Seoul, the capital of South Korea and home to a population of 10 million. Seoul is a very familiar place for people living in Korea. But aren’t you missing the true charm of Seoul by getting used to it? <2021 Delight Seoul> embodies Seoul as a media art exhibit and shows the various charms of Seoul. In addition, you can see the original charm of Korea, including Korean history, mythology, and culture through the exhibition. Furthermore, it offers visitors the opportunity to experience various works in person by giving an individual barcode bracelet that you make at the entrance. If you are from another country, you will enjoy this exhibition even more. Welcome to <2021 Delight Seoul>!
The Forest of Twelve Guardians
This year is called “The Year of the Cow.” Do you know how this name is made, and where it came from? In Korea, there is a unique animal for each year. The name of each year comes from twelve animal gods who protect the land. They have animal faces with human bodies. They are ‘Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig’ in order. The order is very important because every twelve years the list repeats. For example, a person born in 1999 has a same animal god as a person born in 1987, 1975, and 1963, which is a rabbit. This concept of animal gods originated from Old China, and it has influenced Asian countries including Korea. Since these animal gods were believed to be a patron saint in Korea after Later Silla, they used to be carved in Korean ancient tomb murals, stone towers, mausoleums and more in the shape of an animal with human body. What you have to know is that we all have animal god from the year we were born. In Korea, people use their own animal god to predict “Today’s Fortune.” At <2021 Delight Seoul> you can use your barcode bracelet to see your animal god in a shape of a guardian appearing in a media display, and check your fortune printed on a paper. The twelve animal guardians appearing with grand music on a tall media display that looks like a forest give a strong impression. Check your animal guardian here!
Welcome to Delight
If there was a “lantern” that lighted up the dark in the Old West, there was a “cheongsachorong” in Old Korea. Cheongsachorong is a traditional Korean lantern with a red-and-blue silk shade. Cheongsachorong is also a symbol of traditional Korean wedding ceremonies, as it was mainly used in wedding ceremonies by ordinary people during the late Joseon Period. It served as a light brightening the road when the groom left for their bride’s house riding a horse, and the bride came to get married riding a palanquin in the past. In <2021 Delight Seoul>, you can meet colorful cheongsachorongs embodied in media art. The work conveys the message, “Colorful lights that look different every moment is as fantastic as happiness found in our repetitive everyday life.” Cheongsachorong hanging on the ceiling looks as if it is floating in the sky. And since this space has mirrors all over, it makes feel as if countless cheongsachorongs are floating in endless spaces. You can feel this splendour only in the field. This work provides new and colorful spectacles by combining “cheongsachorong” from the past, and “media art” from the present. In addition, the sound of bells swaying in the wind here makes you feel as if you’ve been teleported to another space. The sound enables people to appreciate cheongsachorong more vividly. Because of the beautiful lights, it is also a popular photo spot. If you want to see cheongsachorong constantly changing colors, please come and visit <2021 Delight Seoul> right now.
An Olden Tale
You may be familiar with Aesop’s Fables such as “The Wolf and The Crane” and “The Three Little Pigs.” Then, do you know the story of a tortoise who went to get a rabbit’s liver to save the Dragon King of the Sea? This is the story of the Korean traditional novel “Byeoljubujeon.” If there is “Aesop’s Fables” in the West, there is “Classical Tales” in Korea. Just as Aesop’s Fables set up animals as the main characters to convey messages, Korean Classical Tales also have an allegorical feature that indirectly conveys meaningful messages. You can learn the satire and critical messages that the story wants to convey through the characters and the story. You can hear the story of Korean classical tale “Byeoljubujeon” here in <2021 Delight Seoul> with a large-scale media illustration video. The wide screen covering three sides and the mirror on the opposite wall surround the space and give you the impression of being underwater. There are some chairs in this spacious place, so you can sit here and watch the video comfortably. If it’s your first time hearing “Byeoljubujeon,” please listen carefully to the story, which delivers meaningful lessons through beautiful illustrations. What words would the rabbit use to entice the tortoise to not to lose its liver? Find out through the exhibition.
Shining City, Seoul
Have you ever seen the Earth from space? Seoul and its surroundings glow with bright lights even at dark nights. ”Dynamic Seoul” shows the hustle and bustle of Seoul, which emits light even when “there is no trace of the sun.” The tall electronic display boards shining with neon signs deliver the energetic aura of Seoul. “Authentic Street” expresses the streets in Korea with colorful media art. Recently, Korean streets have begun to have new names. Streets reborn with new names such as “Sharosugil” and “Hipjiro” are always crowded with people since aesthetic cafes and sophisticated restaurants fill the alleys. This work expresses the image of the streets of Seoul vividly. By using your barcode bracelet here, you can take a picture of yourself with phrases, and display them on the electronic display boards. Just as people complete the streets, fill the street here with a unique design of your own. “The Story in Seoul,” expressed as “The media façade of Seoul that ‘was recorded in the past’ and ‘will be recorded in the future‘,” deals with the past and present of Seoul, and further enables visitors to imagine the future of Seoul. Like the expression “Miracle on the Han River,” Korea has grown rapidly after the war, and Seoul has also undergone dramatic changes in a short time. You can see various symbols and history of Seoul here, including “Gwanghwamun Gate,” which symbolizes Seoul in the past, and “Dongdaemun Design Plaza(DDP),” which symbolizes Seoul in the present. In <2021 Delight Seoul>, enjoy the charm of the shining city Seoul.
Be Part of the Art
The biggest attraction of <2021 Delight Seoul> is that you can participate in the exhibition yourself. At the entrance, you input your birthday and receive a barcode bracelet. You can go around the exhibition hall and use it to participate in five of the eleven works. In “Echo of Soul,” you can take a picture of yourself and leave a message on the media display. When you write a phrase, you can see your letters flowing on a large media screen harmonizing with others’ messages. The charm of this work is that you can see the thoughts and messages of various visitors in “Hangul,” the original alphabet of Korea. Also, in “The Moments,” you can customize your own picture on a media board with your photo taken with a background of Korean traditional images such as flowers and folk paintings, and any stickers of your choice. And you can buy all the photos you’ve made at a souvenir shop outside the exhibition hall. As such, in <2021 Delight Seoul>, you can not only appreciate the work with your eyes, but also become a part of it. Visit <2021 Delight Seoul> and experience being part of the work.
<2021 Delight Seoul> shows the interesting and unique charms of Korea and Seoul through impressive media art. Here, you can be a part of the work and complete it with other visitors who visit first or later. Let’s look back on the past and present of Seoul and draw the future through the exhibition. It would be meaningful for you to witness the present era of the place you live, and to remind the past and imagine the future of the place through this exhibition. Now, <2021 Delight Seoul> is waiting to give you a delight.
Dates: 2020.12.18~2021.06.30
Hours: 10:00~20:00 every day (The last entrance 19:00)
Place: Insa Central Museum Basement 1
Ticket Prices: Adults 18,000 won / Teenager 15,000 won / Children 12,000 won
Contact: 070-4035-0344