Lee Jeong-han turns a 33-year comeback into his first solo art show

Lee Jeong-han, who picked up the microphone after 33 years, now stands before a canvas

Lee Jeong-han (63), of the folk duo Haetbitchon who received great love in the 1990s for the hit song 'Rain on the Window,' is holding his first solo exhibition as a painter. Titled 'The Beautiful POP,' the exhibition will be held at Diamond Gallery in Haebangchon, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, from July 18 to 31. The event will run for two weeks, beginning with an opening reception at 4 PM on the 18th.

A 1994 graduate of Hongik University's College of Fine Arts, Lee Jeong-han recently made his return to the music scene after 33 years by remaking his signature song 'Rain on the Window.' Having spent his life creating and singing pop music and serving as a professor of applied music, he is now expanding his musical sensibilities into visual art through this exhibition. "I wanted to express the energy of a life spent making and singing POP music through my paintings as well," Lee said.

From memories of youth to travel landscapes, composed of three themes

This exhibition is composed of three series capturing Lee's experiences. The 'Blu' series captures the memories and vitality of youth, while the 'Trip' series depicts landscapes from travel destinations such as Euljiro in Seoul, Los Angeles (LA), Las Vegas, and Malaysia. The final 'POP' series is a body of work that combines musical rhythm with pop art sensibilities.

His painting style is characterized by his own reinterpretation of the styles of masters such as Vincent van Gogh, Roy Lichtenstein, Keith Haring, Jackson Pollock, and Mark Rothko.

Confidence gained from Rose Wylie exhibition, leading from art fairs to a solo show

The catalyst for stepping out as a late-blooming painter was his encounter with the world-renowned contemporary artist Rose Wylie. After seeing Rose Wylie's exhibition held at the Seoul Arts Center in 2020, he revealed that watching the artist remain active even in her 80s led him to rethink the 'expiration date' of art.

Since then, he has continued his activities by participating in major domestic art fairs, starting with the Insa Art Fair in 2023, followed by PAFS (Pink Art Fair Seoul) and PLAS (Plastic Art Seoul). Currently, Lee Jeong-han plans to continue his work bridging music and art by preparing a new song project titled 'The Beautiful POP,' which shares the same concept as his solo exhibition.