The oil painting was first introduced at the end of the Joseon period, but actual art activity was set by Ko Hui-dong in the 1910's. It was followed positively by several artists so called "the 1st generation of oil painters", namly, Kim kwan-ho, Lee Chong-woo and Na Hae-sok, who finished their studies abroad.
Disregarding the short period of Korean art circles, many artists tried to develop the modern aspect of painting in their own work. Korean Modern Art was developed by its oil paintings during the Korean war.
Beginning in the 1950's Korean art went through several changes. The competence stage of Korean artists took place of the blank of the former stage, as . Especially, it's not too much to say that was absolute.
In the 1930's and 1940's, the possibility of abstract painting had already been studied by pioneer artists like Kim Hwan-kee and You Young-guk. In 1934, they organized and in 1948, led the Avangard-Academy movement.
The dominating trend in the 1970's was abstract art. With the young generation of artists as the central figure, there was the reflection of abstract art.
The art circles in the 1990's were on important turning point. The structural changes to late industrial society, the mood com- ing out of the cold war, and democratization resulted in various expressions in artwork.
