Moka Lee, a young painter born in the 1990s, has been named to the ‘Forbes Korea 30 Under 30’ list for 2026.
 
Launched in the United States in 2011, ‘Forbes 30 Under 30’ selects innovators under the age of 30 across regions including the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as by individual countries. Today, it is conducted annually in more than 60 countries and has grown into a global network of approximately 10,000 honorees. In addition, through its annual Under 30 Summit and mentorship programs, it has evolved beyond a simple list into a collaborative platform for the next generation of leaders.
 
Those selected share a common trait: they are driving meaningful change in their respective fields through new perspectives and innovative ideas. Forbes Korea annually selects and announces 30 emerging Korean leaders who have made outstanding impact in their fields and are poised to expand onto the global stage.

Among the 30 next-generation leaders selected this year, Moka Lee (b. 1996) is the only artist on the list. She began her artistic practice at the age of 22 in 2019 and has since rapidly expanded her presence onto the international stage. While still a student, she received the top honor, the DDP Prize, at ASYAAF 2019, marking the beginning of her professional career. She has since participated in major institutional exhibitions, including those at the Busan Museum of Contemporary Art and the Seoul Museum of Art.
 
In 2025, she was selected for ‘Artsy Vanguard 2025’ and was featured on a large digital billboard in Times Square, New York. She has also been featured in international media outlets such as CNN, Artnet News, and The Art Newspaper.

Her practice begins with collecting selfies from the web and transforming them into paintings that reveal a contemporary sense of the “double self.” Ephemeral digital images are translated into the material rigidity of oil painting, while countless layers of thin paint accumulate on the surface, visualizing a state in which the double self adheres to the subject like skin.
 
A key structural foundation of her work lies in the fusion of Western oil painting traditions with the sensibilities of Korean ink painting. In her early practice, she worked by placing images found on social media onto the canvas, carefully transposing the subtle emotional resonances these images generate when encountered by viewers.

Moka Lee has remarked, “Within the vast field of art, the traditional role of the ‘painter’ is closer to passing art through one’s body,” articulating a philosophy that runs throughout her practice.
 
Looking ahead, she is set to present an exhibition and publication at 10 Corso Como in Seoul in 2026, followed by a solo exhibition at David Kordansky Gallery and a solo booth at Art Basel Paris. As a young painter, her continued growth—and her expanding presence on the global stage—signals a promising trajectory in broadening the landscape of Korean contemporary art.

References

• 포브스코리아, [2026 포브스코리아 30세 미만 30인] ART&STYLE | 이목하(29) 미술가
• 포브스코리아, 2026 포브스코리아 30세 미만 30인