It’s true everywhere you go: the art world starts with the galleries. They’re the places where artists reach outta the world through their work - sometimes an interaction of criticism, some times one of audience reaction. The institutes listed here are the places that are working on the ground today to present art to Korean audiences.

Most of Korea’s galleries are congregated in the capital city of Seoul. A megalopolis of over 10 million people, Seoul is widely recognized as a political, economic, and cultural hub. Its alpha city status is a simple fact for Koreans, and an issue that has drawn its share of criticisms. For sheer spatial reason, it’s impossible to introduce all the different spaces operating in such a complex city. But cities in the “provinces” -- the region of the country outside the Seoul metropolitan area -- also have their share of galleries operating, each with their own local color and identity. It would require a huge amount of time and effort to visit them all. Here, at least, is a brief written introduction.

First on the list are the galleries located in central Seoul around Gyeongbok Palace, a royal residence from Korea’s last royal family, the Joseon Dynasty. Visitors looking down toward the gate of Gwanghwamun can see galleries lining either side of the road. Our first stop is on the right side, at the entrance of a neighborhood called Sagan. It’s home to Gallery Hyundai, one of the country’s leading commercial galleries. Established in 1970, the gallery has present work by numerous modern and contemporary artists in the years since. Its exhibitions have also focused on such widely-talked-about international artists as Ai Weiwei, Bernar Venet, and Julian Schnabel. Next door to the main building is Dugahun Gallery, which occupies a converted traditional Korean hanok home. The next building along the way is the Kumho Museum of Art. Open since 1989, its main focus over the years have been on presenting work by prominent Korean artists. It also holds a yearly Young Artist Festival to support emerging talents, as well as various feature exhibitions by artists from overseas.
Standing at the pinnacle of Korea’s public and state-run art museums is the Seoul branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA Seoul), which marked its historic opening on November 13, 2013. Building a national museum in the heart of the capital had long been a dream of the Korean art community, and in 2009 a surprise decision was made to finally erect it on the onetime site of the Defense Security Command. Traditionally the home of numerous private museums and galleries, the area transformed into a marquee cultural destination with the Seoul branch’s arrival. Visitors have opportunities for encounters and activities in a whole host of genres with the museum’s inner and outer exhibition spaces, screening areas, and performance venues.

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art(MMCA), Seoul(L), Gallery Hyundai(R)

The term “yBa,” or “young British artists,” is fairly well known by now. Arario Gallery president Kim Chang-il -- a.k.a. C Kim -- is one of the leading collectors of yBa work, as well as an artist himself. Located right next to MMCA Seoul, Arario has its main gallery in Cheonan, together with the Seoul branch in Sagan and another gallery set to open in Shanghai. Hakgojae, which features a main gallery in the traditional hanok style and another gallery building behind it, has a name that expresses the “communion between traditional and contemporary art,” and that is indeed its major focus. Exhibitions include works of old Korean art, as well as pieces by modern artists who have established themselves in the contemporary scene. Kukje Gallery is also emerging as one of the country’s major galleries. Consisting of three separate galleries, Kukje presents works of Korean conceptual art and exhibitions by notable international artists. It also works to introduce international audiences to Korean artists through its participation in the Basel Art Fair. Just behind MMCA Seoul is the Art Sonje Center, where exhibitions by local and overseas artists -- along with various different art projects -- take place throughout the building. Visitors can also take in a variety of art symposia and art films. Like Kukje Gallery, Gallery PKM also takes part in the Basel Art Fair, and it’s a must-visit for any art enthusiast. While its main building is situated on the emerging “culture street” of Seoul’s Samcheong neighborhood, PKM also has galleries in the tourist neighborhood of Insa and the Chinese capital of Beijing. Between Insa and Sagan, Savina Museum is a privately run facility that shares work by prominent Korean artists and well-received international artists, along with a wide assortment of education programs. At Insa Art Space, visitors can find exhibitions by the young artists who will be taking over Korean contemporary art in the future. Profoundly experimental in nature, their work leaves behind the conventional art grammar for a range of expression that is broader and more diverse.

Kukje Gallery(L), Hakgojae(R)

Now that we’ve seen Sagan and Samcheong, it’s time to move on to Tongui. Once called Seochon, or “west village,” this neighborhood of Seoul was historically home to the middle-class artists and technicians of old. Today, it’s begun a transformation into another gallery village. Located right across the street from each other, Gallery Simon and Gallery ARTSIDE are two venues offering experiences with a wide range of Korean artists. Visitors can duck down one of the side streets to find Ryugaheon, a gallery specializing in photography. Occupying a converted traditional hanok residence, it offers the opportunity to admire the work of Korean photographers over a cup of tea beside a small courtyard. Next up is the more mass audience-oriented Daelim Museum. Dedicated mainly to sharing works by designers and contemporary artists from Korean and overseas, this museum is run by a major corporation. The Sarubia Dabang promises to offer something a bit different from the commercial galleries: this alternative project space for introducing art and artists is poised to become a platform for unique new types of aesthetic encounters. Kunstdoc has a similar focus on greeting viewers with work of a more noncommercial and experimental bent. Tongui is also home to a new Seoul branch of Daegu’s well-known commercial LEEAHN Gallery, a venue that has mainly exhibited work by foreign artists.

Itaewon is one of Seoul’s most well-known neighborhoods for international residents, and it too is home to many notable galleries. The biggest draw of all is Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, Korea’s single biggest private museum. Boasting the country’s biggest collection, spanning works of art both ancient and modern, Leeum worked up a host of exhibitions and programs to mark its tenth anniversary this year -- an excellent opportunity to spotlight traditional Korean works of art, as well as art history in Korea and the West. The building itself is an artistic attraction in its own right, jointly designed by world-famous architects Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel, and Rem Koolhaas. Nearby is Gallery BK, where visitors are treated to work by some of Korea’s emerging young artists. The space’s main focus is on painting, but it also has an artist residency facility operating next door.

Korea is one of the few countries in the world to have a national park located within the borders of its capital city. The galleries of Pyeongchang, a neighborhood just below Bukhansan National Park, offer another unique experience to visitors. Gana Art Gallery is one of the country’s major commercial galleries, offering a year-round parade of work by some of the most important players in contemporary Korean art history. Total Museum of Contemporary Art, situated next door, is another recommended stop. With its focus on video and media art, its main interest is in sharing the work of local and domestic media artists with decidedly experimental leanings. Its yearly “Up-and-Comers” exhibition is another opportunity to encounter rising young Korean artists. Kim Chong Yung Museum, established by the family of the late leading Korean sculptor Kim Chong Yung, stages frequent exhibitions centering on sculpture. It’s a chance to see work by artists in a genre that remains relatively neglected in Korea, alongside year-round experiences with Kim’s own unique artistic vision. ArtSpace Pool also offers up a diverse look at the state of artistic experimentation in Korea today, with solo and feature exhibitions focusing on conceptual and experimental art.

The streets around Hongik University(Hongdae) in Seoul are some of the famous art avenues in Korea -- a symbolism heightened by the presence of the university’s College of Fine Arts, one of the country’s top institutions of art education. This is the home of Gallery Loop, a leading alternative space that is a part of a tight-knit network of Asian counterparts, with yearly media exhibitions to share the fruits of its exchanges. Exhibitions also highlight the work of young artists with strongly experimental leanings. Other recommended stops include Gallery Zandari and Choi Jung Ah Gallery, which offer encounters with up-and-coming and established artists. The corporate-established LIG Art Space serves up a diverse range of feature exhibitions, along with group exhibitions by artists of similar slants.

ArtSpace Pool(L, above), Culture Station Seoul 284(R)
Seoul Museum of Art(SeMA)(L, below)

In addition to the different neighborhoods mentioned above, Seoul has art galleries in other areas, which can be divided into the regions of Gangbuk (north of the Han River) and Gangnam (the southern bank). North of the river, the Seoul Museum of Art(SeMA) offers feature exhibitions at a larger scale. Blockbuster exhibitions are held during the summer and winter vacations, presenting work by some of the top artists of East and West alike. The main complex is in the Seosumun neighborhood, but the museum also organizes exhibitions at its North Seoul and South Seoul branches, along with another at historic Gyeonghui Palace, and residency programs are on offer at Nanji Art Studio. Ilwoo Space, Sunggok Museum, and OCI Museum are located close together, representing two of Gangbuk’s top corporate-established art centers. A steady line of feature exhibitions also chugs through Culture Station Seoul 284, a gallery that occupies the now-disused house of the old Seoul Station.

For those hoping to take in older examples of Korean art, the obvious choice is a visit to the National Museum of Korea. With a collection running the gamut of Korean art from ancient times to the Joseon era, it is a repository for the country’s most cherished relics and works of art. Over in the Seongbuk neighborhood north of the river, Gansong Art Museum boasts one of the most comprehensive collections of ancient Korean art around. Exhibitions are restricted to certain periods in the spring and fall, so prospective visitors should make sure to check the schedule. The recently opened Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) has a unique exterior, and a wide range of sights to see. Designed by world-famous architect Zaha Hadid, it holds exhibitions on everything from ancient Korean art to various works of design and the recently surging Korean Wave of cultural exports. Plateau and Doosan Gallery are other venues set up by some of the country’s biggest corporations. Plateau’s gallery features some of the major sculptures of Auguste Rodin, including The Burghers of Calais and the Gates of Hell. Doosan Gallery’s focus is chiefly on solo and feature exhibitions by more experimentally inclined artists.

A huge selection of corporate-established venues can be found south of the river in Gangnam, including Space K, SongEun Art Space, the HITE Collection, space*c: coreana art ＆ culture complex, Posco Art Museum, the Museum of Photography, Seoul, and the 63 Sky Art Gallery. Space K has galleries in a number of other cities, including Gwacheon, Daegu, Daejeon, and Gwangju. SongEun Art Space holds competitions to support emerging and established artists, while the HITE Collection offers both feature exhibitions and a glimpse at the work of Kwon Jin-kyu, one of Korea’s top sculptors. space*c organizes solo and feature exhibitions for local and international artists, and Posco Art Museum is home to a broad and historically diverse range of work, with a focus on pieces using steel as a material or subject matter. 63 SkyArt Gallery is located on the 60th floor of the landmark 63 Building on Seoul’s Yeouido Island, making it the highest gallery in Korea, and the Museum of Photography, Seoul, is, as its name suggests, focused on the photographic genre. Also to be found south of the river are state and public museums like MMCA Gwacheon, Seoul Olympic Museum of Art(SOMA), and the Seoul National University Museum of Art(MoA). MMCA Gwacheon is one of the country’s leading national museums, its quiet setting offering the perfect environment to view the state of contemporary Korean art. SOMA Museum of Art holds frequent exhibitions on sports-related themes, and the SNU Museum, designed by Rem Koolhaas, is another recommended visit.

Once you’ve finished touring the galleries of Seoul, it’s time to head off to other reaches of the country. North of the city in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, is Heyri Art Village, a kind of art community organized by lovers of culture and the arts. Its various galleries and cultural spaces all boast their own unique architectural charms. Prime examples include Baik Soonshil Museum, White Block, and Gallery Soso. Before you get to Heyri from Seoul, another place worth visiting on the way is Mimesis Art Museum in the Paju Publishing Village. South of the city, Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art in Ansan is a venue run by Gyeonggi Province, sharing a variety of feature exhibitions and work by artists with ties to the province, along with education programs for children and art education for the general public. The port city of Incheon is home to Incheon Art Platform, which offers a slice of Korean history alongside the art: it occupies an almost perfectly preserved modern facility, from which it operates a creative space and gallery. In Bucheon, Artforum Rhee is another place to visit to glimpse the diversity of contemporary Korean art. Namyangju is home to Moran Museum of Art, which boasts varied indoor and outdoor examples of Korean sculpture. There’s also Yangju City’s Chang Ucchin Museum of Art, highlighting the warm and uniquely Korean lyricism of the eponymous artist’s work. The Woljeon Museum of Art in Icheon takes its name from Chang Woo-soung, one of Korea’s most admired painters, and is a place where visitors can see both Chang’s work and the overall trends of Eastern painting in Korea. It’s also worth heading to Yongin to see the Nam-June Paik Art Center, built in honor of one of the world’s most unique media artists. In addition to its works by Paik, a leading Plexus artist who helped establish the video medium in contemporary art, it also offers various feature exhibitions for artists influenced by him or offering a modern take on his pieces. Another recommended visit here is the Youngeun Museum of Contemporary Art, which houses an artist residency and exhibits works by a full range of Korean artists.

Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art(L), Incheon Art Platform(R)

When you plan your itinerary, make sure it includes some of the exhibition venues outside the Seoul area. Many have commented on Seoul’s central place in art trends as an issue Korea needs to contend with in the days ahead. But the “provinces” certainly offer their own local color, with a unique and independent assortment of exhibitions and programs. The next section focuses on venues in major cities like Busan, Daegu, and Gwangju.

Korea’s chief port city of Busan is home to two renowned commercial art venues, Johyun Gallery and Kongkan Gallery. Both contribute to the local opportunities for cultural experiences by offering exhibitions featuring work by some of the pivotal figures in contemporary art currents in Korea and abroad. The Busan Museum of Art(BMA), in addition to hosting the Busan Biennale, also stages ongoing exhibitions to spotlight trends in contemporary art. It’s also a place to encounter the emerging and established artists based in the region. The Centum City branch of Shinsegae Gallery, operated by the largest department store in the world, is an exhibition space located in one of Busan’s “New City” neighborhoods, with yearly exhibitions organized to present the city’s up-and-coming artists. Visitors to Busan should also stop in nearby Changwon, home of South Gyeongsang Province’s Gyeongnam Art Museum(GAM), and Gimhae, home of Gimhae Arts and Sports Center(GASC) and Clayarch Gimhae Museum, both of which offer glimpses at what Korea’s municipal and provincial museums have been accomplishing in recent years.

Daegu has long been associated with traditional textiles and industry, but it’s also home to Korea’s largest concentration of exhibition spaces outside of Seoul. Located near World Cup Stadium, Daegu Art Museum stages exhibitions with some of the biggest names in Korean and international contemporary art; past events have featured participation from Kusama Yayoi and Tadashi Kawamata. Gallery Bundo focuses mainly on solo exhibitions by new and established contemporary Korean artists. Since its recent opening, Wooson Gallery has already staged exhibitions by such contemporary art luminaries as Jannis Kounelis and Chung Sang-hwa. A number of commercial galleries are located nearby on the city’s Bongsan Culture Street.

Gwangju is both a symbol of South Korea’s democracy movement and host city for the world-famous Gwangju Biennale. The Gwangju Museum of Art(gma) stages exhibitions focusing on the unique culture of Korea’s southern provinces, along with a variety of feature events. It also holds exhibitions of the Ha Jung-Woong Collection, with pieces donated by Korean-Japanese Ha Jung-Woong to spotlight the work of modern and contemporary Korean artists. The Art Museum of Woo Jae Gil is privately operated by Woo Jae-gil, himself a working artist. In addition to Woo’s own work, the museum holds various exhibitions of pieces by other local artists. Off in the foothills of Mt. Moak, the Jeonbuk Museum of Art is a venue built to honor the region’s heritage as a “home of the arts,” with events held to exhibit ancient local art as well as more contemporary pieces and Western paintings. A visit here is a chance to witness the context of tradition and contemporary art in Korea’s provinces.

In Daejeon, visitors can encounter the Daejeon Museum of Art(DMA), as well as the Lee Ungno Museum right next door. Organizer of the Project Daejeon biennial and various feature exhibitions, the Daejeon Museum of Art also stages projects to share the different cultural and historical spaces of the region. The Lee Ungno Museum is a chance to see the lifetime labors of Lee Ung-no (also known as “Goam”), one of Korea’s leading artists. Also worth a visit is Geumgang International Nature Art Center, where you can various works of sculpture installation designed for a natural environment. It’s exhibition viewing as nature walk, and every two years the center hosts the Geumgang Nature Art Biennale. Wumin Art Center, a private venue in Cheongju, stages feature exhibitions on contemporary Korean art trends, as well as other events to introduce young, locally based artists. It’s especially focused on offering exhibition opportunities to emerging planners.

The island of Jeju is perhaps Korea’s single biggest tourist draw, and it’s also the setting for the Wal Chong Art Museum, established by artist Lee Wal-chong. Lee has earned recognition for his affectionate depictions of everyday life and the way he applies familiar elements to the canvas.
The final destination on this tour is the steelmaking city of Pohang, home of the Pohang Museum of Steel Art(poma). With a focus on steel sculpture, it’s a venue for sharing works of art that carry on the identity of city and museum alike.

Daegu Art Museum(L), Lee Ungno Museum(R)

The above places are just a few of the many galleries and museums in South Korea. Simply by visiting, we are showing our desire to bring ourselves closer to art and make its inspiration our own. Why do we do it? There may be as many answers to that question as there are people who go to galleries. None of these places is an absolute representative of art, but hopefully this list can offer a little help to people seeking out the profound experiences they offer.

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Hwang Suk-kwon / senior editor, Wolganmisool

Hwang Suk-kwon graduated from Hongik University in French language and literature before finished a master’s course in art history from the same institution. He has written art commentary for art searches on the major Korean portal site Naver and contributes pieces to various media. He is currently senior editor at Wolganmisool