Koo Jeong A: Oussamos Exhibition 2026 at Leeum Museum of Art

Originally, I went to see the ancient art exhibition at Leeum Museum of Art (리움미술관).

Currently, Leeum is also holding a special exhibition called 《Koo Jeong A (구정아): OUSSSMOS (우스모스)》.

To be honest, I didn't really know artist Koo Jeong A or the OUSSSMOS exhibition when I went. LOL

While I was looking through the ancient art museum, admiring artifacts from the Unified Silla, Goryeo, and Joseon dynasties,

I kept seeing these incredibly out-of-place artworks, making me think, "Huh? Why is this here?"

It turns out these were all by artist Koo Jeong A.

This exhibition doesn't just gather works in one exhibition hall; instead, they're spread across the ancient art galleries and the lobby,

and in various other places, including outside the museum. It was a lot of fun discovering them one by one as I explored.

In this post, I'll focus on the works that personally stood out to me

and share my review of the Koo Jeong A OUSSSMOS exhibition, along with visiting hours and audio guide information.

What Does OUSSSMOS Mean?

At first, I thought the name itself was quite unique.

'OUSSS' is a word artist Koo Jeong A coined in her childhood.

By combining this with COSMOS (코스모스), meaning 'universe',

this exhibition's title, OUSSSMOS (우스모스), was created.

The word 'OUSSS' itself isn't strictly defined by a single meaning.

It's the artist's unique concept, connecting to various meanings like energy, matter, existence, and the potential for change.

Indeed, when you experience the exhibition, rather than being given the 'right answer' for each artwork's meaning,

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What could this be? Why is it here?

It constantly prompts you to observe and ponder.

Artwork Featuring 57 Pencil Leads Standing Up

Inside the exhibition hall, one of the first works that caught my eye was the one with pencil leads standing upright.

The title of the work is 《Untitled (무제)》(1998).

If you look closely, it's an artwork where 57 pencil leads are propped against the wall without any adhesive.

I found it impressive that such a thin and easily breakable material as pencil lead was used.

Apparently, the artist didn't simply use pencil leads to express 'fragility'.

On the contrary, even though they can break easily, through a powerful industrial system,

she reportedly also focused on the fact that they are continuously mass-produced consumer goods.

That's the official explanation, but

from here on, these are just my own thoughts while looking at it. haha

As the small lines gathered, they sometimes looked like a single surface,

and from the front, the vertices of what should be a four-cornered rectangle

appeared to have one more point, giving the feeling that space was slightly distorted.

Then I took another picture from the side,

and the spacing between the pencil leads appeared very dense at first, but seemed to widen towards the back.

I don't know if this was intentional, but the impression changed quite a bit depending on the viewing angle, so I ended up taking another look.

There was also an artwork with things like magnets attached all over it.

Artist Koo Jeong A reportedly uses invisible forces, like magnetism, as important elements in her work.

But honestly, before hearing the explanation, I didn't quite get it. LOL

So, there were some works I just glanced at and moved past.

When looking at contemporary art, trying to understand every single piece can be exhausting, so I just focused on the works that naturally caught my eye.

Large-Scale Installations Great for Photos

On the other hand, the large-scale works made the space itself interesting.

In front of famous paintings or smaller works, if you take a picture, you worry about disturbing others' viewing experience, right?

But here, the works themselves were so large that you could take pictures of the entire space from a distance.

As a result, the photos actually turned out great!

The exhibition space was also wide, so when you included both people and the artworks, the photos tended to turn out quite well.

《Mobius (모비우스)》, Which Was Actually a Möbius Strip

As soon as I saw this,

I thought, 'Is that a Möbius strip?'

That's exactly what came to mind.

And guess what? The actual name of the artwork is 《MOBIOUSSS》!

It's a brand new piece created for the 2026 Leeum Museum (리움미술관) exhibition,

a stunning stainless steel structure roughly 8 meters wide and weighing about 6 tons!

Up close, it might just look like a gigantic, twisted metal structure,

but from above, it beautifully reveals the shape of an infinity symbol (∞).

This artwork's appearance completely changes depending on whether you're seeing it up close or from above,

which made it incredibly fun to experience from both perspectives.

It was also captivating to see how the surrounding light and space reflected off the metallic surface, constantly shifting its ambiance depending on your viewing position.

What truly stayed with me was the crystal hidden among the stones.

Funnily enough, the piece that resonated with me most at this exhibition was actually a tiny, unassuming artwork.

It's an artwork featuring crystals cleverly hidden amidst stones.

The work is titled **《Reality Upgrade & End Alone》**.

Apparently, 50 crystals are cleverly tucked away within the gabion retaining walls just outside the museum.

The really cool thing about this piece is that it doesn't constantly sparkle;

instead, the light only becomes momentarily visible when conditions like your viewing position, the angle of the sunlight, and even the weather align perfectly.

So, you might just discover one,

or you might simply walk past without ever noticing it.

After hearing the explanation, I actually found this particular artwork to be the most intriguing.

It made me think, ‘Ah, this is the true way to experience this exhibition!’

and it really clicked.

Inside the ancient art museum, there are also hidden works by artist Koo Jeong A (구정아) using stones and crystals, making it fun to seek them out.

So, if you're planning to see 《OooOoO》, I definitely recommend listening to the **free audio guide** along with it.

While not every single artwork had an explanation,

for the ones that did, listening to them truly changed my perspective.

I realized, ‘Ah, this is what I should be observing!’

and my entire way of viewing the art shifted slightly.

You can rent the guide by leaving your ID when you purchase your tickets.

The exhibition continues on the 2nd floor!

Artist Koo Jeong A initially worked with small, everyday materials like pencil lead or sugar cubes,

and later expanded her artistic scope to incorporate intangible elements such as magnetism, gravity, light, scent, and sound.

How long does it take to see Koo Jeong A's OooOoO exhibition?

From my own experience, I found that you could get a good sense of the M2 exhibition hall itself in about 30 minutes.

However, the 《OooOoO》 artworks aren't confined just to M2; they're also thoughtfully placed in the ancient art exhibition hall, the lobby,

and even scattered across outdoor spaces. So, if you're planning to seek out each individual piece,

it's probably a good idea to set aside a bit more time.

What's more, the artworks are generally quite large, and the spacious layout makes it fantastic for taking photos.

If you're looking for a date spot in Hannam-dong (한남동) or somewhere to go indoors in Seoul (서울) on a rainy day,

it seems like an absolutely wonderful place to explore together.

That's why I strongly recommend experiencing it with the free audio guide, rather than just viewing it on its own.

《Koo Jeong A: OooOoO》 will be running until December 27, 2026 at the Leeum Museum.

Currently, the admission fee for adults (ages 25-64) is ₩18,000 (~$14), and a combined ticket is ₩25,000 (~$19).

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Exhibition schedules and admission fees are subject to change, so it's always a good idea to double-check on the Leeum Museum's official website before your visit.

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