Korean Visual Culture Today

Commemorating the FIFA World Cup held in Korea and Japan, this exhibition introduces contemporary popular culture in Korea. Traditional or contemporary art in Korea has often been featured in previous art exhibitions in Japan. However, this time, reflecting on the recent, rapidly growing relations in terms of popular culture between Korea and Japan, we aim to present, within a comprehensive and three-dimensional approach, a wide range of Korean popular culture, together with its uniqueness and attractions, founded on a distinctive sense and high technologies. 

Particular focus is not only on the mass media such as TV, newspapers, films, and video, but also on other forms of visual media in popular culture. Space of family homes and traditional rituals, street fashion of different generations and tastes, advertisements and signs on the streets, are recreated on display through moving images and three-dimensional layouts in the gallery.

Audiences are invited to experience the energy of urban culture, a mix of different elements like a “bibimbap (mixed rice),” including traditions, contemporary, Korean, Japanese, and Western contexts. We hope to have this exhibition as an opportunity to foster a new mutual understanding between Korea and Japan.