Recommended art museums in Jeju Island

🏛 Jeju Museum of Contemporary Art

1. Overview

Located in West Jeju, the Jeju Museum of Contemporary Art is located in Jeoji Art Village, a traditional art village in Jeju City, Jeju. It was born out of the community cultural village regeneration plan and opened in 2007. The museum area is built on the mountain, including a two-story main hall, an affiliated exhibition hall and an outdoor sculpture park. The surrounding traditional Korean houses and contemporary buildings echo each other, creating an experience of "dialogue between tradition and modernity".

2. Architectural Aesthetics

The building uses bare cement walls with large floor-to-ceiling windows to blend light and shadow with the natural beauty of indoor and outdoor areas. The pool and sculptures in the museum create an exhibition venue like a quiet island. The moment you step into the exhibition hall, you will feel "wrapped in light", allowing art to not only stay in the works, but also blend into the impression of travel.

3. Permanent Exhibition & Key Artists

The permanent exhibition includes works by many Korean post-war artists, such as Park Kwang-jin, Kim Heungsou, and Jeon Sang-su, presenting the diversity of contemporary art to the audience through the perspective of masters. In addition, the core exhibitions each year revolve around the "Image of Jeju", such as the 2024 Biennale with the theme of "Drifting", exploring the movement of islands, the interweaving of cultures, and the intersection of nature and humanity.

4. Outdoor Art Park

The sculpture park outside the museum is like a dialogue space between artists and the environment. You can encounter many large outdoor installations on the trail, combining the beauty of the earth and the scale of space, which is suitable for strolling and taking pictures.

5. Practical information for the visit
• Address: 2114-63 Jeoji-ri, Hangyeong-myeon, Jeju-si
• Opening hours: Closed on Mondays, 09:00–18:00 Tuesday to Sunday
• Ticket price: About 1,000–2,000 won for adults (equivalent to about NT$30–60)
• Recommended stay time: About 60–90 minutes including the museum + outdoor park
• Transportation: It is recommended to rent or charter a car, and there is a public parking lot nearby; you can also combine the Jeoji Art Village and Bom Museum itinerary to visit

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💧 Kim Tschang-yeul Art Museum

1. Characters and museum background

"Water drop painter" Kim Tschang-yeul (Kim Tschang‑yeul (1929–2021) is a contemporary master artist from South Korea. His most representative work is the “Water Drop” series of paintings, which uses hyperrealistic techniques to present real water drops on the surface of different media. His philosophy implies that “everything returns to nothingness and is reborn in nature” .

Because of its development in France in the 1960s, it has been internationally recognized. It was designed by the Korean architectural firm ArchiPlan in 2016 and built in Jeju. The location is the Jeoji Painting Village where the artist once had memories.

2. Architectural Features and Space Design

The museum adopts a low-density single-story configuration. The exterior is composed of different blocks, just like the idea of “water droplets flowing”, echoing the theme of creation. The entrance walkway slopes down slightly and then turns up the slope, leading the audience into the courtyard and exhibition room, and the light and shadow flow directly into the heart.

The museum is divided into three exhibition rooms, equipped with an education space, a reference room and a gift shop. The central courtyard occasionally has water drop installation art, which is a must-take photo spot within 5 minutes.

3. Exhibit Features and Atmosphere

The collection includes 220 works donated by Kim Chang-ryul, which fully presents his creative evolution from the 1970s to recent years. Each permanent exhibition covers three stages: "Single Water Drop", "Networked Water Drop" and "Water Drop Flow". The technique integrates Trompe‑l’oeil (optical illusion) techniques to provide a nearly meditative viewing experience.

4. Visiting Information
• Address: Jeju‑si, Hallim‑eup, Yonggeum‑ro883‑5
• Opening hours: Closed on Mondays and Korean traditional holidays, Tuesday to Sunday 09:00–18:00 (last ticket sale at 17:30)
• Tickets: 1,000 won for Korean residents, 2,000 won for non-residents, discounts for students/specific objects
• Best time to visit: 30–45 minutes, suitable for rainy days, the water drops in the courtyard are particularly artistic

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⭐ Why are these two museums recommended?
1. Exhibition reinforcement: The Modern Art Museum is suitable for those who are interested in the panoramic view of contemporary Korea, while the Kim Chang Yeol Museum of Art provides a more pure art immersion experience.
2. Architectural experience: Both museums use excellent architectural design to create a sense of light and shadow, integrating natural elements with modernity.
3. Traffic-friendly: Near Jeoji Art Village and Bom Museum, collect Jeju cultural and artistic feelings in one stop.
4. High CP value experience: The ticket price is affordable, but it provides immersion, meditation and artistic resonance, which is a place not to be missed for quality travel.
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