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June in Seoul brings just the right warmth and sunlight. When walking alone, the breeze is never too dry and the sun feels gently warm, making it the perfect moment to set off freely without any need to rush. I began my day on the east side of Gyeongbokgung Palace and slowly made my way between four museums, walking, transferring, pausing to reflect, and letting history and art quietly fill the day with a soft sense of comfort.

■ A Morning by Gyeongbokgung: Stepping into the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

My first stop in the early morning was the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul (MMCA Seoul), located beside Gyeongbokgung Palace. The pale gray building sits quietly just beyond the old fortress wall. On one side, you see the traditional hanok rooftops of Bukchon, and on the other, an open lawn and a transparent glass structure. This is where modernity and tradition touch, the very crossroads where they meet.

Inside, the museum’s permanent exhibition titled “The Essence of Korean Contemporary Art” presents the evolution of Korean art from the postwar period to the present. Rather than laying out the works chronologically like a textbook, the exhibition connects them by theme; from abstraction to figuration, from personal experience to social issues. Each piece feels like a fragment of time, recording how the artist perceived and responded to the world. I walked slowly, not trying to force understanding, but instead paused here and there, letting each work leave its impression on me.

In another gallery, I encountered the solo exhibition of Ron Mueck. His enormous, silent sculptures of the human body were so lifelike that I hesitated to approach them. A young woman leaning against a wall. An elderly woman deep in thought on a white bed. A naked man sitting alone in a boat. They were so quiet that the entire space felt as if it were holding its breath. Standing in front of them, I found myself breathing more slowly, as if I had become one of them.

By the time I stepped outside, the sunlight was beautiful. Light poured down through the transparent skylight and spread across the floor. I sat on a bench in the courtyard, watching people come and go. The occasional breeze carried the scent of greenery mixed with the calm warmth of the city. This had been the perfect place to start off a day spent visiting museums.

 30, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sun 10:00–18:00 / Wed, Sat 10:00–21:00
 Subway Line 3, Anguk Station, Exit 1, about 759m (approx. 14-minute walk)

■ Seoul Museum of Craft Art: The Subtle Warmth of Tradition Hidden in Detail

A short walk down towards south along the road in Samcheong-dong brings you to the Seoul Museum of Craft Art. Built on the grounds of a former royal compound, the museum preserves the original palace layout while blending it with the refined aesthetics of modern architecture. Brick walls, wooden lattice windows, and an open courtyard come together in quiet harmony between nature and space.

The exhibits focus on traditional Korean crafts such as hanji(Korean paper), lacquerware, woodwork, and textiles. The number of pieces is not large, but they are rich in detail. Many are displayed up close, allowing you to clearly see the stitches, seams, and even hammer marks. I encountered a special exhibition themed “Light”. A drum-shaped installation made me stop in my tracks. It looked like a lantern suspended in the air or a drum that had yet to be struck. The delicate base, made of intricate patterns and flowing curves, resembled both a cloud and a boulder. A soft glow radiated from the entire work, quiet yet substantial.

The exhibition space is not large and can be seen in about an hour, but your steps will likely remain unhurried. There are no designated photo zones, yet the absence of distraction makes you observe more closely. It is the perfect place to visit alone, to walk slowly and look closely.

 17, Yunboseon-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday 10:00 to 18:00 / Friday 10:00 to 21:00 / Closed every Monday
 Subway Line 3, Anguk Station, Exit 1, about 137 meters (approximately a 3-minute walk)

■ Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art: Where Avant-Garde Art Meets Architectural Beauty

In the afternoon, I headed to Hannam-dong. As I walked uphill, the museum’s iconic circular building appeared between the trees, like a secret entrance quietly revealing itself. Leeum is made up of three distinct buildings, each designed by a world-renowned architect, and each with its own unique style. Mario Botta’s red-brick geometric structure feels grounded and solid. Jean Nouvel’s sleek black glass building is sharp and restrained. Rem Koolhaas’s spiral staircase feels like an architectural experiment in itself.

M1 houses traditional Korean artworks. Celadon pieces, Buddha statues, and metal crafts are displayed in a muted palette with a restrained layout, perfect for slow, mindful viewing. M2 shifts the tone entirely, offering modern and contemporary works with faster rhythms and more intense colors.

At the time of my visit, a special exhibition titled Thresholds by Pierre Huyghe was on display. The dark, semi-open space was filled with plants, video, sound, and AI systems. It felt slightly disorienting and uncertain as if some unseen entity was quietly observing me while I was observing the exhibit. It’s not an exhibition that would appeal to everyone, but precisely for that reason, it felt just right to be viewing it alone.

What I loved most was the famous colored skylight. Sunlight filtered through the stained glass, spilling over the staircase and walls. The colors shifted with the angle and time of day. While many people were busy taking photos, I simply stood still and watched the changing lights. I wasn’t thinking of anything in particular. I just felt a quiet, comforting stillness in the way the light entered and moved through the space.

 60-16, Itaewon-ro 55-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
 Tuesday to Sunday 10:00–18:00 / Closed every Monday / Also closed on January 1, Lunar New Year Day, and Chuseok Day
 Subway Line 6, Hangangjin Station, Exit 1, about 400m (approx. 7-minute walk)

■ National Museum of Korea: A Korean Epic Spanning a Thousand Years

The final stop of my city walk was the National Museum of Korea, the last destination of this quiet journey. Along the Hangang River, Korea’s largest national museum stands with quiet presence. Inside, an immense collection is laid out with care, spanning from the prehistoric era to the modern age. In this place, history seems to be absorbed into the space itself, tucked gently between the details of each artifact.

In one of the galleries, I found myself once again standing before the Gilt-bronze Maitreya in Meditation, a national treasure. The statue sat quietly, head bowed, as if listening to something unheard or waiting for someone unseen. No matter how many visitors passed by and returned again, it remained still, like a watchful gaze fixed upon the city.

By the time I stepped outside, the sky had begun to soften. Golden and orange light settled over the grass, and far in the distance, N Seoul Tower appeared, rising into the glow of the sunset. It felt like a quiet full stop at the end of a long, thoughtful day.

 137, Seobinggo-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday 10:00 to 18:00 / Wednesday and Saturday 10:00 to 21:00/ Closed on April 7 and November 39, 2025
 Subway Line 4 or Gyeongui–Jungang Line, Ichon Station, Exit 2, approximately 309 meters (about a 7-minute walk)

I did not spend the day checking off landmarks or rushing from one place to another. I simply walked alone, slowly, between museums. Although Seoul is a city that moves quickly, within these kinds of spaces, even time itself seems to slow down so that you can approach history and art quietly.