The unique blend of traditional elements and modern innovation in South Korean architecture is gaining global acclaim as Seoul undergoes an architectural renaissance. This wave mirrors the broader cultural movement known as hallyu, showcasing Korea's ability to merge historical context and modern aesthetics, turning its urban landscapes into narratives of cultural pride.

The architectural evolution is driven by both historical influences and contemporary trends, incorporating elements such as Hanoks, the traditional Korean house. Architects like Tae Yo Yong and Min Seok Cho are pivotal, as they reinterpret these traditional forms with present-day technology, elevating Korean architecture onto the global stage.

Main takeaways from the video:

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Key Vocabularies and Common Phrases:

1. hallyu [ˈhal.juː] - (noun) - Refers to the Korean Wave, the increase in global popularity of South Korean culture. - Synonyms: (Korean Wave, South Korean cultural expansion)

From K pop acts blazing a trail into the hearts and charts of the Western world to history making wins on the international stage, the global phenomenon that is South Korean pop culture, or hallyu, shows no signs of letting up.

2. renaissance [ˌren.əˈsɑːns] - (noun) - A period of renewed interest or remarkable development in a field or activity. - Synonyms: (revival, renewal, resurgence)

The South Korean capital is in the midst of a renaissance, embracing architecture, showcasing the nation's skill in merging tradition with innovation.

3. narrative [ˈnær.ə.tɪv] - (noun) - A spoken or written account of connected events; a story. - Synonyms: (story, account, tale)

It starts with finding a narrative for the space. What's the memory of the site, and how can we add value to our project?

4. tradition [trəˈdɪʃ.ən] - (noun) - The transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation. - Synonyms: (custom, belief, heritage)

The South Korean capital is in the midst of a renaissance, embracing architecture, showcasing the nation's skill in merging tradition with innovation

5. simplicity [sɪmˈplɪs.ɪ.ti] - (noun) - The quality or condition of being easy to understand or do. - Synonyms: (plainness, clarity, unpretentiousness)

This design philosophy reveals why Korean architecture often embodies simplicity and fluid, streamlined forms

6. evolving [ɪˈvɒlvɪŋ] - (verb) - Developing gradually from a simple to a more complex form. - Synonyms: (developing, progressing, advancing)

Just as the Korean cultural wave taps diverse elements to forge a modern Korean identity, its contemporary architecture is constantly evolving, blending tradition with today's global trends.

7. harmony [ˈhɑː.mə.ni] - (noun) - A pleasing combination or arrangement of different things. - Synonyms: (accord, unity, balance)

Themes of harmony and sustainability remain central to the philosophy of Korean architects like those of Studio Gaon.

8. heritage [ˈhɛr.ɪ.tɪdʒ] - (noun) - Features belonging to the culture of a particular society, such as traditions, languages, etc., that were created in the past and still have historical importance. - Synonyms: (legacy, tradition, culture)

Architects in Seoul are reshaping Korea's urban landscape, fueled by the progressive tastes of the nation's youth, the global ascent of the Korean cultural wave, and a renewed appreciation for the country's rich heritage

9. sustainability [səˌsteɪnəˈbɪlɪti] - (noun) - The ability to maintain or improve standards without causing harm to future generations. - Synonyms: (maintenance, endurance, recyclability)

Themes of harmony and sustainability remain central to the philosophy of Korean architects like those of Studio Gaon.

10. coexistence [ˌkoʊɪɡˈzɪstəns] - (noun) - Existing together peacefully at the same time or in the same place. - Synonyms: (contemporaneity, symbiosis, concurrence)

Right. So it's really about harmonious coexistence with nature in a way.

Why Korea's Architecture May Be Its Next Big Thing - Momentum

From K pop acts blazing a trail into the hearts and charts of the Western world to history making wins on the international stage, the global phenomenon that is South Korean pop culture, or hallyu, shows no signs of letting up. In just 25 years, hallyu has drawn over 200 million pop culture fans. And global spending on Korean cultural products is set to nearly double to 143 billion doll by 2030. To top it off, Seoul was recently crowned best city of 2024 by designers and creatives around the globe. This worldwide interest in South Korean culture has expanded to include its buildings and cityscapes and the architects behind them. The South Korean capital is in the midst of a renaissance, embracing architecture, showcasing the nation's skill in merging tradition with innovation. It's a powerful reminder that in Kore, every building tells a story, one of cultural pride and vibrant creativity. I'm Haslinda Amin and this is Momentum.

The story of South Korea's architectural renaissance is written in the streets of Seoul. Just as the Korean cultural wave tabs diverse elements to forge a modern Korean identity, its contemporary architecture is constantly evolving, blending tradition with today's global trends to transform the country's built environment. In the past, South Korea's architectural identity was heavily influenced by Confucian values and the oppressive legacy of Japanese colonial rule. Post Liberation and post Korean war. In the 1950s, South Korea's economy boomed. As South Korea emerged from its position as one of the poorest countries in the world and personal wealth began to flourish, the nation embarked on a journey to redefine what it truly means to be Korean. If the beating heart of Korean is housed in its people and their arts, then the depth of its soul resides in its architecture.

Architects in Seoul are reshaping Korea's urban landscape, fueled by the progressive tastes of the nation's youth, the global ascent of the Korean cultural wave, and a renewed appreciation for the country's rich heritage. I'm here with Tae Yo Yong, founder of Tae oh Yeong Studio, a design studio that embraces traditional and temporary elements. Tae oh, talk to us about how you translate tradition into the present. It starts with finding a narrative for the space. What's the memory of the site, and how can we add value to our project? For instance, the space for Blue Bottle Coffee. We really wanted to do research on the early 1900s traditional housings. What were they like when electricity was introduced, when water plumbing was introduced and glass was introduced? So those were the factors that we wanted to highlight and also create a sense of home, where you would find a beautiful courtyard at the end of the alleyway.

Tae Yoo how can design, how can architecture signal Koreanness? There is a term called the memory of the site. Especially when you're creating space or architecture, you really need to understand the history that's being kept within the site. tradition is not just a thing of a past, but a concept of a resource, something that you can really utilize, something that could speak to us in a very valuable way and teach us a lesson. It's been a long question from the past who we are, how do we want to live, and how do we want to die. To Taeoh, contemporary Korean architecture is building on the past in a mindful way to shape the future we inhabit.

Just like the Hanoks, which are traditional Korean houses, and how they seamlessly integrate the environmental influences into that design. When you see Korean traditional housings, you see how we live with nature and how do we find wisdom within that? So we have a courtyard and we use certain materials such as stone, wood and sand. And I think everything just resonates with. With how do we want to live? There is an old saying in Korea that says it means simple but not humble and beautiful but not extravagant. It's really about finding balance in things. And this old saying was actually the guideline for building royal palaces. So it has a tremendous impact on Korean architecture to find that fine line of finding where you live and coexist with others and with nature.

This design philosophy reveals why Korean architecture often embodies simplicity and fluid, streamlined forms. But how does that translate to in real life, in architecture? When you take a look at some of the Korean buildings, it's glossy, sleek on the outside, and if you look closer, you see Hanok principles. What does that actually mean? Being simple means erasing the decorativeness and looking at the essence and the pure things in life. That's why we use very natural based materials and come up with very simple gestures of architectural languages. A sense of history and the principles of naturalism pervades even the materials Tae oh Yeong chooses. I think even just a simple wood has so much narrative to share. For instance, a persimmon tree, it was sort of like a symbol of a beautiful Korean scenery. And a lot of people actually used persimmon to sweeten and they will cut the tree and they will create beautiful furnitures with beautiful patterns in it. So just one material can tell so much of a story.

I think it lives within our DNA. How we utilize lighting of bouncing the natural light into our spaces. How do we utilize and how do we change the concept of the Middle courtyard into a building. What makes contemporary Korean architecture truly exciting is its return to basics, but with a modern twist. I think we're really trying to discover what new luxury is. We've been exposed to technology sometimes too much in our days with cell phones and everything. So nowadays Korean people are more looking back in different ways, such as how can we go slower? Korean architects like Tae oh Yeong are redefining what modern architecture is by embracing a multidisciplinary approach.

Tae oh, you've gone beyond designing spaces. You're into medicine, cosmetics, even perfumes. Why is that? The mission of exploring Korean tradition and local value hasn't changed, but I needed more different subjects that I could explore. For instance, furniture. I could explore more on materials and crafts and techniques. And with cosmetic, I could talk about Korean traditional medicine and what are the herbs that were grown in the past days. For teo Young, using 21st century technology like ChatGPT and 3D printing is a way to breathe new life into design traditions. Do you like it? Yes. Also, I have been collecting earthenwares that dates back to 3, 2, 5 centuries, and I have 3D scanned most of them and 3D printing them and using them as diffusers, mirrors, and vase and then really giving them new life.

And I think that's so much fun and really make me think that I'm not just putting them in a glass box, but really making sure that these old objects and old aesthetic could still inspire us and still talk with us in the 21st century. From large scale public projects to ambitious commercial and retail spaces, Korean architects are renegotiating what it means to be Korean. These important conversations about Korean identity also extend to the design of everyday living spaces and how people experience their homes. One of the drivers for this conversation is Studio Gwen, which was voted the best architecture studio in Korea by Architizer for the last two years. You say architecture is a story of people's lives, a dream of the land. What do you mean by that?

For Studio Gaon, architecture is a careful art of balancing the history of the land and the needs of modern living. From the 14th century, when Hanoks were first constructed, to 2024, themes of harmony and sustainability remain central to the philosophy of Korean architects like those of Studio Gaon. With Korea's creative sectors generating $12.4 billion in export revenue in 2021, it's no surprise that the global spotlight is now shining on the other aspects of hallyu, like Korean architecture. In creating spaces that align with the modern Korean lifestyle, the architects emphasize the need to adapt rather than adopt traditions.

Korean architects are making their mark beyond Seoul. Among them, Min Seok Cho, who was commissioned to Design Serpentine Pavilion 2024. The Serpentine Pavilion is an annual attraction in London which showcases international architects who push the boundaries of contemporary architecture. Min Seok, give us a sense of how you translate Korean architecture for the rest of the world. That's a big question. Maybe because we're next to it. You're looking at one example here. We call this Madang. In fact, Serpentine Pavilion also has this central open space called Madan.

It kind of reflects light back and we kept it almost empty so that so many different things can happen, weddings or birthday parties. But also Madang in general terms is where we can be ourselves, where we belong. It's quite challenging when you say what is Koreanness? Because it's hard to sort of a pinpoint and give you a, let's say, grand narrative. A lot of it is kind of coming from the. Also what came with before, which is a natural condition, topographies and complexities, and also how to create the dialogue with nature or other man made structures and so on.

How is your architecture? How is your design Korean? When I look at this space, you know, it looks Korean to me. It looks like a hanok. We have a compound right here. Amazing. You got it right. In a way you can say it's a vertical translation of Korean hanok. So this is a madang. Yes, because this is where the collective things happen. And this often we use it as a lecture hall. We do it our own project meetings and there actually we invite people here also every year it turned into a discotheque almost.

We live like a monk for the whole year and then except one day we turn into this gloriously drunken, delirious freefall. Everything anyway. Yeah, but why is it important for you to have this kind of space, a Korean space space as part of your practice? I think it just comes out of architecture as a reflection of, as I said, a culture. And I mean, that's how we want to use and occupy and I guess you could call it a social practice. If architecture is a reflection of the society it comes from. I wondered what aspects of Korean history has had an impact on Min Seok Cho, who was born and raised in Seoul, but began his architectural career overseas.

Min Seok, we're talking about Korean architecture. What is Koreanness? That's a very important and very difficult question because there's so much complexity that comes with that was charged with the recent history. I think it's really hard to pinpoint one thing. If you can't pinpoint one thing, what characteristics are there? This is the question that I'm asked the most. But it's always impossible to. Because it could be dangerous to be a bit reductive. What comes out is so diverse.

I think it's really the reflection of long history, that common history, and also how we went through tremendous social change, political change, and also economic change. Of course, the whole thing. Indeed, Korea's economic miracle and the accompanying social upheaval may have been the catalyst for Korean architects to develop a new language that revives traditions within a fresh landscape. Architecture comes from material culture, which has to do with the natural ecology and all sorts of other material and so on. And then there's a whole social condition that we have to address, which has to do with the history.

But then there's a whole new influence coming. So it's always evolving in a way. So tradition, the Koreanness is not something that is fixed. I would often quote Alvaro Sizza, great master's quotation. He said something like tradition is only useful when it has an element of change. I think that's how the human culture, civilization has evolved in a way. Look at the Olympics that built so many great buildings throughout history, and now they're repurposing into fencing field. Or that it's so beautiful. Korea's natural landscape has also significantly influenced how architects create cutting edge designs that harmonize with the environment. What would be the exciting thing that we can offer?

I think so, is one of the very rare metropolis that started from very mountainous terrain. I think a lot of this European idea about the city was flat ground. And then somehow you're the God and you create this geometric pattern. Whether it's greed or radial patterns, it's almost human playing the God in a way. But then Seoul, when it started with this last kingdom, which is Joseon dynasty, 630 years old, it was actually very much about feng shui. Feng shu, we call it. Right. So it's really about harmonious coexistence with nature in a way.

You were chosen to design the serpentine pavilion for 2024. What did that mean to you? It was a means to bring togetherness. It's small and intimate enough to bring people together in almost like a magnet, because you have birthday parties or weddings, and there's a sort of collective festive moment. Yet also when nothing happens, it's big enough to have people do their own things, you know, in different rooms. So I think that's a very Good model for the society. If our profession is about sort of problem solving architecture, it's about understanding people, how we got here, what to do with it. Who are these people? What do they need? How can we improve it?

In a globalized world, staying true to your roots speaks volumes. The rich cultural traditions that inspire modern Korean architecture have helped Korean architects gain global attention and accolades. Korean architecture is very much tactile experience. With building, we have this thing called ondo, right? Heated floor, so when we sleep, we literally hug the floor. I'm bringing Korean references and now, you know, Madang, you know all that. But it's a very common thing and I think it's quite universal. So, I mean, I see one of my contractors, he said, oh, this space, what we call auditorium, he said, oh, it looks like a medieval banquet in uk. I was like, I have no idea, but I'm in.

You know, unique thing about Seoul is that if you're a foreigner, you come to Seoul, you have no idea what to expect. Did you have any expectations of what to see? Your bucket list. What is the Empire State Building of Seoul? I think that's one of the strengths that we have. It's almost like a Korean meal. There's not like this strong grand narrative of some fine dining course that you have is a city and you can pick and choose. What makes contemporary Korean architecture so revolutionary and exciting? The answer lies in the country's confidence in its cultural identity and the bold reinterpretation of its traditions and urban heritage by visionary architects.

South Korea was ranked the world's sixth most culturally influential nation according to the 2021 Good Country Index. Whether you're in Asia or America, chances are you would know BTS or blackpink and Korean architecture is about to be the next big export. Is all part of a growing renaissance that will propel the country into a global cultural powerhouse and boost its economy. In South Korea, whoever reimagines wins.

South Korean Culture, Architecture, Innovation, Global, Inspiration, Korean Identity, Bloomberg Originals