The Korean art scene in 2025 will focus on traditional art in the first half of the year, with the Hoam Museum of Art hosting a special exhibition on Gyeomjae Jeong Seon, a master of landscape painting from the late Joseon Dynasty, and the Amorepacific Museum of Art presenting a large-scale exhibition on Joseon folk paintings. In the second half of the year, notable exhibitions will include a special showcase of Louise Bourgeois, famous for her spider sculpture “Maman,” alongside solo exhibitions of renowned Korean artists Kim Tschang-yeul, Lee Bul, and Lee Dai-won.
The Jeong Seon special exhibition, opening in April at the Hoam Museum of Art in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, is generating considerable excitement. Organized by the Samsung Foundation of Culture and the Kansong Art and Culture Foundation, the exhibition will feature around 120 works, including the national treasure “Geumgang Jeondo” (1734), which has not been displayed to the public in 10 years. The exhibition will showcase Jeong Seon’s landscape paintings, portraits, and bird-and-flower paintings, providing a comprehensive look at his artistic achievements.
In March, the Amorepacific Museum of Art will present a major exhibition on Joseon “minhwa,” or folk paintings. The large-scale exhibition will showcase over 120 pieces from 16 institutions, spanning from the Joseon Dynasty to the modern period. It will reexamine the distinctive aesthetics of folk art, characterized by its free-flowing and spontaneous style, through a contemporary lens.
A highly anticipated exhibition of 20th-century master Louise Bourgeois (1911–2010) will open at the Hoam Museum of Art in August, marking her first major solo exhibition in Korea in 25 years. The exhibition will showcase her iconic spider sculpture “Maman” (1999), “Cell XI (Portrait)” (2000), and early paintings that have never been exhibited in Korea. The museum will also feature her personal writings, including diaries and psychoanalytic notes, offering a deeper look into her artistic world. In September, another solo exhibition of Bourgeois will open at Kukje Gallery, with both exhibitions running simultaneously.
The Leeum Museum of Art will host solo exhibitions by prominent Korean and international artists throughout the year. In February, the museum will present Pierre Huyghe’s first solo exhibition in Korea, featuring key works across video, sound, sculpture, and installation. Lee Bul’s solo exhibition, opening in September, will provide a major retrospective of her 40-year career from the 1980s to the present. Co-organized with Hong Kong’s M+ museum, the exhibition will continue at M+ in March 2026 before touring international institutions.
The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) will revive its permanent exhibitions at both the Seoul and Gwacheon branches after five years. Starting in May, the Gwacheon branch will present a collection of Korean art from the 1900s to the 1960s, featuring works by 70 artists, including Kim Ki-chang, Park Re-hyun, Lee Jung-seop, and Jang Wook-jin. In June, the exhibition will shift to Korean art from the 1960s to the 1990s, highlighting works by Kim Whan-ki, Yun Hyong-keun, and Choi Wook-kyung. The Seoul branch will launch Korean Contemporary Art in May, showcasing 80 representative works by artists like Kim Whan-ki, Park Seo-bo, Kim Soo-ja, Seo Do-ho, Lee Bul, and Yang Hae-gue. The museum also plans to prominently feature the legendary collection of late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee in the revived permanent exhibitions.
MMCA Seoul will also host international exhibitions featuring globally renowned artists. In April, the museum will present Ron Mueck’s first solo exhibition in Asia. Known for his hyperrealistic sculptures of the human form, Mueck explores existential themes of life, death, and human existence. Co-organized with France’s Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, the exhibition will feature Mueck’s masterpiece “Mass” (2017), an installation of 100 oversized human skulls, making its Korean debut.
The MMCA will also present exhibitions highlighting Korean artists Kim Tschang-yeul, Lee Dai-won, and Shin Sang-ho.
