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InspirationArt & Culture

Me Kyeoung Lee's new paintings of South Korea's disappearing corner shops

One of our favourite artists, Me Kyeoung Lee, has launched a new series of paintings that pay homage to South Korea's traditional convenience stores.

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A watercolour painting of a traditional South Korean corner shop with a large blooming cherry blossom tree above it, surrounded by everyday items and a yellow delivery truck

She has, in fact, spent the past 20 years documenting these little corner shops, partly because she finds them so beautiful, but also because she wants to capture them before they disappear forever.

"The first spring after I had my second child, I was spending my days sitting in front of the canvas again with a pen, drawing random things that came to mind, searching for a new beginning," Lee recalls. "One beautiful day when cherry blossom petals were falling like snow, I made a trip to the corner store. I hadn’t been there in a long while, and the place seemed unfamiliar and at the same time quaintly charming. The reddish-brown slate roof displayed subtle changes in color depending on the time of day, and even the word ‘beverages’ in red letters written on the window in a slapdash manner seemed stylish."

It was then that Lee decided to start drawing the humble convenience store. And has been doing so ever since. Her latest solo show at the Imazoo Gallery runs until 3 November 2018. Meanwhile, you can discover more of her work at leemk.com.

A traditional South Korean corner shop with a terracotta-tiled roof, blue signage, potted flowers and plants outside, rendered in watercolour and pen by Me Kyeoung Lee
A delicate watercolour illustration of a traditional South Korean corner shop with a blue roof, surrounded by blooming cherry blossom tree and green foliage
A watercolour painting by Me Kyeoung Lee depicting a traditional South Korean corner shop with a blue roof beneath a blossoming tree, surrounded by everyday items and a yellow bench
A traditional South Korean corner shop beneath a large pink cherry blossom tree, surrounded by rocks and greenery, illustrated in detailed watercolour by Me Kyeoung Lee
A traditional South Korean corner shop with pale pink cherry blossoms overhead, yellow bollards and a red post box in front, rendered in delicate watercolour detail
Me Kyeoung Lee's watercolour painting of a traditional South Korean corner shop with a metal roof, red post box and bicycles outside, surrounded by autumn trees
A round corner shop with a slate roof and pink awning stands beneath a large green tree, its storefront displaying products and signage
Watercolour painting of a traditional South Korean corner shop with a blue-tiled roof, surrounded by lush green trees and potted plants at its entrance
Watercolour illustration of a traditional South Korean corner shop with a sloped roof, surrounded by autumn foliage and climbing vines, featuring a bicycle and weathered signage
A traditional South Korean corner shop beneath a sprawling tree, with a blue roof, weathered walls, displayed goods and a yellow vehicle parked outside
Traditional South Korean corner shop with reddish-brown tiled roof surrounded by blooming cherry blossom trees and colourful foliage, rendered in watercolour by Me Kyeoung Lee
A brick corner shop with Korean signage beneath a brilliantly golden ginkgo tree in autumn, with a red fire hydrant and colourful items outside the entrance
A detailed watercolour illustration of a brick corner shop with a colourful awning, potted plants, a bicycle outside, and a tree, by Me Kyeoung Lee
A bare-branched tree stands in front of a traditional South Korean corner shop with a beige roof, surrounded by everyday items and a yellow vehicle
A traditional South Korean corner shop with green-tiled roof nestled beneath towering trees, its wooden storefront displaying signs, potted plants and everyday items on the platform outside
A traditional South Korean corner shop with a green-tiled roof beneath a ginkgo tree in full golden autumn foliage, illustrated in watercolour and ink
A traditional South Korean corner shop with a distinctive reddish-brown slate roof sits beneath a large fruit tree laden with orange persimmons, with terracotta jars and a yellow display counter outside
Me Kyeoung Lee's watercolour painting of a traditional South Korean corner shop with a broad slate roof, red postbox, bicycle and potted plants outside
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