Korean artist BDKim (Kim Dae-Yong) has announced a special project celebrating world peace and APEC 2025 through his official website at https://www.Daum.ai. The project represents his return to artistic activities following the suspension of work during South Korea's period of martial law that began in December 2024. As political stability returned to the country, Kim resumed his creative work and launched the nationwide art tour project 'BDKim – Art on the Move.'
The centerpiece of this initiative involves a 1.2-ton wing-body truck that has been transformed into a mobile gallery, which has been touring South Korea since October 3. This mobile exhibition will culminate in Gyeongju, where leaders of the 21 APEC member economies will gather. At the Mojeon Stone Brick Pagoda at Bunhwangsa Temple in Gyeongju, Kim will unveil two 2.5-meter original canvases, the truck installation, and dozens of video and NFT artworks.
The NFT video artworks, titled 'Dancing Flags of Peace,' reinterpret the national flags of APEC member economies and are dedicated to their leaders and citizens. Each piece is a five-second video composition expressing the harmony of Yin and Yang energies. The technological significance of these NFTs lies in their storage method: rather than relying on external URL links, the digital assets are directly uploaded and permanently preserved on-chain through a third-generation Proof-of-Work blockchain node.
This fully decentralized blockchain technology, known as SASEUL PoW Chain, was independently developed over seven years by Artifriends Co., Ltd. under CEO Jeongwoo Lee. The technology has gained recognition for its integrity through its listing on the BitMart exchange and is preparing for a hard fork. This approach addresses concerns raised by Elon Musk during his 2023 appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, where he emphasized that NFTs depending on off-chain URLs are inherently vulnerable and that digital artworks must be encoded directly onto the blockchain.
Kim noted that his entire collection is stored securely and immutably on-chain, to be presented as gifts to APEC nations and shared publicly through social media. In addition to the NFT dedication works, three supplementary video versions in 6-second, 30-second, and 2-minute formats 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, together with artists from across the world. This peace-themed international exhibition is expected to draw significant attention within the global art community.
The importance of this project extends beyond artistic expression to technological innovation in the digital art space. By utilizing fully on-chain storage for NFTs, Kim addresses critical concerns about the long-term preservation and authenticity of digital artworks. As the contemporary art world faces stagnation, this project represents both a diplomatic gesture toward international cooperation and a technological advancement in how digital art can be permanently preserved and authenticated through blockchain technology.
