South Korea

5 Seoul Museums BTS Members Have Visited That Every ARMY Should Definitely Add To Their Travel Bucket List

Get some culture like BTS!
by | November 22, 2021


To the most loyal ARMY, South Korean superstars BTS are not just well-loved for their chart-topping hits or record-smashing feats in the music industry (and beyond). The band’s impeccable taste in art is also something fans greatly admire.

Time and again, the members of BTS (okay, RM a.k.a. Namjoon, mostly) would post updates on SNS about their musings at galleries and museums, and followers would be quick to find out where these artsy spots are.

If you’re planning a future trip to South Korea, read on as we’ve rounded up a list of must-visit Seoul museums that BTS members themselves have visited—and even performed at:

 

Leeum Samsung Museum of Art

Let’s start with the museum with the most recent BTS sighting—the Leeum Samsung Museum of Art. Earlier this month, members V and J-Hope visited this art complex located in the dynamic district of Itaewon. Having reopened after two years of refurbishment, it remains a home for the work of traditional and modern artworks by South Korean and international artists.

A recipient of the 2005 Excellence in Design for Civic Architecture from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the museum is comprised of three buildings designed by globally acclaimed architects Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel, and Rem Koolhaas.

Shortly after V and J-Hope posted about their museum date on Twitter, Filipino ARMY pointed out the uncanny resemblance between “Mask II,” the self-portrait sculpture of Australian artist Ron Mueck, and local showbiz personality Paolo Contis, which brought about a flood of humorous posts on social media.

Address: 60-16, Itaewon-ro 55-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Website: leeum.samsungfoundation.org

 

The National Museum of Korea

In June last year, BTS participated in “Dear Class of 2020”—a virtual commencement ceremony live-streamed on YouTube that featured inspirational leaders and artists, including former U.S. President Barack Obama and the former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama, pop icon Lady Gaga, and Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, to congratulate and celebrate the achievements of graduates, their families, and their communities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the seven-member group’s segment, they delivered a speech and concluded the virtual affair with live performances of their tracks “Boy With Luv,” “Spring Day,” and “Mikrokosmos”—all filmed within the breathtaking complex of The National Museum of Korea, which houses a mind-blowing collection of more than 220,000 national artifacts spanning from ancient times to the modern era.

Address: 137, Seobinggo-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Website: www.museum.go.kr

 

Sejong Museum of Art

Situated in the lower east wing of the Sejong Center, the Sejong Museum of Art opened in 1978, bolstering the center’s role as a cradle for art and culture in the South Korean capital.

In a tweet dated July 4, 2019, RM is seen posing for pictures with a reprint of Andre Derain’s “Big Ben” as his backdrop. He also shared a black and white photo of him marveling at the French artist’s actual piece, which was on display as part of the “Fauvism Masterpieces” exhibition of the museum.

Following a major remodeling period that concluded in 2015, the Sejong Museum of Art has been divided into two sections connected by a passageway that serves as an exhibition space as well. Art and culture lovers find some respite from the bustling city in the museum’s relaxing rest areas.

Address: 03172  175, Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul 

Website: sejongpac.or.kr

 

Buk Seoul Museum of Art

Also in July 2019, RM tweeted three photos of him at Buk Seoul Museum of Art, where “Song of Eternity,” the work of South Korean abstract artist Whanki Kim, was on display under the museum’s “The Dream of Modernity: Planting a Flowering Tree” exhibition.

Buk Seoul Museum of Art sits on a little hill in Nowon and is billed to integrate art with humans and nature—thanks to its refreshing location. As a branch of the Seoul Museum of Art, it provides a space for cultural creativeness and communication, hosting an array of art events that pique the senses of visitors.

Address: 1238, Dongil-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, Korea (Junggye-dong)

Website: sema.seoul.go.kr

 

 

Lotte Museum of Art

There’s a lot to see at Lotte World Tower, and the Lotte Museum of Art is one of them! In August 2019, RM took some time off to swing by the seventh floor of South Korea’s tallest building to check out the exhibition of Taiwanese-born American artist James Jean titled “Eternal Journey.”

Lotte Museum of Art is a relatively new art hub in the city that has become a hotspot for hosting modern art exhibits and installations of celebrated artists, including the country’s own Kim Jung Gi and the late American Neo-expressionist painter Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Address: Lotte World Tower (7F), 300, Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul

Website: lottemuseum.com

 

Which art museum or gallery will you hit first on your future BTS pilgrimage in Seoul?

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Andy Flores is a pathological penny pincher with impulse shopping and binge-eating tendencies. She’s constantly saving up for new adventures, so she dabbles in writing jobs here and there. Her not-so-secret dream is to be an extra in a big Bollywood movie.

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