Museums & Galleries:
 Displaying Korea’s Past and Future
(Seoul Selection)


Art galleries and museums in Korea are relatively little known to the outside world ― at least when compared to the explosive popularity of K-pop.

Yet many would be surprised to discover that the history of Korean museums dates back more than 100 years, and Korea now has 11 national museums nationwide ― unified by Seoul’s iconic National Museum of Korea completed in 2005.

Korea Foundation and Seoul Selection’s newly released English-language book, “Museums & Galleries: Displaying Korea’s Past and Future,” is a great way to get one’s feet wet in the world of Korea’s leading institutions that showcase everything from “Paleolithic relics to the works by contemporary artists.”

It starts off with the introduction of Korea’s first modern museum, “Jesil Bangmulgwan,” which was founded by king Sunjong of Joseon in Seoul’s Changgyeong Palace in 1909. Its first chapter then features the five public museums located in Seoul ― National Museum of Korea, National Folk Museum of Korea, National Palace Museum of Korea, Seoul Museum of History and War Memorial of Korea ― and the distinctive qualities of each one of them.

Chapter two, on the other hand, presents an overview on Korea’s major art museums and galleries, including National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea, Seoul Museum of Art, Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, Kukje Gallery and PKM Gallery. The chapter intelligently delves into how the emergence of these galleries is deeply linked to Korea’s modernization and industrialization which took place in the last 50 years. It then smoothly moves into its next chapter, which features Korea’s specialized museums of many different kinds.

Chapter three is certainly the most entertaining, as it introduces some of the most unique museums in the country. One of the featured museums is Gahoe Museum located in Gahoe-dong, Seoul, which boasts its rich collection of fascinating Korean amulets and folk paintings in its property built in the style of a “hanok”― a Korean traditional house.

Other notable museums include: Owl Art & Craft Museum which features owl-themed handcrafted pieces including vases and sculptures; Pulmuone Kimchi Museum where one can learn about Korea’s iconic fermented dish; and Onggi Folk Museum which specializes in Korea’s “Onggi” pottery with dark brown glaze, which has been used for food storage purposes throughout history.

The book also dedicates its last chapter, titled “Delving Deeper,” to history of Seoul and other regions of Korea for those who would like to learn more.

For its Seoul section, the book introduces the city’s famous Bukchon district, which is well known for its residential houses built in Korean style, petite cafes and art galleries. It also touches on the cultural significance of Insa-dong neighborhood, which offers traditional artistic charms to visitors from home and abroad.

The book also mentions the historical and artistic significance of Gyeongju. A city located in the far southern corner of North Gyeongsang Province, Gyeongju served as the capital of ancient kingdom of Silla (57 B.C. ― 935).

The book calls the city “Korea’s Leading Historic Capital” for its vast number of archaeological sites and historical treasures including the famous Seokguram grotto and Bulguk temple. The particular section certainly compliments the theme of the book, as Gyeongju is often referred to as “a museum without walls.”

All in all, “Museums & Galleries” would be a great source of information for any international readers who plan to visit Korea or expats in Korea who’d like to see another side of the country by visiting the museums and galleries.

The book is the sixth in a series titled “Korea Essentials,” a cooperative project between the Korea foundation and Seoul Selection to engage more international readers in Korean arts and culture. The English-language series previously featured Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, traditional Korean paintings, Korean cuisine, the history and culture of Jeju, and the Demilitarized Zone.

(dyc@heraldcorp.com)