Minhwa & K-Pop Demon Hunters: A Hands-On Art and Keychain Workshop

This in-person workshop, part of a three-session series hosted by the USC U.S.-China Institute in collaboration with USC Libraries Korean Heritage Library centers on a guided, interactive art-making experience inspired by Minhwa (traditional Korean folk painting). Originally designed for K–12 educators and now open to USC students, the workshop uses K-Pop Demon Hunters as a contemporary reference point, allowing participants to briefly explore symbolic imagery such as the magpie and tiger before moving into the core activity: painting with a prepared minhwa set and creating a pop-culture-inspired keychain to take home. Led by Sofia Kim, a Korean American artist and educator, the workshop emphasizes hands-on creation, offering a practical and engaging way to adapt traditional Korean art into classroom-ready projects that connect heritage, storytelling, and modern visual culture.

Sofia Kim is a Korean American artist and educator whose work explores cultural memory, identity, and visual storytelling. Trained in both fine art and education, Kim specializes in adapting traditional Korean artistic forms for contemporary audiences and learning environments. Her teaching emphasizes hands-on creation, cultural accessibility, and meaningful connections between heritage art and modern visual culture.