For anyone interested in programs or exhibitions that support emerging artists, the Nexon Foundation’s “Borderless” is worth exploring. This social responsibility initiative gives artists access to game worlds and characters as creative material and supports their efforts to reinterpret them in their work.

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Currently, Gyejodang Hall at Gyeongbokgung Palace is hosting <Winds at Thirty: Carrying Tradition Forward>, an exhibition marking the 30th anniversary of The Kingdom of the Winds. Drawing on official materials, this overview outlines the exhibition’s purpose and highlights its key works, examining how familiar squirrels and the four guardian beasts have been reimagined through traditional crafts.

The Kingdom of the Winds 30th Anniversary Exhibition

Marking the 30th anniversary of The Kingdom of the Winds, this exhibition brings together the game, the Nexon Foundation’s Borderless program, and the Korea National University of Heritage. Emerging artists working in traditional crafts reinterpret a game rooted in Korean traditional culture and sensibilities.

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Borderless provides access to game IP and supports emerging artists working in traditional crafts. The program gives artists an opportunity to apply their skills and approaches to new subject matter, while introducing visitors to traditional crafts through games.

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Some participating artists hold national heritage repair technician qualifications or have completed training in nationally designated intangible heritage practices. They interpret The Kingdom of the Winds through their respective specialties, including lacquerwork, ceramics, traditional painting, dancheong decorative painting, and embroidery.

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For players, familiar characters may be what first draws them to the works. Beyond that initial recognition, one of the exhibition’s key attractions is the chance to examine the materials and techniques used, gaining insight into each artist’s practice.

A Preview of 5 Works

A Rogue Rides the Wind

The first of the 5 collaborative works featured here is “A Rogue Rides the Wind” by Yang Ho-seong, Choi Hyo-ryeong, and Han Hye-in.

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The piece combines the rogue, one of the signature classes in The Kingdom of the Winds, with a squirrel. Using traditional dry lacquer and lacquerwork, it depicts a rogue squirrel in a standoff as it prepares to raid a corrupt official’s storehouse.

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The official photographs show a squirrel wearing a conical hat facing black squirrels positioned around the storehouse. These endearing characters, placed in the midst of a storehouse raid, give the impression of a short story unfolding within the work.

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The piece combines a range of lacquer techniques with materials including mother-of-pearl, paulownia wood, and brass. Details worth examining include the mother-of-pearl decorating the squirrels’ stripes and the colors of the lacquer. Recognizing the familiar character forms is part of the appeal, as is taking a closer look at the materials.

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Yang Ho-seong holds a national heritage repair technician qualification in lacquerwork and focuses on dry lacquer sculpture. Choi Hyo-ryeong holds qualifications in lacquerwork, gilding, and conservation treatment, and works across a range of materials with a focus on metal and enameling. Han Hye-in applies traditional lacquer techniques to contemporary figurines and character sculptures.

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Understanding the three artists’ specialties can help visitors appreciate the processes that transformed a familiar game character into a work of craft.

Guardian Beasts Protecting the Realm

“Guardian Beasts Protecting the Realm” by Lee Sol-chan and Kim Jeong-woo expresses the hope that the four guardian beasts, which protect beginners in The Kingdom of the Winds, will also safeguard us in the real world.

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Inspired by depictions of the four guardian deities in Goguryeo tomb murals, the work combines traditional roof guardian figurines with ceramic sculpture. The jeondol, or traditional bricks, beneath the four guardian beasts are also integral to the piece.

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The base takes its inspiration from the tiles in the spaces where the four guardian beasts reside in The Kingdom of the Winds. According to the official materials, three patterns and colors from the game were recreated in traditional bricks, using different types of clay and firing methods to achieve their colors and textures.

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The four guardian beasts draw the eye first, but the reinterpretation of the game’s setting extends to the ground beneath them. Both the characters and their surroundings have been translated into traditional craft.

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Visitors can compare the forms of the four guardian beasts, the subtle colors of white porcelain, the coarse, sandy texture of roof-tile clay, and the traces of hand shaping. These details reveal how on-screen images change when rendered in clay.

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Lee Sol-chan has completed training in sagijang, the nationally designated intangible heritage practice of ceramic making, and works with clay as a medium. Kim Jeong-woo has completed training in jewajang, the nationally designated intangible heritage practice of traditional roof-tile making, and is a ceramic artist whose work draws on traditional roof-tile materials and production methods. Their specialties come together in the four guardian beasts and the traditional bricks.

Collars Holding the Wind

A Panorama of Dragon Legends

A Gwijumeoni Pouch Filled with the Wishes of Squirrels and Rabbits

Among the other works, “Collars Holding the Wind” by Kim Hui-seon personifies the four guardian beasts as figures in traditional attire. Part of its appeal lies in comparing each guardian beast’s distinct colors and flowing garments.

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“A Panorama of Dragon Legends” by An Yu-jin and Lee Dong-min​ reinterprets four dragons from the game through dancheong decorative painting and traditional painting techniques.

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“A Gwijumeoni Pouch Filled with the Wishes of Squirrels and Rabbits” by An Eun-jeong depicts familiar characters through traditional embroidery. Incorporating symbols of wealth and longevity, it conveys the hope that The Kingdom of the Winds will remain beloved for years to come.

Exhibition Schedule and Visitor Information

Category	Details
Exhibition Title	Winds at Thirty: Carrying Tradition Forward
Exhibition Dates	September 9–September 21, 2026
Venue	Gyejodang Hall, Gyeongbokgung Palace
Viewing Hours	9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Last Admission to Gyeongbokgung Palace	5 p.m.
Closure	Gyeongbokgung Palace is closed on Tuesdays
Exhibition Admission	Free
Gyeongbokgung Palace Admission	Separate fee of 3,000 won; free for young people aged 24 and under

The exhibition itself is free, but admission to Gyeongbokgung Palace is charged separately.

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When planning a visit, note that the palace will be closed on Tuesday, September 15, during the exhibition period.

A web catalog is also available on-site via QR code. Visitors take on the role of a traveling merchant squirrel, exploring the palace and completing missions related to the works.

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Visitors who complete the web catalog missions can collect a commemorative exhibition ticket, including an in-game item coupon, from the reward station in front of Gyejodang Hall. The activity offers a game-like way to engage with the exhibition, inviting visitors to complete missions as they view the works.

Exhibition Merchandise Available on idus

Source: idus

Borderless merchandise inspired by the traditional craftworks is on display at the on-site “왈숙’s General Store”.

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The items are not available for purchase on-site. Those interested in buying them can visit the idus website, where the merchandise has been available since September 9.

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A portion of the merchandise proceeds goes to participating Borderless artists to support their continued creative work. The initiative extends beyond showcasing their work at the exhibition: merchandise purchases also help support future projects.

Closing Remarks

Players of The Kingdom of the Winds can compare familiar subjects, such as squirrels and the four guardian beasts, with their reinterpretations in lacquerwork and ceramics. Visitors unfamiliar with the game but interested in traditional crafts or character design can focus instead on the materials and artistic approaches.

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The exhibition also offers a look at what programs supporting emerging artists can produce. Reading the artist names and specialties listed beside the works may encourage visitors to explore more of an artist’s practice after discovering a piece they enjoy.

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The exhibition runs until September 21. Check the opening schedule and visitor information before visiting, and take time to examine both the materials and the in-game motifs behind the five works featured here.

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