[Hipple Hot Item] "BTS V's Collected Artist's Work on Department Store Rooftop" Colorful Dogs and Deer for Healing

Exhibition of Artist Kim Woo-jin at Shinsegae Gangnam Rooftop Garden
Enjoy Famous Works While Strolling + Seoul's Only Hydrangea Field

"Look here, there’s even a deer!"

Last weekend, on the 11th floor of Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam Branch in Seocho-gu, Seoul, visitors couldn’t take their eyes off a colorful 5-meter balloon sculpture at the entrance of the rooftop garden 'S Garden,' adjacent to the specialty restaurant area. It is a work by artist Kim Woo-jin, famously collected by BTS member V. In the outdoor garden, besides the balloon sculpture 'gae (dog),' the artist’s representative stainless steel work 'saseum (deer)' and this year’s new pieces 'tokki (rabbit)' and 'sae (bird)' among 11 large sculptures were displayed throughout the space. Kim rose as a blue-chip in the 2020s contemporary art scene after setting records for the highest number of bids and highest winning bid among young artists at K Auction in February 2021. He is known for expressing love for animals using cold materials such as recycled plastic and stainless steel.

The outdoor garden was bustling with visitors who came for a stroll with a cup of coffee after dining, as well as those who came upon hearing about the exhibition. Visitors were busy taking 인증샷 (certification photos) with the artworks arranged diversely among the trees and over the water. Some who appreciated the installation art here headed to the 3rd floor after seeing the sign at the rooftop garden entrance stating that the exhibition is also viewable at the '3rd floor gallery.' A Shinsegae Department Store official said, "Since the beginning of this week, the number of customers visiting the 3rd floor in person or inquiring about purchases by phone has increased."

Since 2020, Shinsegae Department Store has utilized various spaces on the 3rd floor as galleries to transform into a complex space combining culture and art. This time, they expanded the scope of art appreciation to include outdoor resting areas. They considered that providing customers with diverse attractions and entertainment could also lead to artwork sales.

Earlier this month, inspired by the 'hydrangea hotspot tour' trend in Jeju, Shinsegae Department Store created S Garden as the only large-scale hydrangea field in Seoul. To achieve this, 25,000 hydrangea flowers were imported from Jeju to fill the outdoor garden. Visitors this month can see the hydrangeas in full bloom along with Kim’s artworks.

The exhibition runs until August 13 at Gangnam Branch’s S Garden. It is worth stopping by both to view Kim’s works, which BTS V also owns, and for a weekend outing. Taking 인증샷 (certification photos) in the hydrangea field, rare to find in the heart of Seoul, feels like visiting Jeju’s famous hydrangea spots. However, access to S Garden is restricted during bad weather, so it is advisable to check the opening status in advance to avoid a wasted trip.

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