Before going to the art museum

Come see me Gallery Sun Contemporary _ The study I want
For the Depressed You - Pyo Gallery _ Itaewon Brunch
Tequila Hut in Midsummer - Insadong Street Scene
No harm done Arko Art Museum _ October Festival

3 Ways to Get to Know the Art Museum

The Beginning of Romance International Gallery _ Book Shop
Suspicious Man and Woman Security Inn _ Tteokbokki Mania
After much thought, I regretted it. Gansong Art Museum _ A beautiful mountain temple in the city center.
We're meeting now at Imagination Yard _ Do you like books?

Art Museum vs. Gallery

Twenty-seventh Birthday Jaejimas _ Art in Everyday Life
K and Ms. M's Art Gallery Date Rium _ Sweet Dessert
Insadong Island Gyeongin Art Museum _ Flower Truck

How to properly view an exhibition

Seoul Museum of Art at Night _ Catching Up with Andy Warhol
The Poor Man's Painting Shopping Opera Gallery _ Mini Interview
The romance of the campus: Seoul National University Museum of Art _ Small changes on the street
Organic Contemporary Art Takeout Drawing _ Peripheral Kiosk

What should I wear when going to an art museum?

Open Your Mind Picture Book _ Sufficient Interviews
An old and good iron museum _ a back alley in Daehak-ro
Platoon Kunsthalle _ UNLIMITED EDITION

Who should I go to the exhibition with?

The Seoul Total Museum of Art I Don't Know About - What's Disappearing?
On Air Television _ The Value of Handmade
Outdoor Wedding at the Soma Museum of Art - A Special Wedding
Gallery of Good Luck in Youth _ Making Handmade Business Cards

Where can I find exhibition information?

Saturday Jazz Concert at Daelim Museum of Art _ Dreamers
Q&A Gallery Factory _ A Pleasant Used Bookstore
Meeting Kim Soo-kang at the Gong Geun-hye Gallery _ My First Camera

Why should you go to an art museum?

Autumn at Deoksugung Palace, Deoksugung Museum of Art - A Small Beer Party
Blind, pure, and brave alternative space loop _ I ♥Sulperman
Shinsegae Gallery: Luxury is Good - Public Art That Makes You Sweat
Reflections on Quality Gallery Life _ The Struggles of Young Artists

Places I regret not being able to introduce

A courageous explorer who walks Seoul alone
For those of you who will take up art appreciation as a hobby!

It's now the third month of spring.
Even though the blooming spring is coming, I would like to recommend an 'art museum outing' that is enjoyable enough to enjoy alone for the poor young people who still have sore sides.
Even these days, whenever I meet friends, they say things like, “This artist’s paintings have nice colors,” or “This famous foreign artist’s work came in with great difficulty, so I should definitely go and see it.” So, even if I had no interest in art galleries, I might have developed one at that moment.

Art museums are always close to us, have been and will be, but they are not always easy or convenient places.
I've seen a little bit of it, as large-scale art museums like the Seoul Arts Center or the City Museum of Art heavily promote the works of art world masters whenever they come from across the ocean, but I didn't know that there was a gallery and an art museum not far from where I just had a meal and coffee.
Even if you know there's a gallery there, surprisingly few people have the courage to open the door and go in.


I felt like I shouldn't be the only one among my friends who seemed to know a lot about art, so I gathered my courage and stood at the entrance to the gallery.
If you're awkwardly walking in and wondering, "Where's the entrance fee...", let me tell you one thing in advance: 99% of galleries don't charge an entrance fee.
What's even more surprising is that there are more galleries that offer exhibitions for free than you might imagine.
But in the gallery that I entered, there was only an unknown painting with the title “Untitled” on a white wall.
At this point, you're starting to get a little confused.
“What color is so good, and what is this famous painting?” You would cross your arms, look at the paintings as indifferently as possible, nod your head a few times, and then run away.

But don't worry.
Because you're not the only one.
But please don't do that in the future.

Because art museums and galleries are always welcoming us with open arms.

Let's go play at the art museum!

Moon Hee-jung, a young artist who holds her own exhibitions several times a year and visits galleries as often as she would a cafe.
She says that she hopes that when young people these days, who do not have many things to do, ask their future daughters and sons, “Where did you first meet Mom and Dad?”, they will answer “art museum” or “gallery” rather than “club” or “nightclub.”
And I also hope that at least there will be times when you won't be unable to visit the many art museums and galleries because you don't know about them.

Although all art museums and galleries may look similar, they each have their own unique characteristics and stories.
As a close example, the streets next to Gyeongbokgung Palace are lined with Gallery Sun Contemporary, Kukje Gallery, and Hakgojae Gallery, but these three places all have different characteristics.
With just one visit, you can instantly meet three artists with different personalities in three different galleries.
And it's free! You don't have to go far. Just take a leisurely stroll around Seoul and you'll find a wide variety of art museums and galleries hidden throughout the city.
I can't help but feel a truly happy dilemma about where to start.
At this point, the time spent worrying about which ice cream to choose is nothing.

I am not a professionally trained curator.
He is just a rookie with a miserable history as a writer.
Therefore, this book is unlikely to be a reference book full of specialized knowledge. Since such books are already abundant in bookstores, there is no need for me to step forward and expand the selection.
However, they intend to poke people in the side by saying that art is nothing special to those who just want to enjoy cultural life.

I hope this book will be a fun way to tell the story of an amateur's cultural life from the audience's perspective.
When you decide to enjoy cultural activities, I hope that you have a wider range of choices beyond movie theaters.
Haven't we been to the cinema countless times, on dates, on Christmas, on a week-long holiday, even on holidays, alone, with friends, with a lover, with family?
―From “Before Going to the Art Museum” (page 9)

For those of you who are out and about and don't want to turn back right away, we've packed it full of food, entertainment, and things to see.
But rather than the famous places we all already know, these are the gems that Moon Hee-jung discovered over the years as if on a treasure hunt.
It's very subjective, but I recommend it with confidence.
Some places have delicious tteokbokki restaurants nearby, others offer local festivals, and others offer hands-on experiences where you can make something with a little effort.
I've gathered together all the small but valuable information that I've been saving up over time and am sharing it with you without holding back.

Young author Moon Hee-jung! "Going to the Art Museum," written, photographed, and illustrated by herself! I have no doubt this book will be a good friend, and sometimes a wonderful lover, to you on your art trips.


#1 Tongui-dong Security Hotel_Suspicious Man and Woman

What's the big deal, we're not a middle-aged couple having an affair looking for a motel in hiking gear.
I will speak proudly.
“I often go to inns.
"Actually, I went today too." Perhaps he was giving me a sinister look? If so, I'm sorry for disappointing you.
The place I visited today was the Tongui-dong Security Hotel.
The security hotel was actually in operation as an inn until 2004.
However, this place, which was in danger of being demolished due to redevelopment, was acquired by the cultural arts project group 'Metalog' and reborn as a new cultural space.
(…) The exposed ceiling and the peeling wallpaper here and there create the illusion of stepping into history.
The works that suddenly appear here and there without any flashy lighting or decoration are quite different from the way we have viewed exhibitions so far.
The works in the security hotel are quietly placed under your feet, on the windowsill, and even in the corners of the bathroom that you might almost pass by.
To continue this exciting exploration, you'll need to be prepared to face unexpected surprises.
―Pages 69-71

[Playground next to the art museum] Having tried all the famous tteokbokki restaurants, including Jopok Tteokbokki in Hongdae, Bega Baek in Gangnam, and Meokshi Donna in Samcheong-dong, we decided to try the famous oily tteokbokki at Tongin Market.
At first, I was surprised by its unique appearance.
It is characterized by being stir-fried in an iron pot right on the spot and having no broth at all. The long rice cakes made directly from the mill are available in two types: stir-fried with only oil and stir-fried with spicy seasoning sauce.
We didn't want to give up on either, so we ordered both. The soft yet slightly greasy tteokbokki and the spicy taste of tteok-kkochi together made us not even think about sundae or fried food.
The amount of transfer is quite large.

―Pages 74-75

#2 Takeout Drawing_Organic Contemporary Art

Perhaps those who are new to Takeout Drawing might think of it as a gallery cafe that occasionally holds exhibitions.
It's not a wrong statement, but to be precise, this is a 'cafe residency'.
A residency generally refers to helping artists work smoothly by providing them with space for a certain period of time, but what makes this place special is that the creative process, which was once a private time for the artist, is completed while breathing together with the public.
—Pages 174-177

[Playground next to the art museum] While looking at the kiosk of artist Ku Hyeon-mo, who was exhibiting at Takeout Drawing, I found myself listening to a list of music that was unfamiliar to me.
And then I felt close to this writer, as if I'd known him for a long time. I wondered if his old friends would think of him when they saw this list.
Maybe it's something you find unfamiliar like me.
―Page 182

#3 Shinsegae Gallery_Luxury is good

When you arrive at the main branch of Shinsegae Department Store, first go to the new building.
This gallery is very active, holding 17 exhibitions in 2009 alone. The exhibition “Legends of Pop Art” showcased prints by prominent pop artists such as Damien Hirst, Andy Warhol, Alex Katz, Tom Wesselmann, and Julian Opie, and a three-person exhibition featuring Sol LeWitt, Robert Mangold, and Fred Sandback was also held.
You can also see works by other modern and contemporary Korean artists, including Kim Hwan-ki, Kim Swoo-geun, Chun Kyung-ja, and Lee Jung-seob.
(…)

The main building of Shinsegae Department Store, Korea's first department store, features today's highlights: the 'Art Wall Gallery' and the 'Trinity Garden.'
Unlike the new building, there is no separate gallery, but the artwork is displayed in various places along the path between stores, in front of the lobby, escalators, elevators, and between stores. It is quite fun to discover the artworks between stores that make your heart flutter just by hearing the names, such as Dolce & Gabbana, Armani, Fendi, Yves Saint Laurent, and Chanel.
―Pages 326-328

[Playground next to the art museum] The original title of this sculpture, which stands tall at the starting point of the Cheonggyecheon stream, is “Spring.”
It was created by the famous American sculptor Claes Oldenburg and his wife, Kosher Van Bruggen. Oldenburg is famous for creating sculptures by enlarging common objects such as clothespins, ashtrays, and clothes pins.
His work, which has resulted in over 40 sculptures being erected in cities around the world, has faced strong opposition in Korea. The reasons for the criticism include questions about the historical and cultural connection and the fact that he put a world-renowned artist forward for the restoration of Cheonggyecheon.
―Page 334

The stories about 29 art museums and galleries, along with the small stories surrounding them, are already entertaining enough, but the stories not covered in the main text are conveyed through mini-interviews, ensuring objectivity and expertise.
And for those of us who still find art museums difficult, author Moon Hee-jung has also added some 'useful information' here and there.
Things I've always been curious about but never had anyone to ask, like what to wear to an art museum, small rules for visiting art museums, what beginners should do to first become interested in art, what's the difference between an art museum and a gallery, etc...


While creating this book, I visited and personally experienced the art museums and galleries featured here, as well as the many playgrounds next to the art museums I suggested.
The actual appearance and atmosphere were so similar to what was described in the manuscript that I laughed and slapped my knee. Also, we added our own feelings to it, making it 'my own space' rather than 'a place where someone else explained it to me'.
Let's go to the art museum right now!