Samsung Celebrates Korean Culture with the Debut of “The Art of Us” Social Film

The Art of Us: K-Inspiration. A Shared Connection., a compelling cinematic exploration, draws inspiration from Korean Treasures: 2,000 Years of Art, the landmark exhibition featuring masterpieces from the National Bequest of the Lee Kun-Hee Collection. This exhibition marks the first U.S. presentation of highlights the collection, a historic inheritance of over 23,000 works donated by the family of Samsung’s late Chairman, Lee Kun-Hee, and offers a rare glimpse into Korea’s artistic heritage.

Inspired by this legacy, The Art of Us reflects a simple yet resonant truth: this is the art we inherit, the art we recognize and the art that recognizes us. Directed by Korean-American director and cinematographer Eileen Yoon, the film delves into the emotional truths that transcend time, connecting lives across centuries through symbols, gestures and stories. The film not only celebrates this cultural inheritance but also invites audiences to engage with Korean art as a living testament to the people who shaped it and those who carry it forward.

Voices of a Cultural Wave

The film embodies the exhibition’s revelation of enduring emotional truths, capturing the essence of identity, heritage and creativity as they are passed down and reinterpreted. Through intimate narratives shared by contemporary voices—including award-winning actress Greta Lee, musician Yaeji, filmmaker Andrew Ahn and New York Times best-selling author and food columnist Eric Kim—the film illuminates the profound connections between past and present.

For global audiences familiar with K-pop, K-drama or Korean cinema, The Art of Us offers a deeper lineage, tracing the artistic and emotional roots that fuel today’s cultural wave. It is a testament to the spark of K-inspiration—a shared connection that transcends boundaries.

Bridging Symbolism and Human Vulnerability

The film showcases Eileen Yoon’s distinctive visual language, blending emotional depth with intimacy. Yoon, whose spans commercial, music video and narrative projects, bridges symbolic art and human vulnerability, infusing the galleries with memory and meaning. Drawing from her experience navigating dualities of identity, she reflects Neo-Confucian principles evident in the collection, where inner character is revealed through outer form. This philosophy is echoed in the contemporary portraits of the film’s talent, creating a dialogue between inner and outer selves.

Bright, expressive and cinematic, the film fosters emotional affinity across generations and cultures, inviting both Korean and non-Korean audiences into a shared space of connection.

About Korean Treasures: 2,000 Years of Art

Currently on display at the Art Institute of Chicago through July 5, 2026, Korean Treasures: 2,000 Years of Art features 140 artworks on view—including modern and historical painting, ceramics and objects made for Buddhist worship and scholarly study. 22 of the artworks are officially recognized as National Treasures or Treasures by the Korean government.

Korean National Treasures: 2,000 Years of Art is curated by Yeonsoo Chee, Korea Foundation associate curator of Korean art at the Art Institute of Chicago. This exhibition is organized by the Art Institute of Chicago, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, the National Museum of Korea, and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. are officially recognized as National Treasures or Treasures by the Korean government.

For more information about the Art Institute of Chicago exhibition, please visit their website.