NEWS THIS MONTH

November 15-17, 2025

43^rd National Suseok Exhibition

Pohang University Information Gymnasium,

Huimang-daero, Pohang

Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea

September 26—28, 2025

Sangju Suseok Association 51^st Anniversary Celebration

The Sangju Suseok Association celebrated its 51^st anniversary this year by staging a Suseok exhibition as part of the Sangju International Hat Festival held in Gyeongsang National Park September 26 to 28, 2025. Twenty-three members of the association participated in this themed exhibition “Meeting the Hat and the Suseok.”

This festival is the only cultural event in Korea dedicated to hats. Parades, exhibitions of traditional headgear, live musical events, competitions, and a Suseok were included in this three-day celebration of fashion, tradition, and performances blending Korean cultural heritage with headwear artistry.  

Hats in Korea have historically been tied to status, identify, and tradition. A good example is the black “gat” hats worn by the yangban scholars in past times. The fanciful display of rocks wearing various types of headwear is an example how viewing stone appreciation can be adapted to fit into the heritage of a country. 

August 16-17, 2025

The 500 Nihan National Suseok Exhibition

An extraordinary exhibition of 350 Suseok was held in Ulsan, South Korea this summer. The 500 Nihan National Suseok Exhibition was organized by several people who volunteered their time and energies to stage this major display that focused on a single subject, the 500 Nahans (오백나한). This exhibit brings together two powerful traditions in Korean culture—Buddhist iconography and Suseok—in a blending of the beauty found in nature with religious symbolism. The 500 Nahans are enlightened disciples of the Buddha who have attained Nirvana and have choose to remain in the world to guide others. The Nihans or Arahans as they are also known, are revered for their spiritual accomplishments and their protective powers. The 500 Nihan exhibition is an indication of the continued influence of Buddhism on Korean Suseok.

The exhibition was held in a multi-purpose indoor sports arena, the Ulsan Chungha Gymnasium in the city of Ulsan located in southeastern Korea about 72-kilometer northeast of Busan. The stones on display ranged from large individual figure stones to groups of smaller stones in a single display. Approximately 2,000 people visited the two-day exhibition. The organizing committee published an exhibition catalog of this event.

June 7-8, 2025

The 34^th Gyeongnam Regional Association Member Exhibition 

The 34^th Gyeongnam Regional Association member exhibition was held at the Bandabi Sports and Cultural Center in Goseong on June 7 & 8, 2025. Goseong County Governor Lee Sang-geun, Korean Suseok Association president Lee Sung-ki, and other officials attended the opening ceremony. Chairman Jin Jong-sun told the attendees “I hope the members will appreciate their lovely stones in the exhibition hall prepared with sincerity and passion, put down the hard work and pain of daily life for a while, and have a happy time feeling the beauty of Suseok.”

The exhibition consisted of 60 high-quality river, sea, and foreign stones from the collections of 27 members of the Association. This association was established on March 8, 1981, and over the past 45 years has left an important mark on the roots and development of modern Suseok culture in the southern region. 

May 14-27, 2025

“Cloud and Scent” Exhibition

An exhibition of 160 stones, folding screens, and ceramic paintings from Unhyang Kwon Young-ja's personal Suseok collection was held at the Insa Art Center in Seoul under the theme “Cloud and Scent.” Mrs. Kwon Young-ja has been collecting and loving stones for 43 years. She founded the Korean Suseok Citizen’s Association, a group of Suseok partners, in March 2013 and has served as its chairman for the last twelve years.