Park Han-sol reports on Korea's financial regulators, along with fintech and insurance. She previously wrote about the art world, from biennales and exhibitions to fairs and auctions, with a focus on Seoul and the figures shaping the scene. Before joining The Korea Times, she spent a year at ABC News' Seoul bureau, contributing to coverage of major Asia-Pacific events.
Gwangju Biennale’s new president eyes next 30 years
Youn Bum-mo, the new president of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation, speaks at a press conference in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
By Park Han-sol
The Gwangju Biennale, which debuted in 1995 as Asia’s first contemporary art biennial, now marks its 30th year. Reflecting on its journey, Youn Bum-mo, the new president of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation, laid out his vision for the road ahead — from refining the event’s distinct identity to launching year-round programming to keep it more in the cultural present.
“I served on the founding executive committee for the Biennale’s inaugural edition. In the years since, it has grown into one of Korea’s most prominent art events, resonating far beyond our own borders,” he said at a press conference in Seoul, Monday. “Now, standing on the shoulders of that legacy, I’m stepping into this role to help shape the biennial’s next 30 years.”
At the heart of his vision is a renewed focus on the “Gwangju Spirit,” a foundational ethos rooted in the city’s history as the site of the May 18 democracy movement in 1980.
“Gwangju and the greater Honam region [including North and South Jeolla Provinces] are also steeped in artistic tradition, long regarded as Korea’s cultural heartland,” he noted. “By weaving together the city’s legacy as both a cradle of art and a bastion of democracy, we must focus on creating a biennial that only Gwangju can offer.”
Also on the agenda is the archiving of the event’s three-decade history.
“We plan to consolidate and digitize materials from the past 30 years and make them accessible online — and, if possible, through physical exhibitions as well,” Youn said.
For such archival and other permanent shows to take shape, however, a new, structurally sound venue is essential.
Gwangju City is moving forward with plans to build a three-story exhibition hall adjacent to the Biennale’s aging current facility, with a projected budget of 118 billion won ($85.3 million) and completion by 2030.
“We need to offer more than just the biennial itself, to give people a reason to visit Gwangju year-round,” he said. “Securing a permanent exhibition space is key to that vision.”
Achieving these goals will require addressing ongoing challenges in funding and staffing. To help tackle this, Youn proposed establishing a supporters’ association for the Biennale.
“We hope to bring together committed supporters, from opinion leaders to business figures, who can contribute to the event’s operations and help foster deeper, more active engagement.”
The 2026 edition of the Gwangju Biennale will be curated by Singaporean artist and filmmaker Ho Tzu Nyen.