A Heartwarming Date with My Son at Culture Station Seoul 284 & ASIAP 2025
It had been a while since I last visited a worthwhile place in Seoul with my son.
It's been quite some time since the old Seoul Station building was transformed into Culture Station Seoul 284, and I finally got to enjoy a cozy date with my son there.
Currently, the ASIAP 2025 exhibition, a highly recommended Seoul exhibition, is taking place here.
This place, which once held the excitement and farewells of countless people, no longer sees trains coming and going, but it still attracts many visitors.
The red brick and classic arched windows encapsulate 100 years of Korean modern history.
1. Culture Station Seoul 284
Address: 1, Tongil-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
Operating Hours: Daily 10:00~19:00 / Closed every Monday
Last Admission: 18:00
※ Civil Livelihood Recovery Consumption Coupon can be used
The old Seoul Station, a major stage for Korean modern history and a gateway for transportation and exchange, has been restored to its original form.
In 2011, it was reborn as a complex cultural space.
Inside, you can still feel the energy of the old station, while modern exhibitions, performances, and various cultural events breathe new life into the space.
As I approached Culture Station Seoul 284, a recommended indoor place to visit in Seoul, a banner announcing the ASIAP 2025 exhibition was fluttering in the wind.
I had visited ASIAP exhibitions several times when my children were young, but this was my first time in recent years, so I was excited to see what works I would encounter.
Moreover, the thought of seeing my son's work filled my heart with emotion and even made me a little nervous.
2. ASIAP 2025
Exhibition Period: Aug 12, 2025 ~ Sep 7, 2025
Admission Fee: Adults 10,000 won / Children & Teenagers 6,000 won
Ticket Reservation Sites: NOL Ticket / Naver / Kakao (Access through KakaoTalk app)
Tickets can also be purchased on-site.
The ASIAP 2025 exhibition is divided into two parts and will be held twice in total. Part 1, which opened this time, runs until August 24th, and Part 2 runs from August 26th to September 7th.
From this year, the works of young artists are being exhibited in eight sections curated by Lee Wan, the creative director.
3. Exhibition Works on the 1st Floor
Each section is systematically grouped according to the style of work, such as Departure and Arrival, Place and Non-Place, Migration and Settlement.
The overall work consists mainly of flat paintings, and the three-dimensional works in between were also attractively presented.
My son, who is attending art school, applied for the ASIAP competition this time and was selected to exhibit in Part 1.
He has loved drawing since he was a child and is now dreaming of becoming an artist, so this is his first exhibition.
Until now, he has only sent work images from school, so I only knew the general type of paintings he was creating.
This opportunity allowed me to hear about the content of his work, which was both amazing and admirable.
His work, "One More Drink!", depicts the situation in which people living in the present age neglect their duties or commit corruption.
It portrays the reality of condoning this even while knowing it.
The ironic situation of drinking in a space that appears to be a hospital, and the bound alter egos of two people lying in bed, express the reality of becoming increasingly addicted without realizing it.
His work, "I Went to the Moon", questions how far away our current work is from the hopeful childhood dreams we all once had.
His childhood dream of going to space has become a sad reality where he realizes that it is impossible, to the point where he has to pose in a movie set.
The flag with the smiley face shows our remaining innocence in a corner of our hearts.
ASIAP 2025, a recommended Seoul exhibition, features about 550 artists from 9 Asian countries.
With about 1,200 works on display, you can enjoy a variety of works at a glance.
All works are available for purchase, and the 100,000 won (approximately $75 USD) or less collection is particularly eye-catching.
The artist's style is melted into the small works, and they are more affordable than other large works, making them quite popular.
With about 1,200 works on display and emerging and veteran artists gathered together, it's a great place to discover your painting preferences.
You can also think about what kind of work is similar to your preferred painting style and what it contains.
I also carefully observe the work as if looking for hidden pictures, wondering if something else is hidden within the work.
The works that people lingered over for a long time were realistic or visually appealing.
I felt that it was understandable because, unlike photos, when you stand in front of an actual painting, you can't help but wonder how they drew it.
Because it was the opening day of ASIAP 2025, a great indoor place to visit in Seoul, there were more people than I expected, and people of all ages came to see it.
The three-dimensional works and sculptures in between were quite attractive.
The pretty and cute cups and bowls were enough to stimulate my desire to own them.
ASIAP 2025, a great place to visit in Seoul, started in 2008 and is now in its 18th year.
As Asia's largest art fair for young artists, it provides exhibition and sales opportunities regardless of the artist's experience.
It also provides a venue for general visitors interested in art to own innovative works at reasonable prices.
The first event at this indoor place to visit in Seoul was the Art Small Happiness 100,000 won Collection, where anyone could easily purchase art.
4. Exhibition Works on the 2nd Floor
The second event was (Introducing My Work) a docent tour by the artist themselves.
It is a program where participating artists directly introduce their work to visitors.
I really liked the time for artists and visitors to communicate.
There were more innovative works than I expected, so it took a lot of time to look around the exhibition halls on the 1st and 2nd floors.
There were works I wanted to own, and of course, there were works that I couldn't open my heart to.
The exhibition consisted of 399 young artists, 100 hidden artists, and 70 Haehwa artists (9 countries), with a total of 1,200 works.
It was Culture Station Seoul 284, a great place to visit in Seoul where you could see paintings, media, crafts, sculptures, and design works.
I don't know how enjoyable and happy it was to go back and forth between the 1st and 2nd floors and view 1,200 works.
I was also so proud that my son's work was in it.
I feel like my son, who had so many dreams and things he wanted to do, is now thinking about the future and organizing things one by one.
I don't know if he will be able to fulfill his dream of becoming an artist, but I hope he lives a fun and happy life doing what he wants to do.
This concludes my introduction to Culture Station Seoul 284, a recommended indoor place to visit in Seoul, and the ASIAP 2025 Seoul Exhibition.
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