▲ This photo provided by Korean artist Colin Jin (legal name So Jin-ho), known for recreating traditional culture through Lego pieces, shows his lego artwork featuring the traditional mask dance-drama "Dongnae Yaryu," a state-designated intangible cultural heritage. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, Aug. 20 (Yonhap) -- With a reddish face, bulging eyes, and oversized nose and ears, the mask bears a sly grin that seems to mock someone. It is the unmistakable expression of “Maltuki,” a mischievous character from the traditional mask dance-drama "Dongnae Yaryu," a state-designated intangible cultural heritage.

 

Other masks are equally vivid: “Halmi” (old woman) with wide eyes and a runny nose, twisted faces with crooked eyebrows, noses and mouths, and even a mask without ears. Once used to deliver satire and humor during festive nights of the first full moon of the year, these masks have now been reimagined with Lego bricks.

 

Korean artist Colin Jin (legal name So Jin-ho), known for recreating traditional culture through Lego pieces, is unveiling new works in the special exhibition “Dancing Lego,” which opens Aug. 29 at the National Gugak Center in Busan as part of the 8th Yeongnam Dance Festival.

 

 

▲ This photo provided by Korean artist Colin Jin (legal name So Jin-ho), known for recreating traditional culture through Lego pieces, shows his lego artwork featuring the main characters of the traditional mask dance-drama "Dongnae Yaryu," a state-designated intangible cultural heritage. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

The artist previously gained attention for works such as “Lego Ohyangchinjebanchado,” a Lego rendition of a royal ritual scene from the Joseon Dynasty’s Jongmyo Jerye, which was displayed at Jongmyo Shrine.

 

In the upcoming exhibition, Jin will showcase Lego recreations of various masks used in Dongnae Yaryu, as well as works depicting traditional dances such as Dongnae Crane Dance, Geumhoe Drum Dance, and Seonyurak, all assembled piece by piece without blueprints.

 

“The works use more than 15,000 Lego blocks,” Jin said. “I tried to minimize subjective interpretation and instead capture the scenes as faithfully as possible.”

 

The details stand out in each piece. The jaw of the Dongnae Yaryu masks has been designed to move, mimicking live performances where performers banter on stage. The mask of a nobleman with a long beard also features a movable jaw, while a child scholar’s traditional headgear bears the Chinese character for longevity, “su” (壽), made from Lego pieces.

 

Jin also recreated various dances in striking detail. In Geumhoe Drum Dance, five convex Lego plates form a rounded hat, paired with colorful costumes in traditional five-directional hues. "Seonyurak," a dance symbolizing the harmony of earth, sea and sky, is presented with 22 performers.

 

 

▲ This photo of "Seonyurak," a dance symbolizing the harmony of earth, sea and sky, is presented with 22 performers, is provided by the artwork's creator Colin Jin (legal name So Jin-ho), known for recreating traditional culture through Lego pieces. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

Some works include playful touches. A croissant-shaped Lego piece represents the runny nose of the “Halmi” mask, while ice cream-shaped bricks form part of the drums in a scene of eight dancers performing around a large instrument in the Mugo dance. Even parts from a Lego car model released in 2000 were used to depict dancers.

 

The Busan National Gugak Center said, “This exhibition combines the imagination of Lego with Korean traditional dance, creating a space where the calmness, excitement, and storytelling of our dances come alive.”

 

The exhibition runs through Dec. 21.

 

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]