Misulbu (미술부) is a Korean watercolour studio that picked up a big following on Instagram and YouTube. Most of the paintings are portraits of young women wearing hanbok, and the detail in them is something else, especially for watercolour.
Every painting follows a simlar pattern: the face and clothing are painted very precisely, while the background is kept loose and washy. The contrast between the two is what makes the work so easy to recognise.
Colours are mostly warm, lots of golds, creams and soft reds. Cooler shades show up here and there in shadows and backgrounds but the overall feel is warm and calm.
Nobody really knows who is behind it. The name means “art club” in Korean so its probably a studio or a small group rather than one person. Theres no interviews, no bio, nothing like that. They post process videos on YouTube but the most intresting parts of how they actually paint are edited out.
Warm golds drip behind her while the face stays sharp.
“She was a phantom of delight when first she gleamed upon my sight.”
William Wordsworth
Red haired woman looking up, dark swirling background, warm light on face.
“I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart, I am, I am, I am.”
Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
Old man, cigaret, beer, worn jacket, staring off.
“I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.”
T.S. Eliot
Young asian kid in a big fancy traditional hat, blue robe with gold trim, looking down quiet like she thinking bout something far away. “A child dress in his peoples history, carrying more then he know on that small shoulders” — Unknown 
Young boy, white hat, red shirt, looking up.
“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird.”
Langston Hughes
Old man blowing trumpet, blue all around.
“Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there.”
Miles Davis
Old man, dark turban, grey beard, prayer beads, piercing stare.
“I have lived on the lip of insanity, knocking on a door. It opens. I’ve been knocking from the inside.”
Rumi
Young woman, dark hair, red lips, cherry blossoms, small bird.
“She walks in beauty, like the night of cloudless climes and starry skies.”
Lord Byron
Is Misulbu a real person or a studio?
Honestly nobody really knows for sure. Most people think its a Korean studio or a group of artists working together, not just one person. There’s no interviews, no biography, nothing like that — just the paintings.
Are Misulbu paintings done by hand or is it digital?
They are painted by hand using watercolor. Alot of people think its digital because the detail is so good but its not, its all done with layers of watercolor paint built up slowly over time.
Can you actually buy a Misulbu painting?
Thats a tough one. There’s no official shop or website you can just go to. Some pieces might pop up through galleries or resellers but its not easy to track down and you cant always be sure its legit.