Artist Koh Sang-woo / Courtesy of Savina Museum of Contemporary Art

A young wolf named Neukgu became an overnight sensation last month when his escape from a theme park in Daejeon set off a nine-day search that kept the entire country on edge. When he was finally captured alive, his story became something more than just a miraculous rescue.

Just eight years earlier, a puma that broke free from the same facility was swiftly shot and killed, its death largely accepted as a necessary public safety measure. Neukgu’s live capture, by contrast, signaled a change in public ethos — one shaped by a deeper recognition of animal rights and preservation. And this week, it prompted the government to take a harder look at the country’s zoo management and animal welfare standards.

It is within this shifting social landscape that artist Koh Sang-woo’s haunting animal portraits resonate with particular force.

Through luminous blue-toned paintings of creatures scarred by human exploitation, Koh explores the shared vulnerability of beings forcibly pushed to society’s margins.

In his latest exhibition, “Still Breathing,” at the Savina Museum of Contemporary Art in northern Seoul, he expands that vision through his first collaboration with Cheongju Zoo, Korea’s first conservation-centered zoo.

Koh Sang-woo's "Hana" (2026) / Courtesy of Savina Museum of Contemporary Art

Unlike traditional zoos built for display, Cheongju Zoo in North Chungcheong Province prioritizes wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, species preservation and animal welfare. Inspired by the real-life stories of animals under its protection, the artist turns their experiences into delicate digital brushstrokes.

One piece, “Hana,” portrays a rescued eagle born with a severe beak deformity that made life in the wild impossible. Within Koh’s dreamlike blue universe, the bird appears almost otherworldly — suspended in cosmic space, its gaze conveying both resilience and quiet dignity.

“I’ve long been skeptical of zoos, but Cheongju Zoo made me reconsider. Wild animals belong in nature, of course, but some simply cannot survive if returned. For them, places like this can serve an essential purpose,” the artist said.

Source: Korea Times News