Woo Kukwon does not care if celebs buy his art

The South Korean artist, a favourite among K-pop stars, does not want his art to rely on the impact of others

- Clement Yong

In paintings that recall mediaeval tapestries, a rebellious unicorn leaps across a stream, dodging hunting spears.

It pierces a dog with its long horn, splitting the mystified canine open. Eyewitnesses to the gory scene, presented in the in-vogue cute art way, are a diapered little girl with a bob haircut and a white mini schnauzer—time travellers to this foliaged world blending history and fantasy.

South Korean artist Woo Kukwon's latest Unicorn series, completed in recent months, is the latest of his oeuvre following the wanderings of his three-year-old daughter Woo-joo and dog Hodoo.

The lanky, bespectacled Woo is one of the hottest commodities in the South Korean art world, counting among his collectors K-pop boy band BTS' V, singer Rain and actress Son Ye-jin. His special-edition bags, a collaboration with luxury fashion brand Dior in 2025, fit snugly in the arms of Blackpink member Jisoo and Gyeongseong Creature (2023 to 2024) lead Han So-hee at swanky galas.

Speaking on his first trip to Singapore for his solo at Tang Contemporary Art in Delfi Orchard, the 49-year-old says he does not concern himself with this connection to the rich and famous. It is the galleries representing him that sell his paintings, and he makes no special efforts to appeal to this demographic.