Seoul's weekend visual feast
From a K-pop idol's whimsical showroom to a rare Chagall retrospective and Korea's biggest secondhand furniture market, here's where to indulge your visual senses.
Inside the whimsical world of K-pop's creative visionary
What happens when K-pop's most eccentric artist opens a homeware shop?
Welcome to Say Touche, the brainchild of AKMU's Lee Chan-hyuk. The singer-songwriter who once shaved his head mid-performance on live TV has channeled his offbeat creative vision into a different medium. Last year, he teamed up with photographer Lim Jae-lin to launch this showroom tucked away in Itaewon's quiet streets, its green signage beckoning the curious.
Step inside and you're transported into what feels like an artist's actual home — if that artist possessed both refined taste and delightful whimsy. Each room displays living objects that toe the line between functional and fantastical. A retro TV doubles as an incense holder. Mathematical equations replace numbers on wall clocks. Whiskey bottles morph into table lamps. Even mirrors get the signature twist, framed to resemble FaceTime screens mid-call.
The showstopper? Those lush Persian-style rugs with delightfully twisted takes. One features psychedelic patterns that contort into heart-like shapes. Another bears muddy footprints across its pristine surface. It's classic elegance hijacked by playful irreverence — true to the spirit of its creators.
For those smitten by the quirky aesthetic, items are available for purchase both in-store and online, with worldwide shipping offered.
Open noon to 7 p.m., closed on Mondays.
Say Touche
53, Noksapyeong-daero 32-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Marc Chagall's dreamlike imagery in Seoul
The exhibition 'Marc Chagall: Beyond Time' at Hangaram Art Museum, located at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul, brings together 170 works by Marc Chagall through Sept. 21.
Chagall's major solo exhibition has returned to Seoul after seven years with works loaned from public and private collections around the world, according to the museum. His pieces combine features of surrealism, cubism and expressionism, earning the Russian-born French artist the nickname 'the magician of color.'
The works on view through seven thematic sections include an immersive space that reimagines Chagall's architectural projects through media art such as the ceiling painting of the Palais Garnier in Paris and the twelve stained glass windows of the Hadassah Medical Center in Israel. The artist's iconic paintings 'Le Coq Violet' and 'La mariee au-dessus de Paris' are part of the exhibition.
Hangaram Art Museum
2406 Nambusunhwan-ro, Seocho District, Seoul
Apartmentfull Market, a vintage treasure trove
For design lovers and furniture hunters alike, a trip to Apartmentfull Market is not just a shopping outing. It's a weekend experience worth the drive.
Located in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, this sprawling 1,000-pyeong (approximately 3,250-square-meter) space operates out of a massive two-story warehouse. But it's far more than a traditional furniture store. Apartmentfull Market functions as a dynamic hub where vintage and pre-owned furniture are not only displayed and sold, but also repaired and restored in real time.
The showroom holds over 1,500 pieces, ranging from high-end, rare vintage finds to more accessible and practical secondhand items. What sets this place apart is its curatorial approach. Furniture isn't grouped by type, but styled harmoniously to evoke a lived-in, design-forward atmosphere. Each item includes simple tags noting price and details, so visitors can browse comfortably without needing to ask for assistance.
A key feature of Apartmentfull Market is its open restoration studio, where visitors can witness furniture being cleaned, repaired and photographed. The venue also offers consignment services for those looking to pass on beloved items.
Because new pieces arrive daily, it's wise to check the online inventory beforehand. Reservations are required and can be made via Naver.
moonkihoon@heraldcorp.com
yunapark@heraldcorp.com
yoohong@heraldcorp.com
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