Busan Museum of Modern Art and the Rise of Regional Cultural Hubs

In 2025, the Busan Museum of Modern Art (BuMoMA) launched a new triennial focusing on coastal and ecological themes, supported by expanded government and private funding. The initiative positioned Busan not only as Korea’s second city but as an emerging global cultural hub.

The triennial highlighted the role of regional museums in decentralizing cultural power from Seoul. It brought international artists to Korea’s southern coast, fostering exchange while grounding works in local ecological and community concerns.

This development demonstrated that Korea’s cultural future would not be confined to the capital. By investing in regional hubs like Busan, the country broadened its cultural footprint, creating a more balanced ecosystem and expanding opportunities for artists across geographies. For investors and policymakers, it also showed that cultural infrastructure can drive tourism and economic development far beyond Seoul.