May 19, 2026 – October 25, 2026

The largest retrospective of Korean abstract pioneer Yoo Young-kuk (1916–2002) marks the 110th anniversary of his birth at Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA). Featuring over 130 works including previously unexhibited pieces, the exhibition traces his singular career at the intersection of Korean modernism and geometric abstraction. Free admission.

Korea’s Abstract Pioneer

Yoo Young-kuk (1916–2002) is considered the founding figure of Korean abstract painting — a position he built over a career spanning more than six decades, largely in deliberate isolation from commercial art markets. Born in the north of the Korean peninsula, he studied in Tokyo and became one of the rare Korean artists to absorb the international modernist movements of the 1930s firsthand before returning home to develop a singular visual language.

The Mountain as Subject

From the 1960s onward, the mountain became Yoo Young-kuk’s defining motif — but not as representation. His mountains are geometric abstractions: triangular forms, wedges of pure color, landscapes reduced to their essential weight and mass. The colors are saturated and bold, the compositions deceptively simple. The title A Mountain Within Me reflects the exhibition’s focus on interiority rather than landscape.

Why Now

This is the largest retrospective of his work ever assembled — over 130 paintings including works that have never been publicly exhibited. The 110th anniversary of his birth and growing international interest in Korean modernism make 2026 a significant moment for his legacy. The show inaugurates SeMA’s new Korean Modern Masters series.

Free Admission

Entry to the Yoo Young-kuk retrospective is free. Seoul Museum of Art’s Seosomun Branch is in Jung-gu, a 5-minute walk from City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2) or Seodaemun Station (Line 5). Closed Mondays. The exhibition runs through October 25 — no rush, but June and July are uncrowded.