Photo by JongOh Kim |
Modern architecture in Korea is characterized by open and dynamic attitudes formed through a unique set of historical circumstances. Through colonial rule, war, and poverty, it was cut off from its older building traditions, emerging only in the latter half of the twentieth century as part of a condensed process of modernization. It is enigmatic in that its build first, think later (if at all) condition has rebuffed holistic narratives of its disjunctive evolution. Long dominated by the construction sector and state bureaucracies, it is now an amalgam of large corporate firms, creative studios, and diverse communities in the culture industry. It is now in crisis for its uncertain response to the challenges of climate change and Korea’s turn to structural low-growth. Neither affirming nor negating traditions and theories, Korean architecture is most interesting when it raises questions and belies unfulfilled ambitions.
This lecture, presented by the Korea Foundation, features Pai Hyungmin, a distinguished architect and scholar.
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Modern Architecture in Korea: Travels through Terra Icognita
Monday, November 17, 2025 | 6:30 PM (EST)
The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017
About the Artist:
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Pai Hyungmin, Professor at the University of Seoul, is an architectural historian, critic, and curator. Twice a Fulbright scholar, he received his Ph.D from the History, Theory, and Criticism program at MIT. His numerous publications include The Portfolio and the Diagram, key reading in architecture schools around the world, Key Concepts of Korean Architecture, and Sensuous Plan: Architecture of Seung H-Sang. He was artistic director of the inaugural Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism and the 5th Gwangju Folly. He was twice curator of the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, which in 2014, was awarded the Golden Lion for Best National Pavilion. His recent work has focused on climate change, particularly the material networks of production, consumption, and waste. His Climate Museum: Life and Death of our Home received the Red Dot Award for its innovative and sustainable exhibition design. |
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