Jieqiong loves her job. Really, she does. So maybe not all of it is amazing, like how the archives in the basement of the museum are freezing or how the nearest bathroom that doesn’t consistently have a line is three floors up, but the actual work part is genuinely fun. Jieqiong has not regretted her decision to work abroad this summer for a single day. For museum studies grad student Jieqiong, working in an art museum’s archives is a dream come true, especially given she’s only two semesters into her masters. According to her supervisor, someone without a graduate degree getting a paying job at Leeum is unheard of, and it’s especially impressive that she, as a foreigner, got the job. Jieqiong tries not to let that knowledge go to her head.

Leeum isn’t exactly a brand new museum, but the archives are relatively new and very unorganized. Jieqiong’s job is to take the unsorted artwork, label it, and put it in the right area. For Jieqiong, the thrill of seeing art that almost no one knows exists more than makes up for the tediousness of the job. She’s a few weeks in and has developed a good rhythm when, as she is restacking crates holding dynastic Korean paintings, a mid-sized crate in the corner catches her eye.

It’s old, or at least it looks old. The wood is cracked and dented, and it’s definitely not the plywood that most of the art is transported in. Jieqiong puts down two Joseon Dynasty crates to get a closer look. It’s nailed shut, and from the look of it, it has been for a while. The nails don’t have the modern round heads. In fact, they look almost hand-made.

Abandoning her work, Jieqiong carries the crate over to one of the work tables. It’s heavier than she expected. She figures it must be packed with, well, art probably. The work tables are outfitted with art repair tools: magnifying glasses, glue, brushes, but there is also a toolkit that is mostly used for breaking down frames and canvas stretchers.

Jieqiong grabs the crowbar and tests its weight a few times before turning to the crate. Jieqiong has never done this before, but she figures it can’t be too hard. After all, every treasure movie has at least one scene with a crowbar. 

Turns out it’s a lot harder than the actors make it look, or maybe it’s the age of the wood or the kind of nails. Rusty nails are probably grippier, after all. When Jieqiong finally gets it open, she’s broken a sweat. She takes off her hoodie and wipes her forehead with it. 

When Jieqiong catches her breath and takes a good look inside, she loses her breath all over again. The crate is packed to the brim with s