The long Japanese tradition of Korean ceramics appreciation, closely associated with the Zen tea ceremony (chanoyu), has played an important role in the development of Korean aesthetics in the_twentieth century. The art critic and philosopher Yanagi Sōetsu was instrumental in this process during the occupation period, since, continuing in this tradition, he particularly valued Joseon ceramics for their aesthetic qualities — such as naturalness, nonchalance, and simplicity — akin to praised values in Zen Buddhism. Yanagi’s pioneering writings might have been influential in the_prevalence of those traits when defining Korean art and aesthetics in general. After a brief presentation of key expressions defining Korean art and aesthetics, the paper focuses on Yanagi’s aesthetic assessment of Joseon ceramics and particularly on his proposal of its appreciation beyond the_modern Western division between art and craft.