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Complex cultural space combining
culture and art, gourmet food and shopping

Seoul is the best city for those seeking cultural and artistic experiences.
Small and large art museums comprise every part of the city, holding exhibitions on various subjects. Performing arts centers with a long history such as the Seoul Arts Center and the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts are always open to citizens. From Daehangno where audiences can indulge in various stage productions of many theater troupes to busking performances of the Hongik University area, people can meet with culture and arts anywhere and at any time.

Recently, spaces where people can enjoy cultural and artistic experiences all in one place have gained popularity. Complex cultural spaces are places where people can find art exhibitions, music or book concerts, restaurants and cafes, shops offering unique props, bookstores, and various other programs and facilities. Here we introduce some attractive complex cultural spaces of various styles in Seoul.

# Oil Tank Culture Park

Since the Oil Crisis of 1973, oil tanks were installed at the foot of Mabongsan Mountain, Mapo-gu, to store around 70 million liters of oil. Designated as a top security facility, the identity of the tanks remained unknown even to the locals. On the occasion of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, following the recommendation that dangerous facilities should not be near a stadium, the decision was made to relocate the tanks, and the five oil tanks thus completed their mission.

The tanks, however, spent about 10 years there, abandoned and forgotten, until they were recently transformed into complex cultural spaces. This is how the Oil Tank Culture Park was born. Through the whole recycling of the tanks, cultural spaces for various purposes were created. Each tank was given their own roles, similar yet different. They stand side by side in the park: T1 Pavilion which is used as a multipurpose communication space with its front side replaced with glass, the T2 Performance Hall equipped with outdoor and indoor stages, the T3 Exhibition Hall that preserves the original shape of the tank where visitors can listen to its history, and the T4 Complex Cultural Space where light permeates through the exterior walls of the tank to create a subtle mood.

The T5 Storytelling Hall introduces how the tanks turned into today's Oil Tank Culture Park. The T6 Community Center is a newly constructed building using materials collected from T1 and T2. Accommodating a variety of community activities, the center also operates a small library and a cafeteria. Many cultural and artistic events including flea markets add allure to these spaces. There is also a guided tour program that provides commentary on the Oil Tank Culture Park every day, so those interested can participate in the tour by making a reservation.

# PIKNIC

PIKNIC, a new complex cultural space in Seoul, has been a most talked-about venue since its opening in May 2018. With its spatial design focused on tempered beauty and a sense of coziness, it has caught the eyes of people. Its location in an area slightly away from the city center has also become its own appealing factor. Remodeled in an old building, the space retains its retro mood while minimalism elements found in many places provide it with its own unique identity.

The space of PIKNIC is used for exhibitions on various subjects. They offer unique cultural experiences and each of them has attracted much attention from the viewers. Novelists also visit the place. The program called "The Novel Theater" allows them to read their works of fiction to the audience and communicate with them. The living item select shop “KioskKiosk” also holds relevant workshops occasionally.

Visitors can take a rest sitting in a cafe with an impressive chandelier. As the cafe turns into a place giving a totally different impression, to feel both the daytime and nighttime moods of the cafe is another way to enjoy PIKNIC. For those who want to have a sensuous meal in a calm place, it is recommended that they make a reservation at Zero Complex where chef Lee Chung-Hu's uniquely original dishes await them.

# Seongsu Yeonbang

The Seongsu-dong area where old factories gathered has recently been turning into a hot place of Seoul. Seongsu Yeonbang is located in the area, as a new landmark of the old neighborhood. It was remodeled from buildings used as a chemical factory in the 1970s into a complex cultural space. Consisting of two three-story buildings, the space accommodates a cafe and a restaurant, a brewery-pub, a lifestyle shop and a bookstore.

Seongsu Yeonbang aims to be a cultural and social platform where production, consumption and distribution take place all in one space. JAFA Brewery is equipped with beer brewing equipment for beer and serves fresh craft beer to its customers. Johncook Deli Meats operates an experiential zone called Farm Fresh Factory where people can buy sausages and other processed meat products or taste dishes made with these ingredients at a restaurant. ARC N BOOK is a bookstore operated in collaboration with the trendy fashion item brand RAWROW. Thingool Store, a lifestyle select shop established by Thingool Market, one of the largest flea markets in Korea, is the most popular spot among visitors.

# Haenghwatang

A public bathhouse in Ahyeon-dong that has served as a meeting place for local residents for over 40 years since its opening in 1967 has been transformed into a complex cultural space. Haenghwatang, with the motto of "Bathing with art," aims to be a cultural and artistic space reaching out to local residents with its friendly image, operating various cultural and artistic programs. The place also holds a variety of art exhibitions and performances on an irregular basis. Most of them are characterized by their experimental approaches.

Visitors can have a good time here even when there are no exhibitions or performances. At “Haenghwa Seoga,” people can read or buy books and appreciate art works on the walls as one of the many modes of amusement here. The café run by Haenghwatang serves beverages with a truly unique concept. "Half-Bath Latte," a coffee drink with a human-shaped whipped cream ice, boasts a witty name. A wide variety of items, such as baskets, bathroom chairs, bathing beds, and scrubbers, which are likely to be seen in public bathrooms, play the roles of interior items here. A cup of coffee relished here will be as refreshing as a cool beverage after a hot bath.

# Platform L

It is an arts center that actively supports the creative experiments of artists. Its exhibition space consisting of a gallery, a live hall, and a courtyard introduces various works of art to visitors. While maintaining its original focus on art exhibitions, the space seeks to encompass different art genres, holding performances in open spaces including the courtyard and concerts and video screenings in the live hall.

Platform L also operates various cultural programs. Its lecture room serves as a space for talk programs with experts in different fields, lectures, and other experiential programs. The greatest merit of Platform L lies in its continuous operation of a variety of experiential programs such as poetry writing, learning about coffee and wine, and making different kinds of small items. There is a shop where visitors can purchase authentic art works or goods created with the motifs of art works, along with a cafe where they can take a break during the tour.