Kim Jae-hong, director-general of the National Museum of Korea, speaks during a press conference at the museum in central Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
2025 marks a landmark moment for the National Museum of Korea (NMK), where history and celebration intersect. This year commemorates both the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule and the 20th anniversary of the museum's move to its current location in Yongsan, central Seoul.
Adding to the momentum, the NMK and its 13 regional museums collectively attracted 10.9 million visitors in 2024 — the most in its history.
“This record-breaking attendance also includes an all-time high of 350,000 international patrons,” Director-General Kim Jae-hong said during a press conference on Monday, before outlining the institution's 2025 agenda.
“Building on this quantitative growth, we aim to elevate the museum's quality through an array of exhibitions and projects, designed to align with historic anniversaries.”
A 16th-century hyeonja chongtong Gun / Courtesy of NMK
Headlining the NMK's celebration of Korea's independence are exhibitions spotlighting two national icons: Admiral Yi Sun-sin (1545-98) and Olympic medalist marathoner Sohn Kee-chung (1912-2002).
Yi remains an enduring symbol of Korean history, celebrated for his leadership in naval victories against invading Japanese forces during the Imjin War of 1592-98. Yet, rather than painting him as a mythologized war hero, the museum's November showcase is set to explore the admiral through a humanist lens.
The goal is to move beyond the traditional narrative of wartime valor, Kim explained. “We'll utilize well-known historical records like Yi's war journal, ‘Nanjung Ilgi,' alongside new archaeological findings from the past two decades to reveal the naval commander's human side — his deep yearning for peace. Additionally, by situating the Imjin War within the broader context of 16th-century East Asia, we hope to offer visitors a more nuanced understanding.”
Among some 100 featured artifacts are a cannon and the “Hizen Nagoya Castle Campaign Scroll,” which documents Japan's military campaign during the period.
A Greek bronze helmet awarded to marathoner Sohn Kee-chung for his gold medal victory at the 1936 Berlin Olympics / Courtesy of NMK
Artist An Gyeon's 15th-century painting "Eight Views of the Four Seasons" / Courtesy of NMK
In July, the museum will pay tribute to Sohn, the first Korean athlete to win an Olympic medal in 1936 — a historic feat made under the shadow of Japanese occupation.
The show's highlights include a Greek bronze helmet awarded to the marathoner for his gold medal victory and a collection of archival photographs capturing his journey.
Another standout in the NMK's 2025 lineup is a showcase dedicated to the art of the early period of the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty — a transformative chapter often eclipsed by the 918-1392 Goryeo Kingdom and the later Joseon era. Opening in June, this marks the first time a state-run institution will exclusively spotlight the creative achievements of the kingdom's formative centuries.
Through more than 300 ink paintings, sculptures and ceramics, it will illuminate how early Joseon art transitioned from Goryeo traditions, shaped under the guiding principles of neo-Confucian ideology.
Auguste Renoir's "Two Young Girls at the Piano" (1892), left, and Vincent van Gogh's "The Flowering Orchard" (1888) / Courtesy of NMK
Meanwhile, the NMK's collaboration with global partners promises a series of special exhibitions and the launch of a permanent gallery.
In November, a new hall dedicated to the cultural dynamism of Islamic civilization will open, debuting with a presentation of 96 objects from the Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar.
Among the museum's anticipated joint exhibitions are a blockbuster showcase of Impressionist masterpieces from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, slated for November, and Korea's first-ever survey of Pacific Indigenous cultures, opening in April in collaboration with the Quai Branly Museum in Paris.