Han Woo Lee

Lee Han-woo (이한우, 李漢雨, 1928–2021) was a prominent Korean painter known for his bold outlines, vivid colors and simplified interpretations of the Korean landscape.

Born in Tongyeong, a coastal city surrounded by mountains, sea and islands, Lee initially worked as a schoolteacher before entering the professional art world in his mid-thirties. His early paintings included naturalistic landscapes, still lifes and scenes inspired by his hometown.

From the 1980s onward, Lee developed his celebrated series, “Beautiful Mountains and Rivers of Korea” (아름다운 우리강산). Combining traditional Korean obangsaek colors with strong black contours and rhythmic patterns, he created a distinctive modern vision of Korea’s mountains, rivers, villages and fields.

Lee exhibited extensively in Korea and abroad. He received Korea’s Bogwan Order of Cultural Merit in 2000 and was named a Chevalier of the French Order of Arts and Letters in 2006. His work remains admired for expressing the color, spirit and natural beauty of Korea.