History

Since its opening in September 2023, K&L MUSEUM has presented itself to the public through a considered program of exhibitions, beginning with Hermann Nitsch: GESAMTKUNSTWERK (2023). It has since gone on to present Kwon YeoHyun: In a Trance (2024), featuring a leading figure of Korean postmodern art; Ascending the Ashes: A Tale of Renewal (2024), an immersive, multidisciplinary installation by Swiss contemporary artist Claudia Comte; the Myanmar Pavilion's special exhibition for the 15th Gwangju Biennale, Heritage of the Golden Land: Mother's Embrace (2024); Tactics for an Era (2025), a group exhibition of emerging Korean artists exploring how art might respond to a time of rapid change and uncertainty; and Wifredo Lam: A New New World (2026), which repositions cultural hybridity and diaspora at the center of a modernist canon long defined by Euro-American narratives.

 

The museum was launched as the cultural venture of SMK International, a Korean trading company. Founded in 1994, SMK International has spent decades building a robust global network centered on Europe and Southeast Asia, and it was from this international foundation that the company later expanded into the cultural sector.

 

Chairman SungMin Harry Kim of SMK International has long recognized the importance of cross-cultural exchange and the social role of art, and made it a central aim of this venture to pass on the value of culture and the meaning of soft power to future generations. In 2013, he set this cultural mission into motion by founding El Olivo, a Spanish restaurant conceived to introduce Spanish culinary culture to Korea. This vision — together with his longstanding love of classical music and the curatorial sensibility of Chief Curator Jinhyung Lina Kim, whose deep experience and connoisseurship in the visual arts gave the project its direction — took shape as a shared philosophy of enriching life through art, one that ultimately came to fruition in the space now known as K&L MUSEUM. This founding background has continued to inform the museum's programming, shaping cross-disciplinary projects that bring together visual art and music and broadening the range of artistic experiences K&L MUSEUM offers.

 

K&L MUSEUM was established to do more than connect local communities with artists: it was founded to extend the spirit of "international trade" — the very identity and foundation of its parent company — into the realm of art, helping a wider Korean public understand and engage with the currents of international contemporary art. By introducing contemporary art from across Eurasia and the wider world, the museum aims to build a global network connected through art.

  • K&L ARCHITECTURE

     

     

    The beginning of K&L Museum's architecture goes as follows. It is the first step towards completing the SMK Culture Complex, along with the existing SMK International Headquarters and the Spanish Restaurant EL OLIVO. The future completion of this multi-cultural space draws inspiration from the architectural materials of the museum, creating a cohesive context among these spaces. We envision an appealing space where art, music, and food converge, allowing individuals to experience and enjoy various forms of art up close.

     

    K&L Museum strives to create diverse and unique spaces, keeping in mind the power of space and the harmonious blend of exceptional artworks. We believe that this fusion will greatly enhance visitors' artistic experience.

     

    The initial encounter with K&L Museum is composed of glass booths, offering a glimpse of iconic artworks within the museum. To prevent the building's mass from being overly enclosed, a central courtyard was opened, providing easy and friendly access for anyone entering the building and increasing its public accessibility.

     

    K&L Museum adopts a skip-floor layout, where warm wooden stairs lead to an exhibition hall, a concert stage featuring a piano, seamlessly transitioning to comfortable viewing seats, and ultimately reaching Café L. The varied heights of the floors create diverse perspectives of the space, enriching the experience of observing artworks from different angles. By achieving a minimalist and refined finish, the space exudes a cozy ambiance akin to a warm home, allowing the artworks to blend harmoniously and convey that warmth to the audience.

     

    The exterior of K&L Museum features a choice of stone patterns that resemble the brushstrokes of an artwork, emphasizing the solid and substantial presence of the building. Our aim is to create a cultural space that embodies the essence of human emotions through architectural design, where the precious exhibited artworks and the architectural space mutually enhance each other, giving rise to a culturally rich environment filled with artistic sensibility.

     

    We look forward to the development of K&L Museum as a cultural space that encapsulates the depths of artistic appreciation.

     

    De Archiis CEO / Architect   Je Yong Myung