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.
After 6.5 mil. visitors, what's next for National Museum of Korea?
Visitors gather around the Gyeongcheonsa Temple Pagoda on the first floor of the National Museum of Korea in central Seoul, Dec. 9, 2025. Newsis
By Park Han-sol
Biting cold and strong winds did little to deter the crowds streaming into the National Museum of Korea (NMK) in Yongsan District, central Seoul on Jan. 7. Families with children on winter break mingled with senior couples, while clusters of teenagers arrived in groups of three or four.
Wherever this reporter went, including the museum shops, the atmosphere was dense with people. “How is it this crowded on a weekday?” one visitor exclaimed, scanning the packed hall in disbelief.
The scene was not a one-off moment, but the continuation of a trend that took shape last year. Indeed, 2025 proved a banner year for the NMK, the country’s largest state-run museum. For the first time since its opening in 1945, it welcomed over 6.5 million visitors last year — an all-time high and nearly double the number recorded the previous year.
Observers note that popular culture has helped fuel this unprecedented rise. The viral success of “KPop Demon Hunters,” which wove traditional Korean art and folklore into its visual universe, coincided with a broader shift, particularly among younger generations, toward seeing Korean heritage not as something dusty or antiquated, but as stylish, even hip.
Yet experts emphasize that the surge did not materialize overnight. Rather, it was built on years of quieter, internal changes at the museum.
New approaches to presenting the permanent collection, such as the “Room of Quiet Contemplation” — a darkened chamber displaying just two gilt-bronze pensive Bodhisattva statues — have struck a chord with visitors, as have immersive digital installations. High-profile exhibitions like those featuring works from the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s collection also helped draw audiences, said Yang Ji-yeon, a professor of curatorial studies and art management at Dongduk Women’s University.
Two gilt-bronze pensive Bodhisattva statues from the sixth and seventh centuries are displayed within the National Museum of Korea's "Room of Quiet Contemplation." Yonhap
“COVID-19 was another major turning point,” said Choi Seon-ju, a professor of museology at Chung-Ang University. “When people could no longer visit in person, the museum put enormous effort into figuring out how its holdings and programs could still reach audiences online.”
The former director of the Gyeongju National Museum pointed to another factor that has reshaped the institution’s appeal: museum merchandise. Branded as MU:DS, the products inspired by motifs from Korea’s cultural heritage and folklore steadily built an online following over the years among younger consumers, long before the current boom. In 2025, sales reached a record-breaking 40 billion won ($27.2 million).
The surge also reflects a shift on the visitors’ side. Korean audiences today bring a higher level of cultural literacy and a stronger appetite for art than in the past.
“Many people in their 30s and 40s have experiences studying or living abroad,” said Kim Soo-jin, an art historian and research professor at Sungkyunkwan University. “They’ve been to places like the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the British Museum. And some are only now realizing they never really took the time to explore what we have in our home turf.”
Visitors browse souvenirs at the National Museum of Korea's gift shop, Dec. 30, 2025. Yonhap
What’s next?
If the recent surge in visitors is to become more than a fleeting moment, what tasks lie ahead for the museum?
Experts stress that sustained growth will depend on coordinated efforts across multiple fronts, from collection management and exhibition planning to deeper integration with the city’s tourism infrastructure.
At the most fundamental level, in addition to focusing on acquiring key artifacts, the museum needs to strengthen its ability to care for the collections it already holds. Of the roughly 440,000 objects in its care, around 80,000 currently require conservation treatment. Yet the number of trained conservators remains limited.
Equally pressing is the challenge of storytelling: how to reanimate the same permanent holdings in ways that feel resonant and meaningful to contemporary audiences.
With an annual acquisition budget capped at 4 billion won, the NMK cannot rely on constantly replenishing galleries with new objects.
“The real question isn’t how to acquire more, but how to show the same works differently — how to interpret them in ways that connect to our current worldview,” Kim said.
Choi echoed the need for a long-term approach. “Even with 6.5 million visitors, there are still many people in Korea who have never visited the museum at all,” he said. “Right now, a large share of visitors are repeat visitors. The important task lies in reaching those who’ve never come.”
When it comes to special exhibitions, he added, the NMK must strike a careful balance as the nation’s flagship museum. Beyond hosting popular blockbuster shows that have already proven successful overseas, it should also invest in exhibitions of strong scholarly value — projects that speak to national identity, even if they have traditionally drawn smaller crowds. The goal is to raise the profile of these academically rigorous shows so that they, too, attract wider audiences.
Visitors line up at the entrance to the National Museum of Korea, Dec. 12, 2025. Newsis
International audiences
Another priority is international visitors, who currently number about 231,000, or roughly 3.5 percent of total annual attendance. Strengthening the museum’s identity and visibility among tourists and students will be key to expanding that share.
“When people come to Korea, the NMK should establish itself as a must-visit gateway to the country’s history and culture,” Yang said. “Ideally, it can also signal that there are specific artifacts here they simply cannot miss — like the 'Mona Lisa' at the Louvre or the 'Jadeite Cabbage' at Taipei’s National Palace Museum.”
From a cultural tourism perspective, the NMK should also be better woven into Seoul’s typical visitor routes. Unlike the National Palace Museum or the National Folk Museum, both located near the already-popular Gyeongbok Palace, the museum sits somewhat isolated in Yongsan District and requires a deliberate trip, making it less accessible to visitors who are not already inclined to seek out museums.
“Making transportation information clearer and making it easier for tourists to get from places like Myeong-dong or Gyeongbok Palace to Yongsan is essential,” Choi said. “We should be thinking about how visitors who come to the palace in hanbok (Korean traditional clothing) might naturally continue on to Yongsan.”
Looking ahead, Yang envisioned a broader cultural cluster. “With the NMK, the National Hangeul Museum and the planned Yongsan National Park, this area could grow into a destination where people spend a good half-day.”
She also emphasized the importance of deeper international exchange.
“Through substantial collaborative exhibitions with major museums overseas, the NMK needs to further raise its visibility and standing abroad,” Yang said. “After all, people who visit major museums elsewhere are also the ones most likely to seek out museums when they come to Korea.”