The Korea Heritage Service announced Tuesday that it will hold a modern architectural heritage special exhibition, "My Heritage: Lived, Living, To Live," at Hall 1 of Busan's BEXCO from July 20 to 29, in conjunction with the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee.
The exhibition presents architectural heritage that has passed through the turbulent periods of Korea's modern and contemporary history—including the Aug. 15 Liberation, the Korean War, industrialization, and democratization—along with the forms of life accumulated within it, using various display techniques such as models, videos, drawings, and photographs. The exhibition is organized into a total of five sections, comprising four spaces arranged according to visitor flow and a display of award-winning works from the "2026 Modern Architecture Revitalization Competition."
The first section examines the historicity of space and life under the theme of the Somak Village in Uam-dong, Busan. It explores the forms of life and architectural characteristics that changed over time—from a space that housed cattle plundered during the Japanese colonial period, to a settlement for refugees after the Korean War, and to a residential area for workers during the industrialization era. In particular, visitors can experience the exhibition in a more three-dimensional way through the reconstructed main framework of a cattle shed, architectural models, and interviews with residents. The second section, under the theme of the Yeonghae Marketplace Street Modern History and Culture Space in Yeongdeok, offers a view of Yeonghae Eupseong (fortress), the history of spontaneous modernization, and the March 18 Independence Movement, while exploring the traces of life and heritage value remaining in modern buildings such as the Yeonghae bus terminal and a brewery.
The third section, under the theme of the hillside in Hannam-dong, Seoul, introduces the complex alleys and houses of varying styles formed under the influence of diverse cultures—including refugees, disabled veterans, and migrants—through processes such as architectural field surveys. Also on display are the unique landscapes and memories in which exotic cultures such as churches and mosques blend with Korean life. The fourth section, under the theme of the area around Sewoon Sangga in Seoul, offers a view of the traces of urban manufacturing formed atop old roads and alleys that have continued since the Joseon Dynasty. It analyzes the function and form of the narrow alleys that made production and distribution possible within the city center, and also examines the life and architecture of distinctive shops.
The final, fifth section features a display of award-winning works from the 2026 Modern Architecture Revitalization Competition. This architectural heritage design competition was held for university and graduate students nationwide, with the design themes being the "Yeonghae Marketplace Street Modern History and Culture Space in Yeongdeok" and the "Pier 1 of Busan Port." Through the exhibition of outstanding competition works, visitors can see the creative ideas of the younger generation regarding the preservation and utilization of cultural heritage.
A "Special Exhibition Commentary Program" will also be run, in which visitors can tour while listening to explanations from Cho Jung-gu, CEO of Guga Urban Architecture, who was appointed last month by the Korea Heritage Service as an ambassador for modern architectural heritage and serves as the general director of this exhibition, and Kim Jong-heon, a professor at Pai Chai University. The exhibition commentary is divided into weekdays (July 20 and 21) and weekends (July 25 and 26).
The exhibition is free for anyone who visits between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. during the exhibition period.
In addition, on the 24th, the "2026 Modern Architecture Revitalization Competition Awards Ceremony" and an "International Academic Conference for Rediscovering the Value of East Asian Modern Architectural Heritage and Establishing an International Cooperation System" will be held at Hall 2 of BEXCO to seek ways to preserve and utilize modern architectural heritage.
