The global rise of K-pop Demon Hunters has brought a fresh wave of attention to Korea’s cultural scene, extending beyond the entertainment industry and into the nation’s most revered institutions. At the center of this momentum is the National Museum of Korea, where visitors are increasingly drawn not only to the treasures of history but also to immersive, future-oriented spaces designed to reinterpret tradition for a new era.
Among the most talked-about destinations within the museum are the Donated Collection Gallery and the Immersive Digital Gallery two spaces conceived by Sangyoon Kim, founder of Seoul-based studio Listen Communication. His design approach bridges the language of Korean traditional crafts with a refined modern sensibility, creating environments that feel both deeply rooted and forward-looking.
The Donated Collection Gallery celebrates the act of giving, turning philanthropic gestures into spatial narratives. Through carefully crafted wood furniture, subtle lighting, and details inspired by historic craftsmanship, Kim presents a timeless atmosphere that honors donors while blending seamlessly into the museum’s cultural fabric. In contrast, the Immersive Digital Gallery reflects the museum’s embrace of innovation, where digital media and architecture converge to offer audiences an expanded experience of heritage. Here, Kim integrates contemporary design gestures with textures and forms derived from hanok architecture, hanji paper, and traditional woodworking, ensuring that even cutting-edge technology feels anchored in Korea’s material history.
What distinguishes Kim’s work is not simply the use of heritage motifs but the reinterpretation of Korean identity in a global context. His projects resist nostalgia, instead presenting craft as a living, evolving discipline. Furniture pieces and lighting fixtures, designed in collaboration with artisans, embody the harmony of wood, lacquer, and metal, offering a sophisticated narrative of Korean aesthetics. The result is an interior language that resonates with today’s international discourse on “quiet luxury” and cultural authenticity.
The surge of global curiosity sparked by K-pop Demon Hunters has underscored Korea’s cultural vitality. Within this landscape, Kim’s contribution at the National Museum of Korea demonstrates how architecture and design can extend that influence inviting the world to engage with Korea not only through music and film but also through spatial experiences that embody tradition in contemporary form. By presenting heritage as dynamic rather than static, Kim positions Korean design as a central voice in shaping the cultural imagination of the future.
