The oldest known examples of sculpture in Korea are rock carvings on a riverside cliff named Bangudae in Ulsan. In other parts of the country, clay, bone and stone figurines of men and animals have been excavated. In these Neolithic village sites, comb pattern pottery was the main art form of the period, which were replaced by curved designs with the advent of agriculture. A few objects from prehistoric times have been found across Korea. Based on their abstract forms, they are presumed to have been created for religious purposes.

A variety of bronze items were produced, but the traditions of the Neolithic Age lingered and art of this period continued to be closely linked with religion. During the Three Kingdoms period, when a new social order was being shaped, Korean art was simple and robust. However, the flourishing of Buddhism enriched both the content and techniques of the art of that period. All the three kingdoms enthusiastically supported religion, and sculpted works from Goguryeo (37 B.C.- A.D. 668), Baekje (18 B.C.-A.D. 660) and Silla (57 B.C.-A.D. 935) were typically dominated by Buddhist images.

Prime examples include Goguryeo's gilt bronze standing Tathagata Buddha and the gilt bronze half-seated Maitreya in meditation, both of which are wearing benign smiles. Baekje statues, such as the stone Buddha carved on a cliff at Seosan, exhibit elegant facial contours and smiles, typical elements of Baekje art. Although Unified Silla's art featured realistic techniques, it sought a flawless socio-political harmony.

During this period, the art of metalcraft achieved a brilliant state of sophistication. From the large mounded tombs of Silla's aristocracy, archaeologists have uncovered rich collections of gold accessories of kings and queens, including crowns, earrings, necklaces and girdles. The golden crowns in particular attest to a truly refined artistry. Linear engraving and repose work embellish the upright tree-shaped ornaments, the diadems, while the pendants are further decorated with gold spangles and comma-shaped jade attached with fine wire.

Recovered earrings show a refined filigree combined with granulation. Silla artisans also excelled in producing temple bells. The bronze bells are well-known for their elegant design, sonorous sound and impressive size. The late eighth-century Divine Bell of King Seongdeok, or the Emille Bell as it is popularly known, is the largest of existing temple bells in Korea. It is decorated with exquisite sculpting of lotus-shaped medallions, flowers, flames and heavenly maidens.

The artistry of Goryeo (r. 918-1392) can be best appreciated by its celadon ware, with its beautiful color, particularly jade green, a wide variety of items-jars, wine pitchers, plates, cups, incense burners, and flower vases-and elegant decorations which are incised, carved in relief or inlaid. These celadon works, produced during the 12th and 13th centuries, were used for ostentatious display rather than for practical use.

It may be said that this celadon ware embodied the yearning for a spiritual world beyond the mundane life. Celadon techniques were brought to Goryeo from Song Dynasty China (r. 960-1279), but the Chinese influence was all but lost by the first half of the 12th century when Korean creativity came into full bloom. The technique of inlaying, devised by Korean potters, involved incising designs into the clay and then filling the recesses with white or black slip. Excess slip was scraped away prior to firing. These designs, applied in a simple and restrained manner in the early stage, resulted in a subtle and dignified beauty for celadon vessels.

By the end of the 13th century, however, potters used these popular designs without restraint and craftsmanship deteriorated. Inlaid designs became more coarse after the Mongol invasions. Celadon-making skills vanished in the 14th century, but have been revived by artisans of today. There are many people who have devoted their entire life and energy to reviving Cheongja, the blue-green celadon of Goryeo.

What celadon was to Goryeo is what white porcelain was to Joseon. Ceramic artists of Joseon initially created buncheong, a grayish stoneware with white slip and greyish-green glaze, but then developed this into white porcelain over time. The dominant social influence of Joseon was Confucianism. The shift from the leisurely aristocratic Goryeo period to the more pragmatic social concepts of Confucianism are reflected in the ceramic art of the time. White porcelain opted for simple lines over the more curvy shapes of Goryeo celadon.

During Joseon, the kilns were controlled by the government and produced inlaid white porcelain as well as inlaid blue celadon. White porcelain in underglaze blue was usually decorated with patterns of Sagunja (four virtuous plants favored as traditional art symbols), including plum blossoms, orchids, chrysanthemums and bamboo, lotus flowers, arabesque designs and autumn grass. Joseon porcelain is being actively researched and revived by dedicated ceramic artists of today.

Such potters's efforts to revive the arts of the bygone days can be observed in Icheon, a small town about an hour outside of Seoul. Korea's architectural designs can be divided into two major styles according to the structures involved. For the designs used in palaces and temples, ancient Korean architects used a bracket system, while commoners's houses were characterized by thatched roofs and ondol, heated floors. The upper class usually built larger houses with tiled roofs, which were elegantly curved and accentuated with slightly uplifted eaves.

What came into the architect's mind was how to harmonize the subject structures with the natural surroundings. Among ancient architectural designs, Goryeo's wooden structure Muryangsujeon (Hall of Eternal Life) still stands at Buseoksa Temple in Yeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. It is presumed to have been built in the 13th century.

Western architecture was introduced to Korea at the end of the 19th century, as churches and offices for foreign legations were built by architects and engineers from abroad. Since the 1960s, in Korea's pursuit of industrialization and urbanization, the government has pushed ahead with development plans and a number of beautiful old buildings have been demolished and replaced by unsightly structures. However, in recent years, there have been active discussions in this regard while the time-honored concept of harmonizing buildings with nature is being revived.