Over the course of his life, Lee Kun-hee gave much thought to how his company could move beyond economic development to enhance the quality of life for people. Art was an important component of his efforts, and he viewed the collection and preservation of cultural heritage as one of the responsibilities he should undertake to help secure a brighter future for everyone. Ultimately, he saw it as a duty he owed to society.

He believed that building an art museum near the city center would enable more people to interact with art and cultural artifacts, while also enhancing cultural literacy.

His vision came to life with the opening of the Leeum Museum of Art in October 2004. Nestled at the foot of Seoul’s thriving Hannam-dong neighborhood, Leeum offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore a wide range of Korean masterpieces, from traditional, to modern, and contemporary artworks. The museum also houses iconic pieces of contemporary art collected internationally. Leeum is the embodiment of Lee Kun-hee’s ambition to create a gallery that is both quintessentially Korean and that meets the highest standards of an internationally acclaimed gallery.

The building, situated in the center of the city, was designed by three internationally renowned architects - Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel, and Rem Koolhaas - to blend seamlessly with the natural landscape of Namsan, and to harmoniously integrate their distinctive styles.

October 2004: Leeum opens to the world

Today, Leeum is an open cultural space that neatly juxtaposes art from Korea with masterpieces from around the world. It beautifully blends tradition and modernity, telling Korea’s unique history while also marking some of the world’s most important artistic trends. Since opening its doors to the world in 2004, it has played an important role in enriching the lives of the Korean people.