Artist Park Young-mi Explores "The Small Joys of Bongdari-gun" at Gallery Yoon

On August 6th, Gallery Yoon (31-8 Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul) opened an exhibition by artist Park Young-mi, titled "The Small Joys of Bongdari-gun." The term “Bongdari” comes from the Busan dialect and means “plastic bag” in standard Korean, but in Park’s whimsical world, “Bongdari-gun” refers to the cats depicted throughout her artwork, serving as a symbolic reflection of the artist herself.

Park, who returned to painting after a hiatus while raising her child, shared that the longing to paint again was deeply felt, adding emotional weight to this new body of work. “There was a strong, almost desperate desire to create again,” she said, describing her return to the canvas as both personal and transformative.

One striking feature of the exhibition is the recurring presence of lush, leafy backgrounds and animals such as zebras and penguins. Park explained that these elements are intentional, aimed at highlighting themes of endangered species and climate change. “When you see Bongdari-gun with a zebra or a penguin, those are depictions of endangered animals,” she said. “I imagined what it would be like if grass and plants started growing in our living spaces due to the climate crisis.”

In one piece, Bongdari-gun holds a showerhead, appearing bewildered by the intrusion of foliage and wildlife into their space. “That expression of surprise,” Park noted, “is actually a gesture of tolerance—Bongdari-gun is not disturbed by the sudden presence of leaves, forests, or animals. Instead, it reflects a willingness to coexist.”

Park also sees a strong connection between her personality and that of cats. “If cats had MBTI types, they’d be extreme ‘I’s,” she joked. “They’re independent, perfectly content on their own—and that’s a lot like me. I enjoy solitude, and I’m not lonely when I’m alone. That’s one of the reasons I chose cats as my main subject.”

Reflecting on her artistic journey, Park shared that her past included animation, writing, and digital work, but she has since shifted focus to painting. “I went a long time without drawing,” she said. “Painting has helped me regain my self-esteem. Bongdari-gun, in the works, is also rebuilding confidence and rediscovering joy by doing what they love. That’s a parallel to my own experience.”

Through Bongdari-gun, Park cleverly conveys a positive narrative of resilience and happiness. The exhibition had opened to the public until August 17th at Gallery Yoon.

She also hopes to spark a deeper conversation about environmental issues. “The climate crisis is a long-term challenge,” she noted. “Rather than solving it completely, perhaps it’s more about adapting to it. 

Through Bongdari-gun and their surroundings, I wanted to depict a light-hearted yet flexible approach to navigating that reality.”

Ultimately, Park said she hopes visitors will come away from the exhibition with an appreciation for the small, everyday emotions that make up happiness.