An Austrian-Korean collaboration brings photographic art to life in Seoul. On May 29, 2025, the first official museum of photography in South Korea – the Photography Seoul Museum of Art (Photo SeMA) – opens in the Chang-dong district.
The project, designed by Mladen Jadrić (Vienna) and Yoon Geun Ju (Seoul), won first prize in an open international competition with 73 submissions. The museum merges East and West, past and future, art and architecture. Its sculptural aluminum façade reflects light and shifts depending on perspective, paying tribute to photography’s fleeting nature. Perforated surfaces reference Korean textile patterns and digital pixels.
The design is born from the synergy of experimental European creativity and deep local knowledge – creating an architecture that transcends borders.
“This museum is more than a building,” says Mladen Jadrić. “It is a shared vision, a structure that frames art and cultural dialogue alike.”
Opening: May 29, 2025
Area: 7,048.52 m²
Location: Chang-dong, Seoul, South Korea