Tocotoco and the New Playfulness of Modern Art: A Young Korean Artist’s Journey
At first glance, the paintings of this young Korean artist might look like respectful homages to European masterpieces. Look closer, and a bright-beaked bird sneaks into the scene. This is Tocotoco, a toucan with a curious gaze and boundless energy who has become the artist’s signature. With Tocotoco, she reimagines classical art through a playful lens, bridging centuries of tradition with the spirit of her own generation.
At just her mid-20s, she has already travelled to nearly 60 countries, exhibited solo, painted murals across continents, and developed a whimsical universe that both celebrates and reinterprets art history. Her story reflects not only her personal journey but also how a new wave of young artists are making art more accessible, joyful, and global.
(Photo: Tocotocojin)
A Chance Beginning
Her journey toward becoming a professional artist began not with a grand plan, but with a practical problem. In her final year of university, she faced the limitations of her school’s graduation exhibition: a tiny booth that could not possibly contain the hundreds of drawings of Tocotoco she had made over the years.
“I had been drawing Tocotoco for years and had built up a large collection of works,” she recalls. “But the small booth wasn’t nearly enough to display them all. I decided to pursue a solo exhibition instead.”
While searching for opportunities, she stumbled upon a project run by a Korean café franchise that supported emerging artists. She applied, was selected, and held her very first solo exhibition there. That decision, born from a mix of ambition and necessity, marked her official start as an artist.
From the Louvre to the “Tocolized” World
Her playful reimaginings of famous art pieces were inspired by a simple regret. During her first trip to Paris, she rushed through the Louvre, snapping a photo of the Mona Lisa before leaving. “Later, I regretted that in such a vast and rich museum, I had only taken a quick photo,” she admits.
When she returned years later, she approached the museum differently. This time, she sat with works that caught her attention and sketched them in her own style. One of her earliest reinterpretations, which she calls “Tocolizing,” was a humble water jug from The Wedding at Cana. Years later, she would reimagine the entire painting for her exhibition Toco Renaissance at Gallery NaWei, a full-circle moment for her artistic journey.
Her generation, she believes, thrives on breaking boundaries. “We naturally blend classical references with pop culture, travel experiences, and even humor,” she explains. For her, Tocotoco is both a tool and a lens: a way to honor the past while reimagining it for the present.
The Birth of Tocotoco
The heart of her work is the Toco Toucan. She first encountered the bird in high school, through a book and later on the Froot Loops cereal box. Something about the vibrant colors and curved beak captured her imagination.
“I began drawing it, and over time the character Tocotoco was born, my very own Pokémon,” she says with a smile. What started as playful sketches became a lifelong companion, evolving into a central character of her “Tocotoco Universe.”
In this universe, Tocotoco and friends embark on adventures, exploring jungles and cities much like she does in real life. “It’s a way for me to reflect and express my own life journey,” she adds.
(Photo: Tocotocojin)
Choosing What to Reinterpret
Her process of selecting works to reinterpret is intuitive rather than academic. “I visit a museum, sit in front of a piece that catches my eye, and start sketching my own interpretation with a pen and drawing book,” she explains.
She once bought an annual museum pass and spent entire days wandering halls, sketchbook in hand. By the end, she had filled dozens of sketchbooks with what would later become full paintings. For her, fun is the driving force. If it sparks joy or curiosity, it is worth painting. Inspiration, she says, is not limited to masterpieces. Books, films, sounds, and emotions all find their way into her art.
Her reinterpretations walk a fine line between respect and humour. “It’s important to me that the original work remains recognizable, but I want to introduce something surprising and delightful,” she says. The result is art that is both commentary and celebration: reverent toward tradition yet playful in spirit.
Travel as Creative Fuel
By the time she was 23, she had already travelled widely, supporting herself by drawing caricatures on the streets of Europe for just one euro each. Later, her journey stretched into India and Africa, where chance encounters led her to paint murals instead.
“These experiences made me think deeply about relationships, culture, and people,” she reflects. “That’s how the Tocotoco Universe was born.”
(Photo: Tocotocojin)
Travel continues to shape her creativity. In Portugal, for example, she became captivated by the blue tiles that adorned buildings. This discovery sparked her Tiare Azul series, inspired by the pigments she found there.
“I never know exactly how my work will grow before I go somewhere, and that’s part of the magic,” she says.
For her, travel is like reading a book: each destination opens a new chapter of inspiration. Whether sketching on her iPad while on the road or refining canvases back in her Korean studio, her journeys constantly feed her art.
Inside the Creative Process
Her process begins with a flash of inspiration. “When an idea comes, I jot it down or make a quick sketch before it slips away,” she explains. From there, she expands, experimenting with composition digitally before committing to canvas.
She primarily works in acrylics, layering warm, vibrant colors and mixing in colored pencils, oil pastels, and other media to add depth. Each piece develops over time, adding, adjusting, sometimes removing, until it feels complete.
The result is art that carries both spontaneity and refinement, with Tocotoco as the guiding thread.
(Photo: Tocotocojin)
Reactions and Connections
Her reinterpretations often elicit laughter and smiles. “Humor creates an immediate connection,” she notes. “It makes the artwork approachable and encourages people to engage.”
Though she cannot hear from the long-gone masters whose works she reimagines, she approaches their legacies with respect. “My intention is never to mock, but to bring a contemporary perspective while honoring their spirit.”
Her audience spans both serious collectors and casual passersby. Through galleries, she reaches seasoned art lovers. Through public murals, she brings Tocotoco to unexpected spaces. In both cases, her goal is the same: to make art accessible and joyful.
Beyond Tocotoco: The Future Vision
For now, Tocotoco remains central to her practice, but she refuses to see it as a limitation. Recently, she has been exploring abstract pieces inspired by the toucan’s colors, as well as painting more personal subjects like her cat.
“I see Tocotoco as a starting point rather than a boundary,” she says. “It continues to evolve with me.”
Her ambitions are equally expansive. She dreams of reviving her world mural tour, collaborating with brands like Jellycat or even Froot Loops, the very cereal box that first sparked her fascination with toucans. Such collaborations, she believes, could merge playfulness with broader cultural reach.
Looking ahead, she hopes that in 10 years, Tocotoco will still be evolving. “More than just a character, I’d like it to be seen as a lasting symbol of creativity, curiosity, and playfulness.”
Advice and Surprises
Asked what she would tell her younger self, she answers simply: “You are doing just fine. Trust yourself, even when things feel uncertain. Keep following what excites you.”
Unlike some artists tied to one sacred place, she finds inspiration in constant novelty. “Each unfamiliar place offers fresh perspectives. For me, inspiration often lies in the unknown.”
And for those who assume she is a newcomer, one surprising fact always catches them off guard. Despite her youth, she has already been working as an artist for nearly a decade and has traveled to almost 60 countries.
A New Generation of Art
Her story is both unique and emblematic of her generation. With Tocotoco, she blends humor, history, and global experiences into a style that is recognizably her own. She shows that modern art need not be intimidating. It can be playful, curious, and deeply personal.
In a world where boundaries between cultures and disciplines blur more each day, she stands as part of a new wave of artists reshaping what art can mean. Through her bird, she has found both a companion and a symbol of joy, creativity, and the boundless possibility of imagination.
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