The Return of Gaya's Iron Horse After 2,000 Years... "The Eternal Gallop" in the Heart of Seoul

National Heritage Administration and Shinsegae Spotlight the Horse in Special Exhibition
From Gaya Horse Armor to Silla Earthen Figurines: Transcending Time and Space
From Instruments of War to Objects of Art and Empathy

Gaya Horse Armor

In 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse (Byeong-o Year), the dynamic sound of galloping hooves will bring the iron cavalry that roamed the Korean Peninsula 2,000 years ago to the heart of downtown Seoul.

The National Heritage Administration announced on January 8 that, together with Shinsegae, it will hold a special exhibition titled "Horse, the Eternal Gallop" at "The Heritage" in the main branch of Shinsegae Department Store from January 9 to 25. The venue is the former Cheil Bank headquarters, a Seoul Metropolitan Tangible Cultural Heritage site. Within this Renaissance-style modern building, relics from ancient Gaya and Silla will meet, creating an "Ensemble of Heritage" that transcends time and space.

This exhibition goes beyond a simple display of artifacts. It uses the prism of the "horse" to reflect on decisive moments that changed the pace of human civilization. The Gaya "horse armor" and helmet (replicas), which protected humans on the front lines of battle, testify to the status of horses not just as a means of transportation, but as comrades-in-arms and powerful weapons that shared life and death.

Maldarae Restoration Product

The narrative of "power" that once dominated the battlefield gradually expands into a world of "beauty" that symbolizes authority. The replica of the "Jewel Beetle Maldarae" unearthed from Tomb No. 44 at Gyeongju Juksaem exemplifies the splendid decorative aesthetics enjoyed by the Silla elite. The earthen horse figurines (Towu) of Silla are also noteworthy, as they embody the heartfelt wishes of ancient people to accompany horses even into the afterlife.

The exhibition does not remain in the past but gallops into the present. The sculpture "Beside" by artist Jake Lee and National Geographic's images of Jeju horses remind us that horses are no longer mere tools of conquest, but beings of empathy and healing. The exhibition opens with a powerful AI video of a red horse, visually expressing the energy of this year, the Year of Jeokto (the Red Horse).

Towu

Admission is free. A representative from the National Heritage Administration stated, "This will be an opportunity to rediscover the value of horses, which powered the acceleration of civilization and served as companions of the soul, within the context of modern cultural heritage."