[Insta Walk] Kunajanglong - I Guess I Should Put Up a Poster

Alexander Calder, Arne Jacobsen, and More
A Store Like an Exhibition Hall of World-Renowned Artists' Works

Carefully Selected Posters from Europe and the US
Also Selling Self-Produced Posters
CEO Kim Gyuna: "Posters Complete the Interior"

The entrance door of 'Kuna Janglong' is adorned with an art poster by Dutch painter Piet Mondrian. Photo by Heo Midam damdam@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] What does a home mean? While the definition of a home may vary for each person, it is generally considered a comfortable resting place. The increasing number of people trying to decorate their homes according to their tastes may stem from the desire to enjoy complete relaxation in a cozy space. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, with more time spent at home, the desire to decorate one’s living space has grown even stronger. Those looking to change the atmosphere of their space often move furniture around or bring in new matching furniture to create a transformation. However, attempts to revamp a home do not always end successfully. Many feel disappointed when the results differ from their expectations despite the effort involved, such as moving heavy furniture or doing a thorough cleaning. Of course, it would be better to boldly entrust the work to an interior design company, but considering the cost, even that is not easy. So, is there a simple way to decorate a home? To find a clue to this question, we visited a place that has become popular among the ‘self-interior’ crowd. It is the art poster shop ‘Kuna Janglong’ located in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, a space that breathes life into an empty room with just one poster.

About a five-minute walk from Exit 3 of Seongsu Station, you can find a building with a striking red brick exterior. On the second floor of that building is Kuna Janglong, filled with unique posters. These are art posters featuring works by world-renowned masters such as American sculptor Alexander Calder and Danish architect Arne Jacobsen. The clean white-toned interior combined with the stylish posters creates an illusion as if you have stepped into a gallery.

Opened in December 2019, Kuna Janglong offers art posters personally curated by its owner, CEO Kim Kyuna (37), from Europe and the United States. Kim wanted to introduce items that could be appreciated for a long time despite the passage of years, and posters came to mind during that process. “I wanted to show things that bear the traces of time,” he said. “Of course, posters also have trends. The favored artists or preferred designs can change over time. However, posters contain the culture and art of an era.”

Art posters featuring works by German designer Dieter Rams, Danish architect Arne Jacobsen, and German painter Ulrich Erben are displayed. Photo by Heo Midam damdam@asiae.co.kr

In fact, the shop has many posters that bear the marks of time. A representative example is the vintage poster collection by British artist David Hockney. These posters, issued between 10 and 40 years ago, boast designs so trendy that their age is hardly noticeable. Kim said, “Posters do not lose their value over time,” adding, “Sometimes, older posters are much more attractive than newly released ones. That is the charm of vintage posters.”

Most customers visit this place to use posters as interior accessories. Kim also believes that posters contribute greatly to interior design. He said, “In fact, posters are accessories that can be in a home or not. However, the charm of a space can be infinitely transformed by just one poster,” smiling as he added, “That’s why people say, ‘The completion of interior design is the poster.’”

Additionally, those who cannot afford to own expensive artworks directly find vicarious satisfaction through posters. Kim said, “Buying works by famous artists is financially burdensome. Although art posters are not cheap, they are much more affordable than original works, making them a reasonable purchase.” Prices vary depending on the size of the poster, but art posters generally range from 100,000 to 200,000 KRW.

Customers carefully select posters that suit their tastes. Since art posters are not inexpensive and significantly influence the atmosphere of a home, they must be chosen with great care. Kim said, “Posters are not like clothes that you can buy immediately if you like them. You have to consider various factors, such as whether the poster will harmonize with the interior,” adding, “I tend to have many conversations to meet the diverse needs of customers.”

'Kuna Janglong' interior view. Art posters of various sizes are on display. Photo by Heo Midam damdam@asiae.co.kr

The reason the shop operates by appointment is to recommend posters that meet customers’ specific requests. Kim said, “Many customers want detailed explanations about the artists or works,” adding, “When communicating with customers, an hour often passes quickly.” Thanks to Kim’s detailed explanations, many customers who visit once become regulars and return.

Kim also produces posters himself for those with limited financial means. Through his self-produced brand ‘Soffle,’ he offers posters at affordable prices. ‘Soffle’ means ‘wit’ or ‘inspiration’ in French. “I created ‘Soffle’ because I wanted there to be more easily accessible posters,” he said, adding, “Since the prices are lower than other posters, the purchasing age group is also younger, including people in their 20s.”

Kim hopes that Kuna Janglong’s posters will retain their value over time. He explained, “Kuna Janglong is a combination of my English name ‘Kuna’ and ‘Janglong’ (wardrobe). In the past, grandmothers used to keep precious items in wardrobes. Like a luxury bag carefully stored in a wardrobe, I hope that even as time passes, our posters will remain precious items to our customers.” In these times when going out is discouraged due to COVID-19, how about changing the atmosphere of your home with just one poster? The refreshed interior might even lift your previously gloomy mood.