Issue Focus

Idols in Museums: Why K-Pop Is Betting on Slow, Immersive Storytelling

This article captures a pivotal shift in the K-pop industry—from fast, feed-driven promotion to
immersive,

museum-based storytelling—offering global buyers' insight into how Korean music IP is evolving into

long-form cultural experiences.

♦  K-Pop Enters the Museum Space

      • RIIZE’s “Silence: Inside the Fame” exhibition at Seoul’s Ilmin Museum of Art drew 14,000 visitors in 15 days,

          with fans lining up holding light sticks

      • It marked the first time this major contemporary art institution hosted a K-pop idol exhibition,

          signaling institutional acceptance beyond fandom culture

♦  Curated Art, Not Fan Service

      • The exhibition revealed no idol imagery on exterior banners, featuring portrait photography shot at

          a London estate and videos curated professionally

      • SM Entertainment framed it as “navigating inner growth to sense quiet waves,” aligning RIIZE’s

          emotional pop identity with contemporary art language

♦  A Growing Precedent in K-Pop History

      • From G-Dragon’s 2015 PEACEMINUSONE at Seoul Museum of Art to BTS’s 2020 CONNECT, BTS across five cities,

          idols evolved into patrons and curators

      • IU’s 2023 interactive media art show “Moment,” and RM’s upcoming 2026 SFMOMA exhibition all blur pop

          and visual art boundaries

♦  Why Museums Matter Now

      • In an era where content is rapidly consumed and volatilized through feeds, museums offer the only

          platform to fully convey music, visuals, and worldview

      • This allow multidimensional experiences that social media promotions and album sales alone cannot deliver,

          attracting new audience layers beyond traditional fans

Source

The Hankyoreh (2025.12.21)

https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/culture/music/1235708.html