Journalist

Yoon Ju-hye
  • New Books: “Tips from the Top” Collects Advice From 70 Leading Architects
    New Books: “Tips from the Top” Collects Advice From 70 Leading Architects Tips from the Top=By Ken Yang and others, translated by Jeong Ji-hyeon, Dplot. A new book gathers advice from 70 internationally known architects — figures the industry might liken to master chefs — organized into seven themes: getting started, inspiration, values, focus, process, self-development and decision-making. The project began when Raghdah Alhayal, an architect in her 20s in the United Arab Emirates, asked senior architects for guidance on success. What started as personal outreach expanded into a broader “Tips from the Top” project. While the book features guidance from architects at the top of their field, it also underscores that strong ideas do not flow only from the top down: The collection itself grew from a younger architect’s questions, a bottom-up start that suggests major ideas can come from below. The advice is paired with the pleasure of recalling landmark works by the contributors. William Pedersen, who participated in designing Lotte World Tower, recommends “comparative design,” urging architects to present multiple options rather than a single answer to a given set of requirements. Mario Botta, who designed Leeum Museum of Art’s Museum 1 (M1), Gangnam Kyobo Tower and Phoenix Island Agora in Jeju, offers a blunt message: “Work, work, and keep working.” Arthur Gensler, who designed Nvidia’s headquarters, advises leaders to “give people greater authority as they make wiser decisions.” Ali Rahim and Hina Jamelle, who led a MoMA project, say: “Be true to your identity.” Other lines read like life guidance: “Not missing the basics is the basic” (Dong Gong); “Flip it, flip it, and flip it again” (Yu Kongjian); and “Grow first as a human being” (Li Hu). Some counsel speaks to endurance in a fast-changing era, including “Make architecture that will stand the test of time” (Gordon Gill) and “Be a flame that burns slowly and for a long time” (Sharon Johnston & Marklee). The book does not demand that readers follow every tip. It suggests taking any sentence that resonates and reshaping it to fit one’s own life — a process that can be a lesson in itself. "Architecture is like a long-term romance. If I dare to offer a formula: two spoonfuls of optimism, one spoonful of obsession, plus a bit of denial and an almost constant admiration for absurdity. Luck clearly plays a role, too. But architecture’s true power comes from a commitment to keep exploring an infinite realm that is still unknown — or even beyond what can be conceived." (p. 152, Thom Mayne) Korea Financial Crisis=By Hong Jong-hak, Econ. The author, an economist and policy expert, served as the first minister of SMEs and Startups in 2017. He introduced the concept of predatory lending in South Korea and helped spur entrepreneurship by abolishing the practice of joint guarantees that had blocked second chances. In the book, he argues that “a financial crisis is not something that arrives suddenly, but the result of accumulated choices.” He outlines the historical backdrop of repeated crises and the structure of the Korean economy, assesses where the economy now stands, and examines possible policy and social choices to avoid a crisis. He identifies household debt as the weakest link and describes the recent rise in delinquency rates and default risks in vulnerable sectors as a “gray rhino” — a danger he says has been chosen and neglected by policymakers. "Above all, what matters is our society’s sense of community. True crisis recovery begins with letting go of the selfish belief that only my home price must not fall. Today’s high home prices are a house of cards built on debt that future generations will have to carry. What use are expensive apartments in a country where young people cannot dream and the sound of babies crying disappears?" (p. 385) The King’s Road=By Baek Seung-gi. Baek, a South Korean architect and urban engineer, writes what he calls a vivid, walking-centered exploration of history, based on his own on-the-ground visits to sites where the Joseon Dynasty’s triumphs and failures intersect. The routes he documents — King Taejong’s “road of founding,” King Sejong’s “road of preservation,” and the “road of humiliation” experienced by King Injo and King Gojong — are presented as connected to realities people face today. He asks whether readers will remain “consumers” who settle on smooth roads built by others, or become “pioneers” who take the controls and design their own path. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-16 16:39:21
  • Korea Arts and Culture Education Agency Opens Applications for 2026 Online ArtE Academy
    Korea Arts and Culture Education Agency Opens Applications for 2026 Online ArtE Academy The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Arts and Culture Education Service said on 16 they have begun recruiting participants for the “2026 Online ArtE Academy,” a program designed to train arts and culture education professionals. Courses for arts educators include legally required training for school arts instructors and arts-and-culture education organizations, along with modules on domestic and international trends, case studies and how to plan education programs. The curriculum is intended to strengthen both fieldwork skills and planning capacity. Training for teachers focuses on examples of arts-and-culture education programs and planning methods that can be used in schools by grade level and art genre. It will be carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Education’s General Training Institute and the National Institute for Central Education Training. Courses for administrative staff will center on policy trends in arts-and-culture education and core administrative competencies, aiming to improve understanding needed to run projects, support the field and respond in practice. Reflecting changes in the arts environment, the Online ArtE Academy will newly release 16 training courses: four on overseas cases, four collaborative courses with prominent artists and eight practical courses for professionals in after-school care programs. The overseas-case series will offer four video courses covering sound-based arts education and examples of using artificial intelligence, drawing on institutions such as France’s IRCAM and the Netherlands’ Muziekgebouw. For emerging arts educators, the academy will also introduce four “Artist Code” courses sharing the education philosophy and perspectives of well-known artists including Choo Soo, Choi Jeong-hwa, Eom Jeong-soon and choreographer Kim Seong-hoon. All courses are free. Starting in April, the academy will roll out topic-based recommended-course content and run participation programs such as course-registration events. Details are available on the Online ArtE Academy website and the agency’s official social media channels.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-16 15:24:29
  • South Korea Launches ‘Dream Studio’ Visual Arts Program, Seeks 20 Regional Hubs
    South Korea Launches ‘Dream Studio’ Visual Arts Program, Seeks 20 Regional Hubs The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Arts & Culture Education Service said March 16 they will begin full-scale operations of “Dream Studio” as a regular program. To do so, they will accept applications from March 16 to April 15 to select 20 regional hub institutions to run the program nationwide. Dream Studio is a new project under the “Dream Arts Group,” introduced with a focus on visual arts, following the existing Dream Orchestra, dance troupe and theater troupe programs. After a yearlong pilot, it will shift to a regular program this year and expand nationwide. The program is designed to help children grow as creators who interpret and express the world. It will be based in artists’ studios or professional workspaces and support visual arts education across media including painting, sculpture, video and artificial intelligence. Eligible applicants include public institutions and incorporated organizations such as local cultural foundations and cultural facilities that can operate the program over the mid to long term. Applicants must secure a dedicated visual arts space, such as a workshop or studio, though operations may also be linked to private artists’ studios. The 20 selected hubs will receive continuous national funding of 100 million won through the third year, and up to 50 million won in years four and five, to encourage stable local settlement. From the sixth year, the plan calls for systematic growth support so local governments can operate the program independently. Separately, the ministry and the agency will run a pilot “Dream Arts Group Plus” program this year to offer broader arts experiences beyond single-discipline instruction. Centered on the Dream Orchestra, it will add new music fields such as Korean traditional music and choir, and expand participation from children and teens to include infants, toddlers and families, aiming to build a more comprehensive arts education environment for future generations. Applications for 10 operating institutions will be accepted from March 26 to April 23 from public institutions and incorporated organizations nationwide that run children’s and youth orchestras, including Dream Orchestra hubs. Selected institutions will receive about 100 million won each to operate new convergence programs combined with orchestras. More details will be posted March 26 on the agency’s website. Applications for Dream Studio will be submitted online via e-Nara Help Desk starting March 16. An online briefing for interested institutions and organizations will be held at 2 p.m. March 25. Details are available on the agency’s website. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-16 14:42:17
  • Leeum, Ho-Am Exhibitions Put the Focus Back on the Human Hand
    Leeum, Ho-Am Exhibitions Put the Focus Back on the Human Hand “Before it even touches Adam’s finger.” From “The Story of Art” (Yekyung), p. 310. Michelangelo (1475-1564) captured the split second before God’s and Adam’s index fingers meet to suggest the moment of creation. In the Sistine Chapel ceiling fresco “The Creation of Adam,” an all-powerful God reaches toward the first man, as if passing on a “spark of life” through a fingertip. Art historian E.H. Gombrich wrote in “The Story of Art” that the painting’s way of making God’s omnipotence visible is “one of the greatest miracles of art” (p. 310). Hands have long carried meaning — care and comfort, trust and power, violence and control. People build tools, write and draw with their fingers; they also seal solidarity with a handshake or signal conflict with a fist. In the Middle Ages, some believed a king’s touch could heal. The article notes that people even crossed from the New World to Britain to receive the touch of Britain’s Charles II. In “E.T.,” an alien and a boy touch fingers to form a bond. In director Jean-Jacques Annaud’s film “The Lover,” a fingertip touch signals the start of a dangerous romance. If the Buddha’s open palm is associated with peace and compassion, Hitler’s palm-down Nazi salute became a symbol of totalitarian fear. Now, the article argues, humans are trying to pass that dexterity to humanoid robots. It says major U.S. tech companies, as well as South Korean firms including Samsung, Hyundai Motor and LG, are working on robot hands — a modern echo of “The Creation of Adam.” Against that backdrop, two exhibitions running through June 28 — Tino Sehgal at the Leeum Museum of Art and “Kim Yunshin: Habi Habil, Bun-i Bun-il” at the Ho-Am Museum of Art — turn attention back to human touch. Sehgal centers exchange between people; Kim focuses on life shaped by hands working in unity with nature. Like a bird on a branch At Leeum’s lobby, there is no actual forest. Yet visitors can be invited to “touch” a tree and hear birdsong. Performers — described as interpreters — blend into the crowd, then approach a visitor with a gesture. Interpreter and visitor share the motion by touching fingertips. In Sehgal’s work, hands are not tools for taking photos or video. They become a living link between people. The exchange is meant to remain in the body and memory, not on social media. Sehgal has long asked how art can exist without a physical object. He leaves no sculpture or painting behind, building what he calls “constructed situations” through the human body, language and social interaction. Visitors become part of the exhibition and carry it forward through gesture, speech and recollection. At a recent news conference at Leeum, Sehgal said, “Art is a game we play together,” and “art is the continuation of the game.” He added, “I’m interested in real experience. The artist’s intention is only a kind of help — what matters is how you feel the work.” The exhibition also includes a live work referencing Rodin’s “The Kiss,” owned by Leeum, and other kiss scenes from art history. Two interpreters — a man and a woman — hold each other and move slowly. “My work connects to the past but also has something new,” Sehgal said. “Kissing appears in many works in art history. I thought about how to continue what’s in art history through my work.” Asked whether his “Kiss” can be passed on like baseball, he said transmission happens between people. “When you teach baseball to a 5-year-old, you don’t hand them a book — you teach with words and the body,” he said. “Showing objects (as museums do) is actually the exception in human history.” Adding and dividing into one — the tree keeps branching “My hands and my emotions connect as one with the tree. The moment I let go and stand the finished piece upright, I discover I have embodied, in a totem-like way, my dream of reaching the sky.” — Kim Yunshin, “The Soul of Wood,” Art in Culture, April 2023 The book “A Cultural History of Form” (Hangilsa) describes civilization — including humans, environments, artifacts and cultural phenomena — as following a branching structure like a tree. As limbs and fingers branch from a body, the article notes, similar patterns appear in neurons, lung airways, river deltas and lightning. Material culture, too, spread into countless branches through trial, error and innovation. At Ho-Am, Kim’s retrospective is built around her guiding idea, “Habi Habil, Bun-i Bun-il (合二合一 分二分一).” The article explains it as a process in which artist and material become one (合), and then a new work is born (分) — a movement between convergence and dispersal. Kim has said she gained insight by studying wood over time and carving it away with a chainsaw. Her sculptures, the article says, gather many strands: stacked stone towers; the lines of hanbok sleeves and the eaves of traditional Korean houses; Catholic and shamanistic beliefs; and the grandeur of South American nature and its vivid cultures. At a news conference on the 11th, Kim said, “The tree is me.” She added, “Since I was young, I lived with nature in the countryside, at the foot of a mountain. That’s me. I am nature.” Both exhibitions run through June 28. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-16 00:03:27
  • Film ‘The Man Who Lives With the King’ Drives Renewed Sales of 1928 Novel on King Danjong
    Film ‘The Man Who Lives With the King’ Drives Renewed Sales of 1928 Novel on King Danjong The popularity of the film ‘The Man Who Lives With the King’ is spilling beyond theaters into publishing and other off-screen consumption. The 1928 novel has been reissued and entered bestseller rankings, while sales of children’s history books tied to King Danjong have surged, showing how the box-office hit is driving demand for related historical content. According to Kyobo Book Centre’s bestseller list for the first week of March released Friday, Saeum’s reissued edition of , published last month, ranked No. 17 in the Korean fiction category. is a work by Yi Gwang-su (1892-1950) with Danjong as its central figure. It was serialized in the Dong-A Ilbo in 1928-1929. The novel depicts political confrontation between forces backing Danjong, portrayed as embodying dynastic legitimacy, and a faction seeking to enthrone Prince Suyang, including Han Myeong-hoe and Jeong In-ji, framed through the opposing figures of Danjong and Suyang. With copyright expiring 70 years after the author’s death, multiple publishers, including Saeum, have been freely releasing editions following the film’s success. Publishers have also rolled out varied formats to attract readers, including an “original edition” that restores the cover design of the first edition published by Bakmun Publishing in 1954. Library borrowing has also climbed. Statistics from the National Library of Korea’s “Library Information Naru” big-data platform show the book was borrowed about 10 to 20 times a month last year, but recorded a total of 148 loans last month. The film’s success has broadened interest beyond a single historical figure to the era Danjong lived in and its historical backdrop, the report said, lifting attention to history more broadly. YES24 said that in the month after the film opened Feb. 4, sales of books tagged with the keyword “Danjong” jumped 2,565% from the same period a year earlier. Sales of rose about 800%, while , which examines Danjong’s tragic fate alongside royal politics after the Sejong era, climbed about 2,700%. The children’s history book surged 4,614% from a year earlier. “Cultural content such as films and dramas is sparking interest in specific historical figures or events,” said Jo Seon-young, head of YES24’s book business division. “A steady reading trend is emerging in which people then seek out and read related books.” With the film drawing more than 12 million cumulative viewers and becoming a nationwide hit, related spending is expected to spread in more ways, the report said. Yeongwol, where Danjong was exiled, has seen a sharp rise in tourism demand, with what the report described as a “Danjong fandom” phenomenon. At Cheongnyeongpo Ferry, a major filming backdrop, about 11,000 people visited during last month’s Lunar New Year holiday period, and about 14,800 visited during the March 1 holiday period, emerging as a popular destination. The film’s impact has also played out online. On map apps, the review section for Yeongwol’s Jangneung has drawn more than 600 comments mourning and commemorating Danjong. Meanwhile, malicious comments appeared on listings for Han Myeong-hoe’s grave in Cheonan and for Gwangneung, the royal tomb of King Sejo, prompting Kakao Map to close the review sections for those sites, the report said. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-13 10:55:03
  • South Korea to Offer 43.75 Billion Won in Loans, Guarantees for Arts Businesses
    South Korea to Offer 43.75 Billion Won in Loans, Guarantees for Arts Businesses The South Korean government will supply funding to help arts businesses grow through new loan and guarantee programs. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Arts Management Support Center said Friday they will launch loans and guarantees totaling 43.75 billion won to strengthen the foundation for growth in the arts industry. The loan program will be carried out with NH NongHyup Bank and Hana Bank, while the guarantee program will be run with the Korea Technology Finance Corp. Applications will be accepted starting March 16 for loans and April 1 for guarantees. The ministry said it created a new arts-industry guarantee program to cover all fields of the arts that had been excluded from existing cultural-industry guarantees. Loans totaling 20 billion won will be offered to private arts facilities such as theaters and art museums, as well as arts service businesses including agencies and production companies. Funding will cover two categories: facility financing, including renovations, new construction and equipment purchases and installation; and working capital, including payroll, marketing, materials and rent. Loan rates will be based on the floating rate for the Public Fund Management Fund loan account, set at 2.96% for the first quarter of 2026. Large and mid-sized companies will pay an additional 0.04 percentage points, while small and other companies will receive a 0.21 percentage-point discount. Youth-led companies headed by people age 39 or younger will be offered a fixed 2.5% rate. Loan limits range from 500 million won to 3 billion won, and repayment terms from five to 10 years depending on the borrower and purpose. Banks will decide approvals and amounts through their own reviews, and recipients must use the funds within this year. Applicants seeking loans should first consult nationwide branches of NH NongHyup Bank or Hana Bank about collateral, then apply for a recommendation from the Arts Management Support Center. Recommendation applications will be accepted through the National Culture and Arts Support System from March 16 to April 7. If funds remain after the first round, the ministry said it plans a second call for applications in the first half of 2026. The guarantee program will cover literature, fine arts, music (excluding pop music), dance, theater, traditional Korean music, photography, architecture and musicals. Guarantees totaling 23.75 billion won will be provided in two tracks: an “arts business” track that supports working capital based on an assessment of a company’s growth potential, and an “arts project” track that supports planning and production costs for performances and exhibitions. The guarantee limit is up to 1 billion won per company. The Arts Management Support Center will evaluate applicants and recommend them, after which the Korea Technology Finance Corp. will review the case and issue a guarantee certificate. Businesses can use the certificate to obtain loans from commercial banks. Guarantee applications will be submitted through the National Culture and Arts Support System. Applications will be accepted regularly from the first to the 10th of each month starting in April, and applicants will be notified of recommendations at the end of each month. More details will be posted in the call for applications on the Arts Management Support Center website on March 16 for loans and April 1 for guarantees. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-13 09:09:27
  • OIMU’s “San 239” Wins Bronze in 2026 World’s Most Beautiful Book Contest
    OIMU’s “San 239” Wins Bronze in 2026 World’s Most Beautiful Book Contest <San 239> (publisher OIMU, designer Shin Sohyeon) won a Bronze Medal in the 2026 World’s Most Beautiful Book competition, the Korean Publishers Association said on the 13th. The Bronze Medal ranks fourth, after the top Golden Letter award and the gold and silver medals. The “World’s Most Beautiful Book” competition is jointly run by Germany’s Stiftung Buchkunst and the Leipzig Book Fair. <San 239> is a small book measuring 50 millimeters wide, 68 millimeters tall and 20 millimeters thick. It is fitted with a carabiner and a compass so it can be clipped to a bag or belt. Each page introduces one of 239 mountains on the Korean Peninsula, listing practical information for hikers such as location and elevation, whether it is among Korea’s “100 famous mountains,” guidance on what to do when encountering wild animals, and first-aid tips. German organizers said the book “goes beyond something to read” and can serve as a companion on the trail, noting that it packs a sweeping subject — 239 Korean mountains — into a format small and light enough to carry anywhere. They also cited the balance of text, images and illustrations in conveying extensive information clearly within limited space, calling it an object in which every element is precisely designed. Designer Shin Sohyeon of OIMU said, “More than half of Korea is made up of mountains, and most mountains are open to everyone,” adding, “If you enjoy hiking, I hope you’ll clip this book to your bag and we’ll meet on the mountain.” Judging for the 2026 competition was held Feb. 19-21 at the German National Library by an international design jury of five designers. A total of 14 books from nine countries were selected as final winners. The awards ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. local time March 20 at the Leipzig Book Fair. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-13 08:30:38
  • BTS-Linked Museum Projects Spotlight Silla Bell and Korean Painting Catalog
    BTS-Linked Museum Projects Spotlight Silla Bell and Korean Painting Catalog With BTS set to return on the 21st, the group is drawing fresh attention to Korea’s traditional culture, including museum projects tied to the band. After a National Museum product line known as “Muetts” linked BTS with the famed King Seongdeok bell, a new catalog of Korean paintings produced with a donation from BTS leader RM has also put cultural heritage in the spotlight. According to the cultural sector on the 13th, visitors to Gyeongju National Museum can experience the bell’s sound in a way that is otherwise difficult to hear. The National Museum Foundation of Korea and HYBE produced the Muetts items to mark the release of BTS’ fifth full-length album, “ARIRANG,” drawing motifs from patterns on the King Seongdeok bell. The Unified Silla-era bronze bell is known not only for its decoration but also for its clear, solemn tone, often described as an “echo of a thousand years.” But regular bell-ringing at the museum stopped in 1992 to protect the artifact, making the sound hard to hear in person. The museum disclosed a sound-testing session in September last year for the first time in 22 years, but outdoor speakers have made it difficult to fully convey the bell’s distinctive beat effect. The bell’s sound alternates in intensity. That pattern fueled a legend that a baby was sacrificed during casting because the ringing resembled an infant’s cry, giving rise to the nickname “Emille Bell.” The museum offers an indirect way to experience the sound. A digital immersive video now screening in the digital theater on the first floor of the Silla Art Gallery uses projection mapping and 9.1-channel audio to recreate the bell’s resonance and form. Kim Yun-i, a curator at Gyeongju National Museum, said the team “put a lot of effort into the sound,” adding that it reproduces even the beat effect that is hard to feel through outdoor speakers and has drawn a strong response from visitors. She said the video uses the bell’s actual sound recorded during the sound test, making the resonance more vivid. The video is part of the permanent exhibition and can be viewed during museum hours without a reservation. Interest in Korean painting is also growing. The Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, under the Korea Heritage Service, recently published a catalog titled “IT’S ______ HERE: Korean Old Paintings Shining Abroad,” bringing together Korean paintings held by major museums and art institutions overseas. It spans about 400 years of Korean painting, from the early 16th century to the 20th century. The catalog was produced with funds donated by RM in 2022. It includes “Pyeongan-gamsa-do-gwa-geupjeja-hwanyeong-do (平安監司道科及第者歡迎圖),” held by the Peabody Essex Museum in the United States and highlighted last year after conservation work by the Leeum Museum of Art. The 19th-century work depicts a series of events hosted by a provincial governor to celebrate two people who passed a provincial exam in Pyeongan Province. It shows a large procession, an outdoor banquet and an elaborate feast, portraying Pyongyang’s prosperity, goods and the people watching the festivities. The catalog will be distributed to national and public libraries and major research institutions in and outside South Korea for public access. Kwak Chang-yong, secretary-general of the foundation, said the works in the catalog “carry meaning as a cultural bridge connecting Korea and the world,” adding that RM’s support for traditional culture “further raised the value of this catalog.” * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-13 08:12:33
  • Seoul theater troupe’s ‘Big Mother’ explores algorithm-driven power in the data age
    Seoul theater troupe’s ‘Big Mother’ explores algorithm-driven power in the data age "With a mother-like warmth, it uses our information to change and manipulate what we think." Lee Jun-woo, who leads the Seoul Metropolitan Theatre Company, said at a news conference on March 12 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts that the play "Big Mother" looks at a kind of power different from "Big Brother," the symbol of coercive control. The company’s first production of the year, "Big Mother," asks in an era dominated by algorithms, "What is truth?" Centered on the struggle of New York investigative reporters trying to expose a conspiracy by a massive power, it portrays how unseen information can function as power in today’s big-data age. Lee said he wanted audiences to reconsider how they slip into comfort and familiarity and follow algorithms, adding that the work is "humorous and light rather than serious." The play draws audiences in with familiar-seeming characters and settings, but does not stay there. "It gets the audience to follow scenes without thinking, then leaves a bitter aftertaste at the end," Lee said. He compared it to reality: people keep watching videos guided by algorithms until they reach a moment when their thinking becomes polarized. A French original staged in a small theater used projection, but the production at Sejong Center’s M Theater will make heavier use of video to fit the larger venue. Lee said audiences will be able to watch both the images on the onstage screen and how those images are created, calling that the biggest difference from the French version. He said he hopes audiences enjoy "Big Mother" the way they watch a Netflix drama. "My goal is for audiences to follow each of the four reporters’ stories easily and with interest," Lee said. He added that he wants the media environment around the story — including news, breaking alerts, and relationships between political parties and companies — to feel realistic. The show runs from March 30 to April 25. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-12 16:36:18
  • Seoul Opens Seo-Seoul Museum of Art, City’s First Public New Media Museum
    Seoul Opens Seo-Seoul Museum of Art, City’s First Public New Media Museum Seoul’s first public museum specializing in new media — and the first public art museum in the city’s southwest — opens Thursday. The Seoul Museum of Art said it is opening its eighth branch, the Seoul Museum of Art Seo-Seoul Museum of Art (Seo-Seoul Museum of Art), on March 12. The museum, in Doksan-dong, Geumcheon-gu, has a total floor area of 7,186 square meters (2,173 pyeong) and spans two basement levels and one above-ground floor. Planning began in 2015. The building was designed by architect Kim Chan-joong, whose work has received multiple domestic and international awards, including the Seoul Architecture Award grand prize, the Korea Institute of Registered Architects Award and the iF Design Red Dot Award. To improve access, the museum was built as a low-rise structure and designed to minimize boundaries with nearby Geumnarae Central Park. With entry routes from multiple directions, the museum aims to make visits part of everyday life for residents. The Seo-Seoul Museum of Art plans creative, experimental exhibitions and programs centered on new media, and it will continue education programs aimed at developing future arts talent. To help ensure visitors from the southwest’s diverse communities can enjoy culture without barriers, it has introduced multilingual guidance, plain-language explanations of collection works, and sign-language and text interpretation. To mark the opening, the museum will present three exhibitions in sequence from March through July: the SeMA performance “Breath,” the construction archive show “Our Time Starts Here,” and the new media collection exhibition “Transparent Seo-Seoul | Youth | Machine.” Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said he is pleased that residents in the southwest can experience “world-class new media art” close to home, adding that he hopes the Seo-Seoul Museum of Art becomes a space loved for a long time in the daily lives of Seoul residents. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-12 14:33:47