Baek Jong-hwan, chief executive of WGNB and general director of the special exhibition, said at a press briefing on the 16th, "We designed it so that visitors can experience Joseon aesthetics firsthand in the space of a Joseon king." He added, "Since it is a space rarely open to the public, it will be a special occasion."
The exhibition, titled "Joseon Spatial Aesthetics: The Order of White," runs from Oct. 7 to 11. Huijeongdang served as the living and working quarters of kings during the Joseon dynasty and the Korean Empire, and is notable for its distinctive architecture blending traditional and modern elements. The exhibition interprets white not as a mere color but as an order of emptiness, restraint and harmony, drawing on the grain of the hall's surviving wooden structure, its spatial axes, proportion, balance and negative space.
Some 32 participants, including contemporary artists and holders of intangible cultural heritage traditions, will present about 50 works. Across roughly 10 rooms inside Huijeongdang and its central courtyard, the venue will be filled with Joseon-era ceramics such as moon jars, along with restored crafts recreating objects likely used at the time, including furniture, gat (traditional hats), bamboo blinds and a restored chandelier. "The aim is to revive the Joseon aesthetics our ancestors firmly preserved even as Western modern culture poured in from the late 19th to the early 20th century," Baek said.
Because Huijeongdang is a restricted area, however, visits require reservations. Admission is capped at 100 people per hour, or roughly 700 to 800 people a day. "Because Huijeongdang is such a precious space, this will be an exhibition worth taking on as a challenge for the artists as well," Baek said.
Baek has deep ties to cultural heritage work. He previously handled the spatial design of the Baekje Incense Burner Hall at the Buyeo National Museum and the Portrait of a Beauty room at the Daegu Kansong Art Museum. The "2026 Autumn Royal Culture Festival" will unfold at major palaces including Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung and Changgyeonggung, as well as around Jongmyo Shrine.
