Two major exhibitions are currently examining the architectural legacy of Korean modernist pioneers Kimm Jong-soung and Kim Chung-up, as South Korea's relentless cycle of redevelopment threatens to erase important examples of the country's modern architectural heritage. The timing is particularly poignant as one of Kimm's most significant works, the former Millennium Hilton Seoul, is currently being demolished despite its recognition as a key experiment in Korean modernism.
Redevelopment and reconstruction have become defining characteristics of urban life in South Korea, driven by rapid industrial growth and capitalist demands. This constant transformation has left little room for reflection on how Korea's modern architectural legacy should be preserved or remembered. While Kimm Jong-soung and Kim Chung-up are widely recognized as pioneering modern Korean architects alongside Kim Soo-guen, few people could provide specific examples of what these influential architects actually built. This gap reflects Korea's lack of a strong culture for archiving modern architectural heritage.
The former Millennium Hilton Seoul, originally known as the Hilton Hotel Seoul, now stands encased in white scaffolding as demolition proceeds along the northern slope of Namsan Park. Built in 1983, this hotel represented Kimm Jong-soung's first project as an independent architect when he was commissioned at age 42. Kimm later recalled that the building "achieved 90 percent of my goal and I felt great satisfaction." The structure featured a distinctive dark facade made of aluminum panels finished in a bronze tone, clearly reminiscent of the curtain wall design of New York's Seagram Building, created by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
Kimm's architectural approach was heavily influenced by his decade-long experience working at Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's architectural office. This modernist master's impact is evident throughout Kimm's work. "Architecture stands between art and engineering – and that's what makes it so difficult," Kimm explained in a May interview with The Korea Herald in Venice. The hotel's architectural significance was formally recognized when it won the gold award at the Seoul Metropolitan Government Architecture Award in 1985. The building served as a witness to key moments in Korea's history, particularly during the country's emergence onto the international stage.
"The Autobiography of Hilton Seoul," an exhibition dedicated to this landmark piece of architecture, is currently running at Piknic, located just a short distance from the demolition site itself. The exhibition comprehensively traces the building's evolution through early architectural drawings, Kimm's correspondence with Hilton International Corp., archival photographs, and interviews with key figures involved in the project. Curator Chung Dah-young of Curating Architecture Collective writes in the exhibition catalog that the showcase "raises questions about the meaning of what architecture leaves behind." She adds, "We also wanted to examine why the process of transforming contemporary architecture into a legacy is controversial."
When demolition began in earnest in May, Chung and Choi Woo-jung, head of planning at Piknic, took the initiative to collect materials and building debris from the site. "If we had not taken them out, they would have been discarded," Choi explained while walking through the salvaged green marble, travertine, oak, and bronze – all key materials that defined the hotel's distinctive character. Fortunately, when the city approved the redevelopment plan, it included a requirement that the building's defining feature, the Grand Atrium, be preserved and reinterpreted in some way within the new complex.
The exhibition goes beyond simple documentation by including works of art created from the building's debris and digital collaborations with various artists. One particularly poignant display features the Christmas charity train, which had long been an iconic annual event at the hotel. The miniature train set, complete with sponsor logos, now runs on Piknic's rooftop, with some of its elements having been retrieved from the hotel after it closed in December 2022. "The demolition process seems so fast – by the end of the exhibition early next year, the hotel will be gone," Choi observed.
The hotel's ownership history reflects broader economic changes in South Korea. Following the collapse of the Daewoo Group, the Hilton Hotel was sold in 1999 to Singapore-based CDL Hotels Korea and subsequently renamed the Millennium Hilton Seoul in 2004. The property changed hands again in 2021 after the pandemic, when it was sold to IGIS Asset Management. The site is now part of the IOTA Seoul I development project, which encompasses the Hilton Seoul and neighboring areas. This ambitious development will include a 34-story office building and two hotel blocks, with design led by British architecture firm Foster + Partners and US architecture firm SOM, while Hyundai Engineering and Construction handles the construction.
Meanwhile, a second exhibition titled "Conversation: Kim Chung-up-Le Corbusier" explores the relationship between these two major figures of modernist architecture, who first met in Venice in 1952. Kim Chung-up was deeply influenced by Le Corbusier, whose architecture is renowned for its rational structure, sculptural form, and humanistic approach to modernism. Kim's works demonstrate how he reinterpreted this influence through a distinctly Korean lens, blending bold geometries with organic curves to create a unique architectural language.
This exhibition is housed in what was originally built as a residential home designed by Kim Chung-up himself. Kim Jong-seok, CEO of Coom Partners, the Seoul-based architectural practice that recently purchased the building, has carefully preserved the space and now operates it as a multipurpose art venue to honor the late architect's memory. The exhibition is curated by architect Yoon Tae-hoon from Sathy, who recently completed the renovation of the space, and it traces the dialogue between the two architects through the eyes of two architecture photographers: Kim Yong-kwan, who focused on Kim Chung-up's works, and Manuel Bougot, who documented Le Corbusier's projects.
"Bougot documented Le Corbusier's works in India throughout his career, including the Chandigarh project, which Kim Chung-up also joined, assisting at Le Corbusier's office," Yoon explained. Alongside Bougot's historical images are contemporary photographs taken by Kim Yong-kwan this year, showing significant works by Kim Chung-up in Korea that feature sculptural forms influenced by Le Corbusier. The projects showcased in the exhibition include a former maternity hospital building in Euljiro, the French Embassy, Sun Plaza shopping center in Yeongdeungpo-gu (all in Seoul), as well as Pusan National University's College of Humanities in Busan, Gyeongnam Culture & Art Center in Jinju, and a Navy official building in Jinhae (both in South Gyeongsang Province).
Yoon noted that opening the newly renovated space with a photography exhibition on Kim Chung-up felt particularly appropriate given the urgent need to document these works. "For me, preserving Kim Chung-up's legacy has been a major concern. While a few works like the French Embassy remain well-maintained, many others are not, and quality images are scarce," the architect explained. "That's why I felt it was meaningful for photographer Kim Yong-kwan to document them anew, making the process itself part of the archive." The exhibition also features furniture by designer Bahk Jong-sun, who gained international attention for his pieces featured in the film "Parasite," displayed alongside the architectural photographs.
Both exhibitions represent crucial efforts to preserve and understand Korea's modern architectural heritage at a time when rapid development continues to threaten these important cultural artifacts. The former Kim Chung-up residence now serves multiple purposes, with a cafe and shop located in the sunken space that was added as the building's function changed over time. According to Coom Partners, the building's top floor will be dedicated to architecture seminars and meetings. The "Conversation: Kim Chung-up-Le Corbusier" exhibition will run through February 2026, providing an extended opportunity for visitors to engage with this important architectural dialogue and consider what should be preserved as Korea continues to transform its urban landscape.
