In 2022, RM (KIM Nam-joon, born 1994), the leader of the globally renowned K-pop group BTS, honored the late artist YUN Hyong-keun (1928–2007) by titling the first track of his album Indigo “Yun.”1 In this song, the musician star engages in a heartfelt dialogue with the master, drawing inspiration from Yun’s profound artistic ideas and reflecting on his own journey as a musician and writer in the present day.
Yun stands as one of the most distinguished representatives of the Dansaekhwa (Monochrome) painters of the twentieth century (fig. 1). Within this artistic movement, great emphasis was placed on the processes, practices, and materiality of abstract paintings. Many Dansaekhwa artists, including Yun, employed authentic Korean materials such as mulberry paper and East Asian ink in their creations. Yun’s preference for Korean hemp rather than canvas, paired with his technique of allowing his blue or umber paint to be absorbed into the brownish cloth, evokes a striking resemblance to the effect of East Asian ink on paper. Despite the abstract nature of his works, Yun explained that the elements in his paintings allude to the sky and earth, two fundamental natural elements deeply symbolic in traditional Asian art.2 The subtle sensibility and rustic quality in Yun’s paintings are well connected with buncheong ceramics of the Joseon dynasty (1392–1897). Indeed, the modern painter looked to traditional Korean works for inspiration, and he collected traditional ceramics.
RM’s song “Yun” commences with the painter’s recorded narration, drawing from Plato’s philosophy, stating that humanity’s core is the pursuit of sincerity, goodness, and beauty, with sincerity encompassing all. Similar to his father-in-law, KIM Whanki (1913–1974), also a renowned painter (fig. 2), Yun possessed a clear philosophy on what it meant to be a true artist and the kind of art that should be created. The central theme of the song “Yun” delves into the essence of humanity as a whole, and RM goes deeper, reflecting on his identity as a superstar, song writer, and musician. Yun’s words resonate with RM, as he shares in the lyrics,
[Yun] always said, ‘Be a human first;
Don’t try to do art, just play and feel the human emotions of joy, anger, love, and pleasure’ . . .
I don’t know what you said about truth or sincerity,
but I am going in my pace and my direction to search for something [meaningful].
You are dead,
but to me you [are] contemporary.
You still live here and influence [us] permanently.3
Being immersed in the fast-paced world of popular culture, RM is acutely aware of the fleeting nature and relatively short lifespan of his songs. In interviews with ARTnews and on episode one of Intersections: The Art Basel Podcast in 2022, RM articulated that he yearns for the timeless and enduring value of art in other domains, particularly visual art.4 This inclination explains why pop artists like RM actively engage in collecting artworks and frequenting exhibitions. In fact, RM owns several paintings by Yun, and one of them is featured on the Indigo album cover (fig. 3). It is meaningful that celebrities like RM, through appreciating the accomplishments of earlier masters and embracing their thoughts and beliefs, infuse twenty-first-century pop culture with a profound sense of continuity and historical significance.
HKH
Notes
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“Yun,” performed by RM (featuring Erykah Badu), from the album Indigo, released by Big Hit Music, December 2, 2022. Written by RM, Logikal J, and Ghstloop; produced by Logikal J and Ghstloop; 3:54.↑︎
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Yun Hyong-keun’s diary, January 1977.↑︎
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Kim Nam-joon (RM), “Yun.” Lyrics translated by Hyonjeong Kim Han.↑︎
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Delia Harrington, “BTS’s RM Talks about His Growing Influence and Appreciation of Art,” ARTnews, July 26, 2022, https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/btss-rm-interview-kpop-fine-art-1234635267/; RM and Marc Spiegler, “RM (Kim Nam-joon)—BTS Leader,” June 28, 2022, in Intersections: The Art Basel Podcast, season 2, episode 1, podcast, 28:45, https://www.artbasel.com/stories/podcasts.↑︎