Dessie's Archive: South Korea: Day 5

CookieRun Kingdom Art Project Legacy of the Kingdom exhibition

For our free day, Allison, Delta, and I booked tickets for the CookieRun Kingdom art exhibition. The collaboration showcases 10 works of traditional art made by Korean artists that each encapsulate one of the five values from the game; volition, change, knowledge, happiness, and solidarity. Each of the traditional works also includes the characters of the game that coincide with those values. Mystic Flour for apathy, Dark Cacao for resolution, Burning Spice for destruction, Golden Cheese for abundance, Shadow Milk for deceit, Pure Vanilla for truth, Eternal Sugar for sloth, Hollyberry for passion, Dark Enchantress for release, White Lily for freedom, and Silent Salt for silence. Each of these associated values contribute to the making of the artwork as well as line up with each of the character's stories. That's why as someone who has been a fan of this game for years, it is so special that I got to attend.

As you pass to each artwork, there is an interactive component along with the bracelets you are given to enter. Light shows and projections with different effects are displayed when scanning the bracelets on each panel. It made the exhibition experience all the more immersive as we became part of the full piece.

Beyond being a fun and beautiful exhibit, it also allowed me to see traditional Korean handicrafts in person. They have much more influence in the art world then I originally thought because each piece is unique but has appeared now time and time again. Traditional handicrafts were the blueprint for works such as these that now incorporate digital elements.

Projections over sand art piece of Mystic Flour Cookie

Filling the Void with Creation 'Void' by Chai Seung-Woong

Resolution artwork

Art piece of Dark Cacao Cookie

(did not get the name or artist of this one)

Traditional pottery of Burning Spice Cookie

The Ultimate End to Perfection 'Destruction' by Park Sang-Jin

Geumbak or gold leaf imprinting of Golden Cheese Cookie

The Gleam of Ambition 'Abundance' by Kim Gi-Ho

Shadow over traditional korean paper light of Pure Vanilla Cookie

Light over traditional Korean paper of Pure Vanilla Cookie

Gleaming Beacon of Hope 'Truth' by Park Myeong-Ok

Tal or traditional Korean mask of disguised Shadow Milk Cookie

Tal of Shadow Milk Cookie's true form

Hope Beyond Truth 'Deceit' by Shin Jung-Chul

Pillow embroidery of Eternal Sugar Cookie by Choi Jeong-In

(did not get a picture of the name)

My Eternal Sugar Bracelet next to her exhibit

Horn carving into a plate of Hollyberry Cookie

(as well as various others Sugar Fly Cookie, Tiger Lily Cookie, Wildberry Cookie, etc)

Flower That Blooms Through Pain 'Passion' by Lee Jae-Man

Projection show of traditional dance depicting Dark Enchantress Cookie and the witches who made the cookies of Earthbread for the purpose of being eaten

Lantern-like statue of White Lily Cookie

Many Lights That Glow Brighter Together 'Freedom' by Jeon Young-Ill

Discipline Without Sound 'Silence' by Kim Yeong-Jo

(Projection show surrounds the Nakhwa or pyrography of Silent Salt Cookie)

The exhibition was also interactive in another way. In between the art pieces there was a room covered in drawings of cookies. At some tables, guests could draw and color their own cookies or cookies from the game. From there, your cookie is scanned and can walk along the projections with the other Cookie Run Kingdom characters.

Drawing I made of Dwaekki as a cookie

Wall Illustrations 1

Wall Illustrations 2

Wall Illustrations 3

Selfie with Eternal Sugar Cookie Wall Illustration

Gift Shop Haul

(I might like this mobile game a bit too much, can't you tell?)

2026 Hangang Drone Light Show

Later in the day after some decompress time at the hotel, we took the subway to see the drone light show by the Han river. Unfortunately, we could not find where the cultural performance was being held, but we got to watch the whole light show. It was beyond impressive to see. Much of the drones made the shapes in the sky appear almost 3-D. However Caroline and I were hungry first, so we went to grab a bite to eat while we watched the show. That was not a disappointment either! Upon the Han river there was a boat containing a convenience store and bbq place. I've seen boats with restaurants in them before, but never a 7/11. That was certainly new to me. Though the food we got was a fair-like item you would get in the US. Chicken and fries in a cup atop the drink with the straw through the middle.

The light show itself was awe-inducing. The lights would morph into varying shapes from a door to a butterfly to a woman and would move around scarily as if it were 3-dimensional. You would have to see it to understand. It was almost akin to seeing the fireworks in St. Augustine except way more dynamic and short. Though it was definitely worth it.

Sunset by the Hangang River