On August 22, 2026, Paris will host a new edition of the "Artistic Bridge Seoul–Paris" project, designed to celebrate 140 years of diplomatic relations between France and Korea. This edition highlights a young, sensitive, and inventive Korean scene by bringing together fashion, music, and visual arts in a single movement.
At the heart of this project, AJAC plays an essential role. The association, which gathers young Korean artists based in France, was created to provide them with a space for exchange, support, and visibility. It supports their endeavors, organizes collective exhibitions, and helps raise awareness of the diversity of Korean creation among European audiences and institutions.
To better understand the stakes of this exhibition and how AJAC builds this dialogue between Paris and Seoul, I exchanged emails on August 15 with Sooyeon HEO, representative of the association. She reflects on AJAC's mission, the selection of artists, and the importance of presenting practices in Paris that blend tradition, memory, and modernity.
This August 22 edition is part of a dynamic of sincere collaboration, driven by artists who seek to tell the story of their era in a different way and build a lasting artistic bridge between the two countries.
1. Could you introduce AJAC and outline its main mission in promoting Korean artists in France and Europe?
Sooyeon HEO: “Founded to support contemporary creation, AJAC (Association of Young Korean Artists in France) is an organization that brings together and supports young Korean artists based in France.
Our main mission revolves around three core pillars:
Our main mission revolves around three core pillars:
- Offering a space for exchange and sharing to young creators facing the challenges of the French art scene.
- Promoting the richness and diversity of contemporary Korean art to the public, galleries, and institutions in France and Europe.
- Organizing collective exhibitions and cultural projects to give sustainable visibility to our members' work.
2. How did the idea for this August 22 exhibition come about, and what are its cultural and artistic goals?
Sooyeon HEO: “We had the privilege of being contacted directly by Professor An Joeeun, Director of 'Artistic Bridge Seoul–Paris'. This exhibition takes place as part of the celebration marking 140 years of diplomatic relations between France and Korea.
The objective is to present a multidisciplinary synergy in Paris combining fashion, music, and visual arts, embodying both the tradition and modernity of Seoul. Through collaboration between artists from both countries, this project aims to promote the cultural diversity and creativity of Seoul, while providing young artists with an international springboard and building a lasting cultural network between France and Korea.”
The objective is to present a multidisciplinary synergy in Paris combining fashion, music, and visual arts, embodying both the tradition and modernity of Seoul. Through collaboration between artists from both countries, this project aims to promote the cultural diversity and creativity of Seoul, while providing young artists with an international springboard and building a lasting cultural network between France and Korea.”
3. What criteria guided the selection of participating artists for this event?
Sooyeon HEO: “As this exhibition seeks to enter into dialogue with more traditional art forms, we selected three artist members of AJAC whose works together create a harmonious visual and conceptual balance.
We wished to build a complementary composition by bringing together artists who offer distinct approaches, both formally and thematically. Their works present a diversity of formal approaches, ranging from figuration to abstraction, and from two-dimensional canvas works to three-dimensional expressions. Thematically, they offer perspectives ranging from personal experiences and memory to inquiries into contemporary society.
Yonghyeon YANG presents works that explore, within a surreal atmosphere, the fleeting nature of life and relationships, as well as the traces left by memory. Sungyeon HONG approaches clothing not merely as a functional object, but as a visual medium in which memory, identity, and emotions accumulate. Jeonghun IN integrates into his work the process of accumulating personal experiences related to specific places and the traces left by time on the canvas surface.”
We wished to build a complementary composition by bringing together artists who offer distinct approaches, both formally and thematically. Their works present a diversity of formal approaches, ranging from figuration to abstraction, and from two-dimensional canvas works to three-dimensional expressions. Thematically, they offer perspectives ranging from personal experiences and memory to inquiries into contemporary society.
Yonghyeon YANG presents works that explore, within a surreal atmosphere, the fleeting nature of life and relationships, as well as the traces left by memory. Sungyeon HONG approaches clothing not merely as a functional object, but as a visual medium in which memory, identity, and emotions accumulate. Jeonghun IN integrates into his work the process of accumulating personal experiences related to specific places and the traces left by time on the canvas surface.”
4. In your view, what are the most representative elements of the artistic dialogue between France and Korea in this exhibition?
Sooyeon HEO: “This dialogue manifests primarily in the contemporary reinterpretation of tradition. Korean artists bring an aesthetic sensibility nourished by their heritage and the dynamic modernity of Seoul, while the Parisian context offers a receptive space where freedom of form and art criticism enrich the interpretation of the works.
It is a unique intersection where Korean conceptual rigor and visual poetry meet French artistic openness and tradition.”
It is a unique intersection where Korean conceptual rigor and visual poetry meet French artistic openness and tradition.”
5. How do you perceive the evolving visibility of Korean artists in Europe in recent years?
Sooyeon HEO: “Thanks to the global enthusiasm for Korean culture, European public interest has increased significantly, and we are very grateful for this. What is particularly gratifying is seeing that art lovers in Europe do not stop at superficial curiosity: they look at the contemporary Korean art scene with great finesse and real depth.”
6. What challenges does AJAC face today in organizing international events?
Sooyeon HEO: “While technological advancements now allow us to easily overcome distances and streamline our exchanges, rigorous and careful management of our resources remains essential as a non-profit association.”
7. What future projects is AJAC preparing to further strengthen artistic exchanges between the two countries?
Sooyeon HEO: “Starting September 1st, we are organizing AJAC's annual exhibition in partnership with SEE Galerie, an event officially labeled as part of the 140th anniversary of Franco-Korean relations. Although it is a recurring event, this edition takes on a very special dimension thanks to this official recognition.
Furthermore, since April, we have been collaborating for a year with the SYSTEM Flagship Store located in Le Marais through a four-part artistic collaboration program. Two exhibitions are still upcoming within this partnership: one during Art Basel Paris and another at the end of the year.”
Furthermore, since April, we have been collaborating for a year with the SYSTEM Flagship Store located in Le Marais through a four-part artistic collaboration program. Two exhibitions are still upcoming within this partnership: one during Art Basel Paris and another at the end of the year.”
8. What message would you like to convey to the audience discovering the exhibition on August 22?
Sooyeon HEO: “We already feel a wonderful curiosity and warm support from the public, and we thank you deeply for it. We sincerely hope that each visitor will take pleasure in discovering these artistic universes and experience this exhibition as a truly aesthetic and sensitive journey.”