In Hee Song
in Ten Kings of Hell: The Afterlife in Medieval Korea (by Sooa Im McCormick and Yukio Lippit; contributions by In Hee Song), Yale University Press, 2026
About the essay: This essay explores the lasting impact of the lotus as a central motif in Korean art with a focus on the decorative arts from the Goryeo dynasty (918-1392), featuring remarkable masterpieces in the exhibition that highlighted the legacy of Goryeo art shaped by the influence of Buddhism within the dynasty’s diverse cultural context.
About the book: Journey into the world of medieval Korean Buddhist belief, where the Ten Kings of Hell judged the souls of the deceased on their path toward atonement and salvation. This lavishly illustrated catalogue explores one of East Asia’s most enduring visions of the afterlife through rare Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) masterpieces, considered alongside Chinese and Japanese counterparts, the Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279) and the Nanboku-cho period (1333–92).
Discover how Buddhist belief in afterlife transformed Korean mortuary practices as reflected in luxurious burial and commemorative objects such as celadons, metalwork, and stone sarcophagi. Trace the evolution of Ten Kings imagery as an independent art form, revealing how environmental disasters and social and public health upheaval shaped these haunting hellscapes. Essays by leading scholars illuminate the complex interplay of piety, wealth, and the pursuit of salvation in times of profound crisis.
Featuring several Korean national treasures and recently discovered and reattributed Goryeo-period Buddhist paintings published here for the first time, this interdisciplinary volume illuminates a crucial aspect of East Asian religious art. Contemporary artist Gala Porras-Kim presents an artistic inquiry into modern-period collecting practices through her reinterpretation of the Third King of Hell—once believed lost and now rediscovered, making its first public debut as a color plate in both the catalogue and the exhibition.
About the author: In Hee Song was a HYI Visiting Fellow from 2016-17.