Korean Artist BDKim Launches APEC NFT Collection with On-Chain Digital Artworks

Korean artist BDKim (Kim Dae-Yong) has announced a special project celebrating world peace and APEC 2025 through his artistic initiatives, marking his return to creative work after suspending activities during South Korea's period of martial law. The artist has launched the nationwide art tour project 'BDKim – Art on the Move,' featuring a 1.2-ton wing-body truck transformed into a mobile gallery that has been touring the country since October 3.

The artistic journey will culminate in Gyeongju, where APEC leaders will gather, with Kim planning to unveil two 2.5-meter original canvases, the truck installation, and dozens of video and NFT artworks at the Mojeon Stone Brick Pagoda at Bunhwangsa Temple. The canvas works include previously unreleased pieces originally created for an exhibition atop Mount Baekdu one year ago, while the NFT video artworks titled 'Dancing Flags of Peace' reinterpret the national flags of APEC member economies.

Each of the 21 NFT pieces is a five-second video composition expressing the harmony of Yin and Yang energies, dedicated to APEC leaders and their citizens. The technological significance of these artworks lies in their storage method – unlike many NFTs that rely on external URL links, these digital assets are directly uploaded and permanently preserved on-chain through third-generation Proof-of-Work blockchain technology.

The project utilizes the fully decentralized SASEUL PoW Chain, independently developed over seven years by Artifriends Co., Ltd. and recognized for its technological integrity through its listing on the BitMart exchange. This approach addresses concerns raised by technology leaders like Elon Musk, who emphasized on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast that NFTs depending on off-chain URLs are inherently vulnerable and that digital artworks must be encoded directly onto the blockchain.

Kim has noted that his entire collection is stored securely and immutably on-chain, to be presented as gifts to APEC nations and shared publicly. In addition to the NFT dedication works, three supplementary video versions have already been delivered to the embassies of all 21 member economies, accompanied by official invitations to national leaders and relevant officials.

The artist explains that 'Beyond the Whole World' and 'Dancing Flags of Peace' embody the energy of peace and the origins of primordial art for the future spiritual era, representing a cultural legacy for generations to come. Looking ahead, Kim plans to present the complete five-piece set of 'Beyond the Whole World' at Mt. Baekdu in North Korea with artists from across the world, in a peace-themed international exhibition that has already drawn attention within the global art community.

This project represents a significant development in the intersection of art and blockchain technology, demonstrating how digital artworks can achieve true permanence through advanced on-chain storage methods. As the contemporary art world faces challenges, BDKim's approach offers a potential pathway for artists seeking to create lasting digital legacies while engaging with global political and cultural themes.