Hyundai Art Library

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A Spoonful of Vitamins to Bitter Medicine - Hyundai Card Art Library

Since launching the Design Library in 2013, followed by the Music and Cooking libraries, and last year, the Art Library, Hyundai Card has consistently captivated audiences with a new theme each time, sparking my curiosity.

Why is Hyundai Card obsessed with libraries?

Prescription for the Modern Person

A library, encapsulating analog activities, is leisurely. The process of searching for and reading a book you want cannot be sped up. Without shortcutting the process, there's no shortening of time, naturally leading to leisurely reading. In today's busy and harsh world, 'leisure' is desperately needed, and Hyundai Card has presented libraries as a prescription.

A Spoonful of Vitamins to the Prescription

Medicine is bitter, and healthy food tastes bad. Businesses need to generate profit, hence attracting customers is essential. Ordinary libraries couldn't achieve this. Hence, Hyundai Card added a touch of uniqueness. By planning different themes for each library, offering books and book curation based on professional curators that can only be read and experienced there, and the opportunity to peruse rare books book by book, they've attracted people with uniqueness along with leisure, resulting in a huge success. The opening of the Art Library last year also proves the business viability of Hyundai Card's libraries.

Why I Keep an Eye on Hyundai Card Libraries

At first glance, Hyundai Card Libraries may seem unrelated to architecture. However, Hyundai's affection for space says otherwise. Known for handling design well, Hyundai possesses a high understanding of architecture. It meticulously considers the appropriate concept and the location and regional characteristics every time it designs a space where a project will be housed. The buildings, closely connected to their locations, and the programs they house create synergy and pay attention to architectural detail, turning the space itself into a sight to see. They know too well the power of space.

Is it a coincidence that the Art Library is right next to the Music Library?

Hyundai Card didn't just choose Itaewon without reason. Yongsan has a geographical advantage of being easily accessible from the south of the river, while historically serving as a military hub. Its land was occupied by the Japanese military during the Japanese occupation and by the US military after liberation. As the US military was stationed, Itaewon started to house their leisure and entertainment facilities, becoming a district where foreign cultures could be first experienced. That's why Itaewon has become a multicultural gathering spot and has a significant distribution of art and cultural facilities including galleries.

So, the newly opened Art Library?

Like any space run by the modern company, the space's atmosphere and concept they want to show are well understood. It feels like stumbling upon a quaint bookstore in a European small town and unexpectedly finding a precious book.

The building's front is finished with glass, breaking down barriers between inside and outside, drawing people in. Inside, a spiral staircase and elevator anchor the space, focusing people's attention. The moment you swipe your card and go up, the ambiance changes 180 degrees. From modern to classical interiors, matching the Art Library that emphasizes Western art.

Music flowing from the LP shop climbs up the glass-fronted atrium, merging daily life with music within the dissolved boundaries, focusing on books and enjoying leisure.

Photos, Writing: Hyogeun Shin (@_hyogeun_)

The 2nd floor of the building is the Art Library, accessible only to Hyundai Card holders and DIVE app members.

#A_Space_That_Provides_A_Good_Experience

2nd Floor, 248 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Tue - Sat: 12:00 - 21:00
Sun: 12:00 - 18:00
Closed on Mondays