The art market in the modern sense was formed in Korea during the Japanese colonial period. In order to get a start on the analysis of the birth and structure of the modern art market in Korea, a study of the antique art collection fever of the 1930s Seoul and its background is needed. This paper, after first examining the Seoul art market and the major collectors during the Japanese colonial period, attempts to analyze the collection of Bak Chang-hun, a medical doctor and one of the representative art collectors of the period, and the auctions through which he sold his collection. A renowned medical doctor of the Japanese colonial period, Bak Changhun was a prominent figure who participated actively in civic society. He was also one of the leading antique art collectors of the era. Bak Chang-hun sold all of his art collection through auctions in 1940 and 1941. Among the art collectors of modern Korea, it is unprecedented for anyone to dispose of one’s complete collection through an auction, let alone through two auctions, as Bak Chang-hun had done. The auctioning of Bak’s collection, therefore, is recorded as an important “event”in the history of Korean antique art market. It is deemed that the biggest reason for Bak Chang-hun’s selling all of his collection and taking economic profit, unbefitting the reputation of a great art collector, was his lack of firm will and purpose as an art collector. The significance of Bak Chang-hun’s life as an antique art collector can be found in his role as a type of model in terms of antique art collection and dispersion in modern Korea.

The art market in the modern sense was formed in Korea during the Japanese colonial period. In order to get a start on the analysis of the birth and structure of the modern art market in Korea, a study of the antique art collection fever of the 1930s Seoul and its background is needed. This paper, after first examining the Seoul art market and the major collectors during the Japanese colonial period, attempts to analyze the collection of Bak Chang-hun, a medical doctor and one of the representative art collectors of the period, and the auctions through which he sold his collection. A renowned medical doctor of the Japanese colonial period, Bak Changhun was a prominent figure who participated actively in civic society. He was also one of the leading antique art collectors of the era. Bak Chang-hun sold all of his art collection through auctions in 1940 and 1941. Among the art collectors of modern Korea, it is unprecedented for anyone to dispose of one’s complete collection through an auction, let alone through two auctions, as Bak Chang-hun had done. The auctioning of Bak’s collection, therefore, is recorded as an important “event”in the history of Korean antique art market. It is deemed that the biggest reason for Bak Chang-hun’s selling all of his collection and taking economic profit, unbefitting the reputation of a great art collector, was his lack of firm will and purpose as an art collector. The significance of Bak Chang-hun’s life as an antique art collector can be found in his role as a type of model in terms of antique art collection and dispersion in modern Korea.

Chang-hun, antique art, collection, collector, art market, auction