Lee Yil (1932-1997), born in Gangseo, Pyeongannum-do (now part of North Korea), is one of the most influential postwar art critics in
Korea. Until his death in 1997, he taught art history and art criticism at Hongik University and worked actively as an art critic. His significant essays range from his writings on the Paris Biennale, in which Korean artists participated, to numerous essays and monographs on Korean abstract and experimental artists. In particular, Lee wrote on Dansaekhwa artists such as Park Seo-bo, Ha Chong-hyun, Chung Sang-hwa, Chung Chang-sup, Yun Hyong-keun, Kim Tschang-yeul, Lee Kang-so, Kwon Youngwoo, Suh Seung-won, and Choi Myung-young.
