Seoul
Art Guide

A number of Seoul's best art galleries can be found in Seoul's Samcheong district, including Kukje Gallery. The gallery is known for its roster of Korean and international artists such as Anish Kapoor, Bill Viola, Chung Chang-Sup, Candida Höfer, Gimhongsok, and Haegue Yang.

Also based in Samcheong is PKM Gallery, established in 2001 by Park Kyung-mee—an art historian and the commissioner of the Korean Pavilion at the 49th Venice Biennale. PKM Gallery represents many important established and mid-career Korean artists, many of whom have an international reputation. Among these is the estate of Yun Hyong-keun, a key figure in the history of abstraction and Minimalist art in Korea often referred to within the context of Dansaekwha.

Another major art area for art galleries in Seoul is Jongno. Among Jongno's galleries is ONE AND J. Gallery, founded in 2005. The Seoul gallery is dedicated to contemporary artists, among them Suyoung Kim, Min Ha Park, and New Zealand-based artist Seung Yul Oh. Other Jongno galleries are Arario Gallery, innovative in introducing Indian and Southeast Asian artists to Korea, and JARILAGER Gallery, founded by Sunhee Choi and Jari Lager.

Other galleries in Seoul include one of the first Korean art galleries to open, Gana Art. The gallery is noted for its focus on Korean and Asian contemporary art and for its public art projects presented in three art spaces across the city.

In more recent years, buoyed by the rise of a new generation of collectors in South Korea, accessibility to the broader Asia region, and the commitment by Frieze to host a Seoul art fair each year, international galleries have sought a presence in the city too. Lehmann Maupin, Perrotin, and Pace Gallery all have spaces in Seoul, as does KÖNIG GALERIE, Thaddaeus Ropac and Gladstone Gallery.

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA Seoul) lies at its heart, next to the historical site of Gyeongbokgung Palace, which served as the main royal palace in the Joseon period (1392–1910). The MMCA Seoul opened in 2013 with the mission to deliver modern and contemporary art to the public and raise cultural awareness through its exhibitions, educational research, and international exchanges. Some icons exhibited at the museum include Yun Hyong-keun, Choi Jeong Hwa, Shirin Neshat, and William Kentridge.

The MMCA is also the site of prestigious awards such as the MMCA Hyundai Motor Series, dedicated to pioneering Korean artists, and the Korea Artist Prize. The museum also has exhibition halls at their Deoksugung (near the Deoksugung Palace in Jung-gu), Gwacheon, and Cheongju branches.

Another important space for art lovers to visit is the Kumho Museum of Art, founded in 1989 to promote the Korean art industry. The public museum houses the works of artists who have shaped modern art—including Nam June Paik, Lee Ufan, and Kim Whanki—and emerging Korean artists. Since the mid-2000s, Kumho has also focused its programon design and architecture.

Those wanting to experience contemporary Korean culture alongside art may venture to the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA), located in the former building of the Supreme Court of Korea, offering public exhibitions that address social issues. Designed by the acclaimed architect Zaha Hadid, Dongdaemun Design Plaza's diverse exhibition programencompasses Korean and international design, fashion, and art.

Some of Seoul's privately-run art museums are also worthwhile for their vast collections. Samsung's cultural foundation runs two museums in South Korea. One is the Leeum Museum of Art, which opened in 2004, and houses mainly traditional Korean art, including 36 pieces recognized as national treasures. A second museum houses artworks from artists like Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Mark Rothko, Donald Judd, and Yves Klein. Architects Jean Nouvel, Rem Koolhaas, and Mario Botta designed its buildings.

Our exhibition profiles include press releases, installation images, and for gallery spaces, a selection of artworks being shown in Seoul, They also include access to profiles on exhibiting artists. With the aim to present only the best of contemporary art on Ocula, our Members are determined by a selection committee of respected and influential international gallerists.

Our team regularly covers shows and art news relevant to Seoul. Ocula has interviewed many of Korea's leading artists, including Haegue Yang and other artists who regularly show in Seoul, like Do Ho Suh, Daniel Boyd, Ugo Rondinone, and Anish Kapoor. Our editorial team also covers exhibitions via insights and features.

__

Led by Ocula founder Simon Fisher, Ocula Advisory assists new and established collectors in building and managing their collections.

Through 40+ years of combined experience and extensive relationships with galleries, auction houses, art dealers, and collectors, the Ocula Advisory team has exceptional knowledge about and access to a broad spectrum of modern and contemporary artworks.

Follow the Advisory team for their Picks on must-see art shows in Seoul, exceptional artworks in the city, and Seoul artists to follow as well as Korean art market news.