INCHEON — The exhibition may be a long way from Viet Nam, but South Korean artist Kim Jai-min is clearly influenced by the country he loves so much. 

Work by the retired teacher has gone on display at Gallery Yeonjung in Incheon City, South Korea.

With more than 30 visits to Viet Nam under his belt, Kim has shown he affection for the country through his art, creating paintings of Vietnamese people and daily life.

He has turned photos taken in Viet Nam throughout the years into beautiful water colours. Most of them capture the beauty of people in localities such as Mỹ Tho, Vĩnh Long, Cần Thơ, and Chau Đốc.

Kim told the Vietnam News Agency that the trips to Viet Nam left him with many fond memories.

“The more I travel, the deeper my feelings for Viet Nam became,” he said.

The retired teacher also revealed that in the past ten years, he started painting from his own photos, mainly to present to Vietnamese living in South Korea, helping them to ease their homesickness.

Kim has also written two books about Viet Nam, published in 1994 and 2005.

He is also the co-author of another book published in 2015, which helps Koreans understand more about the land and people of Viet Nam.

He also participated in a programme organised by South Korea’s EBS TV to promote the image of Viet Nam. —  VNS