Artist Kian84’s van Gogh parody draws attention after being listed for $103,500 on secondhand marketplace

Webtoonist and television personality Kian84, left, and his painting ″Starry Cheongdam″ (2022, translated) [NEWS1, SCREEN CAPTURE]

 

A parody of a Vincent van Gogh painting by webtoon artist and television personality Kian84 has drawn attention after appearing on a secondhand marketplace with the hefty price tag of 150 million won ($103,500).

 

The parody piece, the name of which translates to “Starry Cheongdam” (2022), was recently
 listed for sale on Danggeun Market. 

 


 

“I’m selling [the painting] because I’m moving,” the seller wrote. “The piece is more unique and has a different oil-paint texture than the artist’s other works. Please make an offer only if you are seriously interested.”

 

“Starry Cheongdam” is a parody of van Gogh’s masterpiece “The Starry Night” (1889) and was first unveiled at Kian84’s debut solo exhibition, which ran from March 25 to April 5, 2022. The painting was also featured on the MBC variety show “I Live Alone” (2013–).

 

The webtoonist had donated all proceeds from ticket and artwork sales at his debut exhibition — which totaled 87 million won, less than the Danggeun Market seller’s asking price — to a children’s welfare organization.

 

The listing sparked mixed reactions online. Some internet users criticized the seller for the excessive resale price. Others argued that people in general have the right to choose the cost of their own goods, with the market ultimately determining the value of items.

 

The post has been deleted from the second marketplace as of Thursday.

 

A post selling webtoonist Kian84’s painting ″Starry Cheongdam″ (2022, translated) on the secondhand marketplace Danggeun Market [SCREEN CAPTURE]

 

According to the webtoonist, the central theme of “Starry Cheongdam” is desire, as southern Seoul’s Cheongdam, one of the city’s most affluent neighborhoods, is known for its high real estate prices.

 

“I thought about what people want most, and real estate came to mind,” Kian84 once explained. “Whenever I went running along the Han River and looked at the apartment buildings nearby, I felt that modern people treat them like treasures.”

 

The artist described the painting as the starting point for a series, which includes works with titles that translate to “Starry Apgujeong,” “Starry Seongsu” and “Starry Jamsil.”

 

This is not the first time that one of Kian84’s pieces has appeared on a secondhand market with a high price tag. In 2024, another work, the name of which translates to “Life Adjustment Time 4,” was listed on a secondhand platform for 30 million won before the asking price was later lowered to 21 million won.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY JANG GU-SEUL. [[email protected]]