With young Korean artists increasingly taking centre stage in the art market, it is easy to forget that Korean art is rooted in the age-old tradition of Oriental painting and calligraphy.

Two exhibitions are currently underway to remind people of the beauty of traditional Korean art.

One can start off by tracing the development of Joseon Dynasty art at the Seoul Calligraphy Art Museum, located in the Seoul Arts Centre.

Here, the latest exhibition, a collection of calligraphic works and Oriental paintings owned by 'Terrarosa' coffee shop owner Kim Myung-sung, attempts to make pre-modern art more accessible.

Showcasing about 90 works from approximately 70 artists from the Joseon era, this exhibit focuses on the paintings and calligraphic art of leading artists from the 16th and 17th centuries.

From Lee Hwang's Living in a Remote Place to Kim Hong-do's Picture of Nine Gentlemen Having a Poem-Recital on a Moon Night in the Garden, visitors get to feast their eyes on the creme de la creme of traditional art. In fact, Kim Hong-do's work is rarely on public display, so viewers should not miss out on the chance to see this famed painting.

In order to set all this historically significant art in a context that is both fun and educational, the show has been divided into seven sections.

Kicking off with an exploration of the history of Joseon Dynasty calligraphy from the 15th century onwards, visitors learn of the various calligraphic styles that colored this period.

The Songsul writing style of the 15th century, 16th century calligrapher and scholar Lee Kwang-sa's theory of penmanship, and Kim Jung-hee's 19th century style of writing are compared and contrasted in this section, highlighting the diverse nature of Korean calligraphy.

Not only was Joseon Dynasty writing diverse, it reflected the artists. It is believed that one's temperament can be seen in one's writing, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Lee Hwang's Living in a Remote Place.

After trying to decipher the nature of Lee Hwang, view the historical development of penmanship from early seal characters to a square style of writing to a smooth and flowing cursive script.

Then move on to the ever-popular painting genres: flowers and birds, birds and animals and the four gracious plants. The paintings of the four gracious plants - the plum, the orchid, the chrysanthemum and bamboo - in particular, highlight the spirit of Joseon Dynasty scholars.

But it is Jang Seung-up's A Wild Goose in Reeds (1886) that really showcases the effervescent yet tranquil aesthetics of Oriental painting. A herd of wild geese traipse across this 10-panel work. At once stable and dynamic, Jang (1843-1897) captures these birds both in flight and at rest. Considered one of the greatest artists of the Joseon period, Jang created his works towards the end of the dynasty. And this particular work is being shown to the public for the first time.

For a more meditative moment, gaze at the Picture of Hermit. Attributed to Kim Myoung-gook (1600-1663), a scholarly hermit takes pleasure in a calligraphic painting in this work. One of the most distinguished artists of the 17th century, Kim is famed for his paintings in the four gracious plants genre.

After delving deep into Joseon calligraphy, landscape and genre paintings, head on over to the SOMA Museum of Art to look at portraits and religious paintings from the era.

The current exhibition, titled Drawing from Korea 1870-1970, offers a look at pre-modern portraits and Buddhist ink paintings in Room Four.

Three late-Joseon portraits offer visitors a look at a form of portraiture that combines a photo-realistic face with a roughly outlined body.

After taking in these intricate works, turn to the collection of Buddhist paintings, of which there are 14. These ink paintings serve as the blueprint for the colorful murals that grace the temples of Korea. But they are beautiful in their own right. Done entirely by brush, the delicate outlines of the bodhisattvas and demons surprise with their expansive detail and scale.

The Greatest Masterpieces of Calligraphy and Painting in the Joseon Dynasty: Collection of Masters and Masterpieces 9 - Arajae Collection, runs through May 25 at the Seoul Calligraphy Art Museum. Tickets cost 5,000 won (US$5) for adults, and 4,000 won ($4) for minors. For more information, call (02) 580-1284 or visit www.sac.or.kr

Drawing from Korea 1870-1970 runs through 1 June at the SOMA Museum of Art. For more information, call (02) 425-1077 or visit www.somamuseum.org. (By JEAN OH/ The Korea Herald/ ANN)