[Eye interview] 'Imagining the possibilities gets me excited'

    What if you were given carte blanche to do anything that you desire? While that may be a dream come true for most, architect Cho Min-suk said, “I refuse to do that project.” A leading Korean architect and winner of several awards including the Golden Lion at the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2014, Cho was offered just such an opportunity 10 years ago. “Someone with means said, ‘You just make a pure, beautiful place,’” recalled Cho during an int

Sept. 5, 2024

Suh Se-ok's pioneering spirit revived through LG OLEDs

The work of Suh Se-ok, a late pioneer of modern Korean ink painting, has been re-created as media art for the third edition of Frieze Seoul in the LG OLED lounge. The re-creation was made possible through collaboration between LG OLED and the late artist's two sons: artist Suh Do-ho and architect Suh Eul-ho. The exhibition “Suh Se Ok X LG OLED: Reimagined by Suh Do Ho, Shaped by Suh Eul Ho” -- which is on view during Frieze Seoul at Coex until Saturday -- shows media works in th

Sept. 5, 2024

[Herald Interview] LG's Kate Oh's perseverance pays off with digital canvas

It takes time when you are striving to change people’s long-standing perceptions. Kate Oh, vice president of the Brand Communication Division at LG Home Entertainment Company, is starting to see progress after years of trying to redefine art with OLED TVs. LG OLED has collaborated with over 30 globally established artists since 2021, including Anish Kapoor, Barry X Ball, Damien Hirst, Sir John Akomfrah, Kevin McCoy, Kim Whan-ki and Suh Se-ok. LG OLED joined Frieze Seoul as the official hea

Sept. 5, 2024

Frieze, Kiaf Seoul starts off on cautious mode

Frieze Seoul and Kiaf Seoul kicked off Wednesday at Coex in southern Seoul with VIP openings for their third collaboration, bringing a festive mood to the city, albeit in a cautious mode amid concerns of a slowdown in the art market. Some 110 galleries are participating in Frieze Seoul, while 206 are represented at Kiaf Seoul. Frieze Seoul runs through Saturday at Halls C and D while Kiaf Seoul will continue through Sunday at Halls A, B and the Grand Ballroom. A single ticket offers admission to

Sept. 4, 2024

First Korean Confucian Culture Expo launched

The Korean Confucian Culture Expo began its five-day run Wednesday in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, bringing Confucianism closer to the public with interactive programs. The expo marks the first-ever nationwide event by the Institute of Korean Confucian Culture since it opened in 2022. Key programs, scheduled from Friday to Sunday, will engage audiences of all ages, from the K-Confucianism English Speech Contest for youngsters to the K-Confucianism International Forum for those older and i

Sept. 4, 2024

Seoul Fashion Week’s first day heavy on contrasts, harmonies

Seoul Fashion Week returned Tuesday, with contrasts and harmonies taking center stage on the runway where 21 brands are expected to present their spring-summer 2025 collections over the next five days. First off was Youser, a unisex brand launched in 2011 that prides itself on blurring the boundary between deconstruction and minimalism. The result was a relaxed silhouette highlighted by pleats and tucks, which render the collection playful and three-dimensional, according to designer Lee Moo-yeo

Sept. 4, 2024

As MCM gets functional, designer focuses on story

Lasting designs communicate a story behind objects that is unexpected but familiar on second look, said Alberto Biagetti and Laura Baldassari, founders of the design studio Atelier Biagetti, ahead of presenting their collection at MCM Haus in Seoul. The exhibition “MCM Wearable Casa Collection,” first shown during Milan Design Week in April and now on show at MCM Haus in Seoul, features seven pieces of furniture that double as clothing and accessories by designer Biagetti and artist

Sept. 3, 2024

Installations that combine steel, hanji shown at Artcube 2R2

Installation artist Lee Sung-kuen’s solo exhibition “The Circle of Life” at Artcube 2R2 in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul encompasses the artist’s 70-year career that has evolved around the act of continuous binding and tying. The exhibition that kicked off on Aug. 29 features the artist’s iconic installations created with oil-tempered steel wire, widely used for springs, wrapped in hanji, traditional Korean mulberry paper. The wire is woven into a mesh in round shapes

Sept. 2, 2024

Art clusters in districts north of Han River make for easy gallery hopping

Ahead of Frieze Seoul kicking off on Wednesday, Seoul is in a festive mood with numerous art exhibitions and events taking place at museums, galleries and auction houses around the city. In a two-part series, The Korea Herald offers a roundup of selected events in the city -- in southern and northern parts of the capital. The following piece is the second in the series. -- Ed. Amorepacific Museum of Art Amorepacific Museum of Art in Yongsan-gu has become a key destination for Seoul Art Week this

Sept. 2, 2024

As Frieze returns to Seoul, galleries bustle with must-see shows

Ahead of Frieze Seoul kicking off on Sept. 4, Seoul is in a festive mood with numerous art exhibitions and events taking place at museums, galleries and auction houses around the city. In a two-part series, The Korea Herald offers a roundup of selected events in the city -- in southern and northern parts of the capital. The following piece is the first in the series. -- Ed. Its streets lined with flagship stores of luxury brands, Cheongdam-dong, a neighborhood in Seoul south of the Han River, is

Sept. 1, 2024

Night out at Seokjojeon

A tour of a Joseon-era (1392-1910) palace that includes coffee and desserts as well as a mini-musical exploring the life of King Gojong, the 26th Joseon king and the first emperor of the Daehan Empire, will return for a fall edition from Sept. 24 to Nov. 2. Seokjojeon, a hall at Deoksugung designed by British architect John Reginald Harding and constructed in 1910, is known as the first Western-style stone building in Korea. A guide will start tours by introducing the history of the two-story ha

Sept. 1, 2024

Seoul Fashion Week rethinks sustainability, latest tech

Sustainability is back in the limelight as the spring-summer 2025 Seoul Fashion Week kicks off its five-day run Tuesday at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, addressing the urgent concern shared by the fashion industry. One of the 21 brands showcasing their collections on the runway is Julycolumn led by Park So-young. The 41-year-old designer, who opened the previous fall-winter 2024 show in February, will feature pieces that use materials created using recycled plastic bottles. The materials com

Aug. 31, 2024

[Well-curated] French butter cake, gugak festival and Pachinko pop-up

The kouign-amann go-to Kouign-amann, a delicacy of Brittany in France meaning “butter cake,” is something like a caramelized croissant. This opulent pastry balances caramelized crust with light, moist layers with salted butter baked between, which crumble into sweet flakes upon a bite. One of the best places to try a slice is b. Patisserie at the mall complex Shinsegae Central City in Seocho-gu -- one of the three branches in South Korea operated by the San Francisco-based pastry sho

Aug. 30, 2024

Korea's cultural gems find new home in Daegu

Kansong Art Museum Daegu brings together several designated national treasures in the largest-ever show of national treasures in its collection. The museum's inaugural exhibition “Treasures of the Kansong Art Museum Daegu,” which opens Sept. 3, marks the opening of a new home for the country's oldest private museum. “It took nearly 10 years to open the museum in Daegu, and I am glad we can offer an opportunity to people outside Seoul to enjoy our collection of natio

Aug. 29, 2024

Yeongyeongdang Feast to take place at Changdeokgung

A reenactment of a royal feast showing how Joseon-era (1392-1910) officials celebrated events involving kings and their families will take place Sept. 4-5 at Yeongyeongdang in Changdeokgung, one of the five Joseon-era palaces in Seoul. The Yeongyeongdang Feast was first held by the eldest son of King Sunjo to mark Queen Sunwon’s 40th birthday in 1828 at Yeongyeongdang -- a hall Crown Prince Hyomyeong, the eldest son, set up during the same or the previous year to host royal celebrations. T

Aug. 28, 2024

[Herald Interview] Korean art history on view at Venice

Marking the 30th anniversary of the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, the history of the pavilion is being presented at Palazzo Malta-Ordine di Malta, a few minutes walk from the Giardini Garden, one of the main venues of the Venice Biennale. Entitled “Every Island is a Mountain,” the exhibition at Palazzo Malta-Ordine di Malta brings together 36 artists who have participated in the prestigious biennale over the last three decades, as well as archival material on the Korean Pav

Aug. 26, 2024

[What to see] Galleries gearing up for upcoming Frieze Seoul

As Frieze Seoul approaches, galleries are bustling with activity as they prepare to showcase their works to art enthusiasts at the annual art fair, which runs from September 4 to 7 this year. The nation's art scene is entering festive mode, with many exhibitions slated to open at the end of August. Notable examples of galleries embracing this celebratory atmosphere with their exhibitions, include Gallery Baton and Lehmann Maupin in Hannam-dong and Tang Contemporary Art Seoul in Gangnam. Dok

Aug. 24, 2024

Changgyeonggung Nighttime Feast to open during Chuseok

An interactive program where participants can experience what it was like at celebrations hosted by Joseon-era (1392-1910) heirs to the throne will be open to the public during the Chuseok holiday at Changgyeonggung. The Changgyeonggung Nighttime Feast, an annual event in its fourth year, will accept 90 people a day to take part in the feast as ranking officials in traditional attire, prepared by the Joseon-era palace in Seoul. Royal music performances and food will follow. Tickets purchases in

Aug. 23, 2024

'No divorce planned' between Frieze Seoul, Kiaf after five-year contract

Frieze Seoul and Kiaf Seoul held a joint press conference in Seoul ahead of the collaborating fairs in early September, with all eyes on whether the local and global art fairs will continue their partnership as they pass the halfway mark of their five-year contract. “There is no such marriage that one continues on one hand while preparing for a divorce on the other,” said Hwang Dal-sung, president of the Galleries Association of Korea, on Thursday in Seoul. “I expect our part

Aug. 22, 2024

Traditional crafts and their contemporary adaptions to be shown at Changdeokgung

An exhibition of Korean artifacts and contemporary artworks from clothing to window wallpaper will take place Sept. 3-8 at Nakseonjae in Changdeokgung, one of the five Joseon-era (1392-1910) palaces in Seoul. Around 50 intangible cultural heritage title holders and contemporary artists will show some 80 pieces at the “Korean Heritage Art Exhibition.” Clothing made using the “nubi,” or quilting, known for distinctive, tightly spaced rows of stitches, and celadon will be on

Aug. 21, 2024