South Korea

Seoul

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 is known for his vivid Pop Art-inspired paintings.

Baik celebrates ideas of togetherness and connection through images that have a touch of the absurd and unexpected. This is done through a bright colour palette that’s combined with religious motifs and cartoonish figures; the latter is based on friends, family and encounters with strangers in his own life. In Baik's parallel universes, reality is turned upside down; characters are painted blue and brown unicorns exist. Colours are typically subversive and mirror Baik’s use of humour and irony.

For the artist, one of the best experiences you can have in Seoul is to enjoy a cold beer by the Han River, surrounded by friends. During the pandemic, these trips and moments of connection were lost, but found themselves reimagined through Baik’s canvases. Restrictions have since been lifted, and Baik has been rediscovering this sense of paradise in Seoul.

 for Baik's travel journal, and scroll down for his list of must-visit spots in the South Korean capital.

Avant Arte

Get the mussel bibimbap for ₩1600 (about $16).

Architectural coffee house in Hannam, also open late for night owls.

Meet new people while drinking soju and barbecuing frozen pork belly.

Look up to see the traditional Korean roof tiles.

Editors note: In Hyangmok’s art, these are hand painted in vibrant blues, greens and yellows.

A food stall street in Jongno (known as ‘Pocha’) is not open for lunch, but opens from late afternoon until dawn the next day without an exact closing time. As anyone who knows Korean nightlife knows, I once sat and drank here from 7pm to 7am the next morning. It's hard to get a seat on weekend evenings, and reservations are not available, so if you want to enjoy a variety of traditional Korean food and drinks here, I recommend going a little earlier in the evening or a little later in the evening after you've finished your meal.

Free entry on Wednesday and Saturday evenings.

Leeum Gallery is one of the galleries in Korea that has the largest collection of works encompassing traditional art containing the unique beauty of Korea and contemporary history of the world. Here, what I want others to see is in the exhibition hall titled 'The Journey of White Light' located on the third floor of the exhibition hall. ‘Buncheong ware’ is a unique porcelain made only in Korea in the 15th and 16th centuries, and shows the original form of Korean beauty.

Architect designed coffee space with an underground music bar and non-profit gallery space.

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Hyangmok Baik’s City Guide to Seoul

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