Shinsegae Heritage Seoul 2026: Free Art & Dessert Salon

I read an article about how Shinsegae Department Store's Myeongdong Main Branch,

after its renovation last year,

created 'The Heritage' exhibition space,

and it won design awards

at the US Architizer Vision Awards and

the UK DFA (Design for Asia Award).

I immediately thought I had to check it out!

Since I was already headed to see the Louis Vuitton exhibition,

I figured it would be wonderful to stop by here too,

so I enjoyed a relaxed tour of the exhibition :)

The Heritage building, with its 5 floors,

was organized like this:

1st, 2nd Floor: Chanel Boutique

3rd Floor: Preparing for Opening

4th Floor: The Heritage Museum

5th Floor: House of Shinsegae Heritage

The 4th-floor Heritage Museum

recently hosted a special exhibition for the Year of the Red Horse,

but is currently getting ready for a brand new exhibition.

I made my way to the 5th floor

to see the current ILLUMINATING NARRATIVES

exhibition :)

House of Shinsegae Heritage

Exhibition Review

This exhibition, themed 'Light and Time',

showcased candlesticks and wall objects

by 9 domestic and international artists.​

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Participating Artists:

Kim Min-sun, Kim Ji-seo,

Shin Jae-hyeop, Lee Byeong-hoon, Lee Seung-hyun,

Ane Christensen,

Juliette Bigley,

Simone ten Hompel,

Zhong Sheng

Next to the exhibition hall, there's an outdoor courtyard,

which I loved for its natural light and open, airy feel.

And get this, it even had snow piled up! :)

Such a perfectly picturesque winter scene!

This exhibition was designed to delve into craftsmanship

through the works of 9 domestic and international artists in metalcraft and lacquerware,

all centered around the theme of 'Light and Time'.

There are also docent programs

led directly by the artists themselves.

You can register on-site or through the Shinsegae app,

so if you have the time,

it might be a wonderful experience to sign up :)

The House of Shinsegae Heritage

exhibition space felt calm and elegant.

It was all beautifully arranged.

To start, the exhibition kicked off with a fascinating narrative about the

diverse tools used by the artists.

They utilized tables, walls, and various objects, arranging the artworks to maximize the sense of space without being overly dense. It made for a truly pleasant experience, allowing me to leisurely take everything in.

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Here are the candlesticks and exquisite metalcraft pieces by artist Kim Min-sun and

artist Simone Ten Hompel.

These pieces were wonderful to appreciate, especially with the central courtyard as a backdrop! :)

Don't the window and the candlesticks complement each other beautifully?

First, there's artist Kim Ji-seo's work, which beautifully captures the flow of time using the traditional

*Hyeopjeojeolgi* technique of layering ramie fabric.

And then, artist Zhong Sheng's piece, a modern reinterpretation that adds intricate carvings and layers of lacquer atop the dazzling brilliance of turquoise.

My personal favorite was artist Ane Christensen's candlestick piece (the Ribbon Candlestick)!

I heard she uses metal wire and traditional techniques to create an effect where light beautifully permeates the artwork.

The exhibition space isn't overly large, and it's generally quiet, so you can leisurely explore everything in about 30 minutes.

I highly recommend stopping by for a relaxing visit if you're ever at the Shinsegae Department Store's main branch! :)

House of Shinsegae

Dessert Salon

Connected right next to the exhibition hall is the

House of Shinsegae Dessert Salon, so I couldn't resist taking a quick peek inside.

As expected, the prices are a bit on the higher side.

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Strawberry Chapssaltteok (7 pieces) ~$36

Winter-exclusive Strawberry Bingsu ~$57

Beyond that, they also offered luxurious *hangwa* sets (traditional Korean confections) for sale as gifts,

and they looked like they'd make fantastic holiday presents!

Samsekdanja ~$28

Gaeseong Umegi ~$20

Jatgyeongdan ~$26

And featuring *Jatgyeongdan*, *Ssukgaentteok*, *Geonsidanza*,

*Omija Baejeonggwa*, and *Maejakgwa*, the

Signature Tea Confection Set is ~$28

I was originally thinking about having a cup of tea here,

but maybe because I visited in the morning,

there wasn't a single person around yet 😅

It felt a bit too quiet and maybe a little awkward, so I just

decided to save it for another time and headed out.

Still, I really loved the immaculate and refined atmosphere!

Next time, if I'm buying some traditional Korean sweets as a gift,

or if I'm in the area with my mom,

I'll definitely think of this spot :)

Overall,

I really felt that it's wonderful to have a space like this emerge right in the heart of Myeongdong.

Both the exhibition space and the dessert salon

beautifully capture traditional Korean aesthetics,

making it a truly well-designed destination.

House of Shinsegae Heritage

Wellness Archive Score

Discovering Korean Aesthetics and Traditional Delights in the Heart of Myeongdong

Before the trip (Expectation): ★★★

During the trip (Experience): ★★★★

After the trip (Memory): ★★★★

*What is the Wellness Archive Index?