1% Difference... Meeting Shinsegae Department Store's Kim Hwan-ki and Cha Gyu-seon

Department Store Turned Art Museum
17 Shinsegae Gangnam Art Walls Installed
Over 120 Works Including Paintings, Photos, and Objects
Curators Provide Artwork Explanations Upon Request
Free Photography Allowed

On the afternoon of the 27th, customers are gathered around the art walls installed throughout the Overseas Fashion Specialty Hall on the 3rd floor of Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam Branch.

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] # Mr. Jae-min Han (pseudonym), a customer in his 40s who recently developed a hobby in art investment. Last weekend on the 23rd, he stopped by Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam branch to browse clothes and discovered a work by an emerging artist that caught his eye. While carefully examining other paintings, sculptures, and objects hanging on the art walls, he called the number listed next to the artwork. Upon mentioning the artwork number, a curator from Shinsegae Gallery waiting at the permanent desk on the same floor approached him. The bold brushstrokes and bright colors seemed perfect for home interior decoration. He was also recommended other works by the same artist.

On the afternoon of the 27th around 2 PM, dozens of customers were enjoying shopping on the 3rd floor 'International Designer' section of Shinsegae Gangnam branch. Around the newly renovated luxury foreign fashion brand stores, 17 art walls were installed. A total of over 120 art pieces, including paintings, photographs, and objects, were displayed on the art walls to welcome visitors. The highest-priced piece for sale was 'Hwawon' by artist Cha Gyu-seon, priced at 40 million KRW. Among the Shinsegae Gallery collection, there is also a large-scale painting by a famous artist estimated to be worth over 10 billion KRW. The ratio of non-sale items (Shinsegae-owned) to saleable works is 1 to 9. Works by emerging artists specially supported by Shinsegae Gallery were also exhibited.

The artworks hung on the art walls add elegance to the space. Centered on paintings, various objects from ceramic crafts to diverse art pieces were arranged in new combinations to inspire fresh creativity. One of the main lounges featured several mid-20th century photographs of Paris, France, captured by Elliott Erwitt, decorating a red wall. Considering harmony with surrounding fashion items, there was no sense of incongruity. VIP customers using the lounge could enjoy both relaxation and art appreciation in a comfortable and elegant atmosphere. Soo-bin Lee, chief curator of the Shinsegae Gallery art museum team, said, "Although the exhibition started last Friday and there hasn’t been a big response from customers yet, we have received several sales inquiries and view this positively," adding, "We are concurrently conducting internal construction to expand the current 3,470 square meter (approximately 1,050 pyeong) art walls further by the second half of this year."

A curator from Shinsegae Gallery is explaining the rare mineral specimens of the 'DwiHol' brand that provide artistic inspiration.

Ms. Mi-young Yoon (pseudonym), a customer in her 30s living nearby, stopped for about five minutes in front of 'Echo,' a blue-toned work by the Korean art master Kim Whanki. Kim Whanki set the highest record in Korean art auction history with his work 'Universe,' which sold for 13.2 billion KRW. Ms. Yoon said, "I never thought I could encounter such high-quality artworks in a department store." A young couple in their 20s, university students, took V-sign photos in front of a deer sculpture adorned with thousands of crystals for Instagram. Chief curator Soo-bin Lee explained, "The artworks have completed copyright agreements with the artists, so customers are free to appreciate them or take photos together."

The decision to introduce artworks while extensively renovating the overseas fashion specialty hall was based on experiences accumulated at the main store, Centum City branch, Gwangju Shinsegae, and Daeju Shinsegae. In 2005, after renovating the main building of Shinsegae Department Store, paintings and photographic works were displayed on key floors and major stores within the building. At that time, it was a hot topic just that masterpieces and mid-career artists’ works were hung in the open spaces of the department store. In 2011, the 'Sacred Heart' sculpture by Jeff Koons, a representative American contemporary artist of the 21st century, was installed in the Trinity Garden of the Shinsegae main store.

The background for relocating a gallery into the department store included the judgment that content to capture core customers leading trends was necessary. In addition to existing clothing stores, the 'Boondeshop Stage,' introducing brands not yet introduced in Korea, was also launched. A Shinsegae Department Store official said, "With private brands (PB) flooding the market, there is a desperate need for differentiated content," adding, "As Yeongdeungpo Shinsegae Times Square strengthens its street fashion section, various department stores are continuing attempts to upscale through fusion with art, such as installing circular art spaces centered on young artists."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.