Qwaya captures the stillness and quiet beauty found within ordinary moments of daily life. Having first trained in fashion design before turning to painting, he brings an acute sense of color, texture, and form to his canvases—each work balancing simplicity and emotional depth. His compositions often feature anonymous figures, suspended between motion and contemplation, revealing subtle emotions without explicit expression. Through this restraint, Qwaya allows the viewer’s own memories to surface, creating an intimate space for reflection. His subdued palettes—neither loud nor somber—resonate with quiet warmth, while the tactile density of oil and pastel marks gives the surface a sense of physical memory.

The name “Qwaya,” derived from the word “過夜,” embodies his artistic philosophy: to observe the silent passage of time and to hold onto fleeting sensations that might otherwise disappear overnight. Rather than grand narratives, his paintings offer a meditation on solitude, time, and emotional resilience, inviting viewers to rediscover beauty in the unnoticed. Bridging contemporary art and popular culture through collaborations in music, design, and international exhibitions, Qwaya stands as one of the most compelling young Korean painters of his generation.

EDUCATION

B.A. Fashion Design, Sangmyung University, Seoul, South Korea

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2025 <Ordinary People; A Record of the Everyday> — Gangneung Art Museum, Gangneung, South Korea

2024 <Break Free> — Carin Gallery, Busan, South Korea

2024 <What Should We Do?> — 2gil29 Gallery, Seoul, South Korea

2023 <Curtain Call> — PBG, Seoul, South Korea

2023 <Last Night on Earth> — Afternoon Gallery, Paris, France

2022 <Where Your Steps Take You> — Atelier Aki, Seoul, South Korea

2022 <Hide Well, Hide Well!> — Tsutaya Books Shanghai Pudong, Shanghai, China

2022 <Nevertheless> — Afternoon Gallery, Seoul, South Korea

2021 <About the Attitude> — 2gil29 Gallery, Seoul, South Korea

2021 <Pray> — Mokin Museum, Seoul, South Korea

2020 <Knock Knock> — RYSE Hotel, Seoul, South Korea

2020 <Ordinary People> — 2gil29 Gallery, Seoul, South Korea

2019 <Letter> — Gallery Art Arch, Seoul, South Korea

2018 <Everyday Moments> — Hotel Yeonnam, Seoul, South Korea

2017 <Ordinary Record> — P4square Gallery, Seoul, South Korea

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2026 <Art We Love> — Carin Gallery, Busan, South Korea

2025 <Into the Night> — Gallery ERD, Seoul, South Korea

2025 <Color Pulse> — Maison JE Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand

2025 <Chasing Rainbow> — Blue Brick Gallery, Changwon, South Korea

2024 <Memories Become Treasures> — Movementlab, Seoul, South Korea

2023 <Cheek to Cheek> — S2A Gallery, Seoul, South Korea

2023 <Well-Being & Well-Dying> — Mokin Museum, Seoul, South Korea

2023 <Adult’s Fairy Tale II> — Art Sohyang Gallery, Busan, South Korea

2022 <Distance Between Me & Me> — Powerlong Art Center / Xu Gallery, Shanghai, China

2022 <Alter Ego> — Noblesse Collection, Seoul, South Korea

2022 <Oh! Sentimental> — Gana Art Busan, Busan, South Korea

2022 <About Things that Have Faded or Disappeared> — Lotte Gallery Dongtan, Dongtan, South Korea

2021 <In Bloom> — Hite Collection, Seoul, South Korea

2020 <Eulji Sansu> — PS CENTER, Seoul, South Korea

2020 <Blue Rainbow> — Karas Gallery, Seoul, South Korea

2019 <Ordinary Lie> — Seoul Museum, Seoul, South Korea

2018 <Face Each Other> — Soda Museum, Gyeonggi, South Korea

2017 <Moho Project> — Seoul Museum, Seoul, South Korea

2017 <Nightmare Drawing> — 57 Gallery, Seoul, South Korea

COMMERCIAL PROJECTS & CURATION

2026 Seoul Brewery <Art Craft Project> — Collaboration Artwork

2025 EJEL <Carrying a Green Backpack> — Album Cover Art

2025 Child Rights Film Festival with Save the Children (CRFF) — Poster & Visual Design, Collaboration Artwork

2025 MovieLand <Between Worlds> — Curation & Solo Exhibition

2025 Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), Request Cinema Program — Curation

2024 Millie Book Club Objet Book — Collaboration Artwork

2023 Magazine Around Vol.91 — Magazine Artwork

2023 Movie <Her Hobby> — Artwork & Movie Poster Collaboration

2022 Halff Coffee Roasters — Collaboration Artwork

2022 Dontpanic Vol.12 (Blue) — Album Cover Artwork (LP)

2021 Littor Vol.33 — Book Artwork

2021 Ilcorso (LG Fashion) — Collaboration Artwork

2021 Ego.Do <Home> — Album Cover Art

2020 29CM Daily Guide Project — Collaboration Artwork

2020 CJ Musical <Big Fish> — Collaboration Artwork

2019 Jung Woo Mul <Blue> — Album Cover Art

2019 Jannabi <Legend> — Album Cover Art & Graphic Artwork

2019 Magazine MAPS Vol.136 — Magazine Artwork

2019 Shin Ha Young <Not In Love> — Book Artwork

2019 Magazine Stock Life Vol.10 — Magazine Artwork

2018 Ulkin — Collaboration Artwork

2018 KOLON <NEST> — Collaboration Artwork

2018 RIMOWA — Collaboration Artwork

2018 Oh Young <Apocalypse> — Album Cover Art

2017 MBC Drama <Always Spring Day> — Collaboration Artwork

PUBLICATIONS

2025 <Side Project (Ceramic Works)> — Normal A

2019 <Ordinary Days> — Self-Published

2019 <Readers> — Self-Published

2019 <The Poster Book [An Ordinary Story]> — Book21 (Arte Book)