and developing the collection encompassing both ancient and modern works."
Lee (Chairman) said, "Our family has upheld the principle that art and culture should be preserved and shared together across multiple generations," adding, "I hope this exhibition will serve as an opportunity to understand Korea's creativity and cultural heritage spanning 2,000 years."
In response, George Osborne, Lee Sa-hoe (Chairman) of the British Museum, said in his congratulatory address, "The dedication of Lee Kun-hee, Seon Dae (Chairman), and his family, who contributed to humanity's common cultural heritage, is a great help in understanding the past and will serve as a compass for looking toward the future."
Kanishka Narayan, UK Minister for AI, said, "Korean art and culture are loved around the world, and this exhibition will be an opportunity for British citizens to experience Korea's outstanding artistic heritage."
Previously, the first overseas touring exhibition, which began in Washington D.C., USA last November, attracted approximately 80,000 visitors, recording the highest number of visitors among special exhibitions held at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art over the past 10 years. The Chicago exhibition, held from March to July this year, was visited by approximately 115,000 people, an increase of more than 40% compared to Washington D.C.
A total of 100 works are exhibited in this UK special exhibition, selected from the over 23,000 pieces of the Lee Kun-hee Collection donated by the Samsung family to the state in 2021, including 10 national treasures and 13 cultural properties. The works broadly illuminate the flow of Korean culture and art spanning approximately 2,300 years from around 300 BC to the present, covering ancient metalwork, Buddhist art, Goryeo celadon, Joseon Dynasty painting and crafts, and modern and contemporary art.
Among them are works not revealed in the US touring exhibition, such as the △Daegu Bisan-dong Bronze Ware Set, △the (attributed) Deoksan Bronze Bell Set, △Magpie and Tiger, and Lee Jung-seop's 'Bound People.' Major works that attracted attention from visitors in the US, such as Jeong Seon's 'Inwangjesaekdo' by Kyeomjae, Kim Hong-do's 'Chuseongbudo,' and Baek Nam-soon's 'Paradise,' are also on display.
Meanwhile, political figures attending the event included John Hiley, Chancellor of the Exchequer; Kanishka Narayan, Minister for AI (Artificial Intelligence); former Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden and former Trade Secretary Greg Hands; former Moon Hwa-bu (Minister) John Whittingdale; John Slinger, UK Trade Special Envoy to Korea; Ed Davey, Leader of the Liberal Democratic Party and Chairman of the Han Yeong (Rep.) Friendship Association; and Ben Spencer, Vice-Chairman of the Han Yeong (Rep.) Friendship Association.
In the business sector, executives from global companies such as BT Group, Vodafone, Sainsbury's, and Standard Chartered attended, while in academia, representatives from Oxford University and Imperial College London were present. In the cultural sector, representatives from the British Museum, Tate Modern, V&A Museum, and Lisson Gallery, along with world-renowned contemporary artist Mark Quinn, also attended.
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