• 1999

    • - Opened were Ssamjispace, Alternative Space Loop, Alternative Space Pool and Project Space SARUBIA
    • - Lee Bul won a special prize at the Venice Biennale.
    • - Amabel by Frank Stella was installed at POSCO building
    • - Rodin Gallery opened in Seoul.
    • - Controversy over whether or not the painting Oigeumgang Okryucheon (Mt. Geumgang Okryu Steam) was authentic
    • - The budget for the culture industry reached 1 percent of the total government budget.
    • - Patjis on Parade at 1999 Women’s Art Festival

    • - The Y2K issue was resolved easily.
    • - High-speed internet was distributed.
    • - An enthusiast for the boy band H.O.T committed suicide.
    • - The movie Shiri found success.
    • - Sin Chang-won was found and arrested 908 days after escaping from prison.

    • - The US Senate voted to acquit US President Bill Clinton on the articles of impeachment.

  • 1998

    • - The Year of the Photographic Image
    • - Ssamji started the Creative Studio Program.
    • - City, Image, Food, Clothing and Shelter (Seoul Museum of Art)
    • - Lee Bul (Art Sonje Center)
    • - Chung Ju-yung, the founder of Hyundai Group, donated 500 heads of cattle to North Korea.
    • - A bailout program was established for 55 companies and five banks.
    • - A North Korean submarine landed a three-person reconnaissance team on the shores near the city of Gangneung.
    • - Golfer Pak Se-ri won the US Women’s Open.
    • - The ban on Japanese pop culture was lifted.

    • - 1st animal to be cloned from an adult somatic cell, a sheep named Dolly, was born.
    • - FIFA World Cup France

  • 1997

    • - 2nd Gwangju Biennale
    • - 1st Ceramic Biennale
    • - Space of Conversion, Lee Sang-beom Exhibition, 100 Years of Photography Art (Ho-Am Gallery)
    • - Lee Bul held a private exhibition at the MoMA in New York.
    • - Kang Ik-joong won a special prize at the Venice Biennale.
    • - Origin Painting Association Exhibition
    • - Exhibition of Korean Monochrome in the 1970s
    • - Art critic Lee Il died.
    • - Korea officially requested assistance from the IMF bailout program.
    • - Hwang Jang-yop, secretary of the Workers’ Party of North Korea, defected to South Korea
    • - Korean Air Flight 801 crashed in the US territory of Guam, killing 229 people.
    • - Kim Dae-jung won the 15th presidential election.
    • - Musical The Last Empress
    • - The so-called “Red Muffler” incident occurred, involving the appearance of high school students in a pornographic video.
    • - The Dokdo Museum opened.

    • - Mother Teresa died.
    • - Deng Xiaoping died.

  • 1996

    • - The Kumho Museum was opened in Sagan-dong.
    • - Masterpieces of the Guggenheim Museum (Ho-Am Gallery)
    • - Kang Ik-joong Private Exhibition, Photography: New Vision and Photography as It Is
    • - Invitation to Modern Realism Exhibition
    • - The word for “elementary school” was changed from gukminhakgyo to chodeunghakgyo.
    • - The two former presidents were brought to trial.
    • - Members of South Korean Federation of University Students Councils staged a demonstration at Yonsei University.
    • - It was decided that Korea and Japan would jointly hold the 2002 World Cup.
    • - The demolition of the former Japanese General Government Building
    • - A Korean gang “Makgapa” committed crimes, including burying victims alive and eating human flesh.
    • - Taiji Boys retired.

    • - France conducted nuclear experiments.
    • - The 16th Summer Olympics was held in Atlanta.

  • 1995

    • - 1995 was announced as the Year of Art
    • - 1st Gwangju Biennale
    • - Jeon Soocheon received a special prize from the Venice Biennale.
    • - SSak (Sprout) Exhibition (Art Sonje Museum)
    • - Park Mo Solo Exhibition (Kumho Gallery)
    • - The Seoul International Print Biennale was held.
    • - Painter and sculptor Moon Shin died.
    • - The former Japanese General Government Building was demolished to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of National Liberation.
    • - Former Presidents Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo were arrested.
    • - Per capital income in Korea reached USD10,000 and exports rose to USD100 billion.
    • - The Sampoong Department Store collapsed.
    • - The Seokguram Grotto, Tripitaka Koreana and Jongmyo Shrine were registered as part of UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
    • - Mis-Encounter by Kim Gun-mo

    • - The US and Vietnam established a diplomatic relationship.
    • - The Space Shuttle Discovery was launched, marking 1st female pilot of a space shuttle.

  • 1994

    • - Minjung Art for 15 Years: 1980-1994 (MMCA)
    • - Exhibition of Birds, Birds, Blue Birds to Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Donghak Peasant Revolution (Seoul Art Center)
    • - Korea Modern Photography 1945-1994 (Seoul Art Center)
    • - Feminism: The Power and Logic
    • - Women: Different Power
    • - The construction of the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale started.
    • - Launching of the Gwangju Biennale
    • - Establishment of the Association of Corporation Mecenat
    • - National Assembly impeached President Roh Moo-hyun, which had a significant impact on the 17th general election.
    • - The Zaytun Division of the Korean army was deployed to Iraq.
    • - South Korean interpreter Kim Sun-il was kidnapped and murdered in Iraq.
    • - The nostalgia-evoking 7080 Concert was successful.
    • - Movies Silmido and Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War each attracted over 10 million viewers to the box office.

    • - Thailand was hit by a tsunami.
    • - Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook.

  • 1993

    • - Whitney Biennale Seoul Exhibition
    • - Ah! Goguryeo: Ancient Tomb Mural Paintings 1,500 Years Ago (MMCA)
    • - Four Postmodern Artists (Ho-Am Gallery)
    • - Korean Modern Art: Generation of Passion and Challenge (Total Art Center )
    • - Corruption allegations during the Korean Calligraphy Competition. 10 people were imprisoned.
    • - Retrospective of Kim Ki-chang for His 80th Birthday (Seoul Art Center) Controversy over the artist having been a pro-Japanese artist
    • - My Survey of Cultural Heritage by Yoo Hong-jun
    • - The Real Name Financial Transactions System was launched.
    • - Daejeon Expo
    • - Unconverted long-term prisoner Ri In-mo was repatriated to North Korea.
    • - The Uruguay Round trade negotiations were concluded.
    • - Korean Buddhism Seon Master Seongcheol died.
    • - Nice to Meet You, Logic! by Wi Gi-cheol

    • - President of Iraq Saddam Hussein rejected an ultimatum by the US.
    • - European Community summit meeting

  • 1992

    • - Museum and Art Museum Promotion Act
    • - Controversy over the transfer income tax on artwork (3 years of grace period)
    • - Korea Modern Art Masterpieces (Ho-Am Gallery)
    • - Nam June Paik: Videotime, Videospace (MMCA)
    • - Documenta 9 (Kassel, Germany) invited Yook Keun-byeong.
    • - North Korean Arts Exhibition (Seoul Art Center)
    • - Reflection of Art (Kumho Museum), The Garden of Hypothesis (Dukwon Gallery),
    • - Show Show Show (Space Ozone)
    • - Kim Young-sam was elected the President.
    • - Hwang Young-jo won the marathon at the Olympic Games in Barcelona.
    • - 1st satellite in the Republic of Korea, KITSAT-1 (also known as KITSAT A), was launched.
    • - Nan Arayo (I Know) by Taiji Boys
    • - Koreans who live in the US suffered from the Los Angeles Riots.
    • - The new Haengjudaegyo Bridge collapsed during construction.

  • 1991

    • - North and South Korea became UN member states.
    • - Myongji University student Kang Kyeong-dae was killed during a demonstration.
    • - Kang Ki-hoon was indicted for ghostwriting the will of his friend.
    • - Prime Minister Chung Won-shik was pelted with flour and eggs while visiting a campus.
    • - A group of five South Korean boys (now known as “Frog Boys”) disappeared.
    • - The Academy of Korean Studies published The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture.

    • - The Gulf War broke out.

  • 1990

    • - Opening of Seoul Arts Center Art Museum
    • - Youthful Sight: A Proposal for Tomorrow
    • - Modern Masterpieces Exhibition, Ha In-doo Retrospective at Ho-Am Gallery)
    • - 10th Anniversary Exhibition of Hyunsil-gwa-Baleon (Kwanhoon Gallery)
    • - Hangang River flood in Seoul.
    • - Democratic Party, the Democratic Republican Party and the Democratic Justice Party decided to merge and the Democratic Liberal Party was established.
    • - Chun Doo-hwan returned from Baekdamsa temple after 769 days.
    • - Opening of Galleria Department Store
    • - 1st Seoul Peace Prize

    • - South Africa released Nelson Mandela from prison.
    • - Lech Wałęsa became the President of Poland.
    • - The Strait of Dover Tunnel was opened.
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This content was originally published in Korean in the special feature of Wolganmisool Vol. 367 (August 2015) and with their Kind permission is translated and published by KAMS.