Private Cultural Enterprise in South Korea: Paju Book City and the Mimesis Museum

Marie Darrieussecq visited South Korea in October 2015 to launch the Korean edition of her novel All the Way. She explored Paju Book City, a town dedicated to publishing located near the 38th parallel north of Seoul. This cultural hub, initiated by the South Korean minister of culture in the early 2000s, houses around 250 companies and employs 10,000 people. Its architectural centerpiece is the Mimesis Museum, a private institution designed by Álvaro Siza with Castanheira & Bastai Arquitectos Associados and Jun Sung Kim. Commissioned by publisher Hong Ji-Woong of Open Books, the 3,663sqm building opened in 2009 and features undulating white walls, natural light, and works by artist Park Chan Yong. During Darrieussecq's visit, it hosted a solo exhibition by photographer Min Byung-Hun. The article notes that most contemporary art venues in South Korea are privately funded, citing examples like the Goeun Museum in Busan, which opened in 2007 and has shown photographers Ralph Gibson and Bernard Faucon. Public institutions such as ARKO (Arts Council Korea) and SFAC (Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture) have increased support for contemporary art over the past five years, with new public museums like the Chang Ucchin Museum of Art in Yangju and the Lee Ufan Museum in Daegu opening recently. The piece reflects on the balance between private and public cultural funding in a country where family-controlled conglomerates hold significant economic power.