Seoul City to Hold 12 Exhibitions at Bukchon Hanokcheong in First Half of Year... Online and VR Exhibitions Also Available

From the 2nd, Hanokcheong, a Shared Space for Seoul Citizens, to Host 12 Exhibitions in the First Half of the Year
Traditional Masks, Minhwa, Ceramics, Knots, Wooden Furniture, Textiles, Prints, Photography, and More

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it has finalized the exhibition and rental schedule for the first half of this year at Bukchon Hanokcheong (聽), a citizen shared space, through a prior public contest, and will hold various exhibitions for six months starting from the 2nd.

Bukchon Hanokcheong is one of the public hanoks purchased by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in 2003 as part of the ‘Bukchon Maintenance Project’ initiated in the early 2000s to preserve hanok and the hanok area landscape, and is used as a hanok open to citizens.

Since 2017, the city has been operating Bukchon Hanokcheong as a shared hanok for all citizens, where any Seoul citizen wishing to exhibit content related to the locality of Bukchon and hanok can rent the space.

In the first half of this year, 12 rental exhibitions will be presented. The exhibitions will feature artists and groups from various fields encompassing both traditional and modern, including traditional masks, folk paintings, ceramics, knots, wooden furniture, textiles, prints, and photography. Each exhibition will run for 1 to 3 weeks, and viewing is possible in compliance with quarantine rules such as social distancing due to COVID-19.

Along with the exhibitions, the view of Gahoe-dong from the jangdokdae (traditional earthenware jar platform) at Bukchon Hanokcheong is another point of appreciation, making it a highlight of the Bukchon scenery that visitors should not miss.

Bukchon Hanokcheong operates from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and admission is free. Exhibition program applications are accepted in advance twice a year through the Seoul Hanok Portal, and applications for exhibitions in the second half of this year are scheduled to begin in May.

Meanwhile, for citizens who find it difficult to visit in person due to COVID-19, the exhibitions can also be viewed as VR exhibitions through the Seoul Hanok Portal online exhibition hall. For detailed information related to the exhibitions, please check the Seoul Hanok Portal website or contact the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Hanok Architecture Assets Division.

Ryu Hoon, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Urban Regeneration Office, said, “Public hanoks that embody Seoul’s past and present are architectural assets effective for regional cultural regeneration,” adding, “We will continue to expand opportunities for more citizens to appreciate and enjoy their value together.”