What motivated you to pursue an MA at Sotheby’s Institute?

My journey began when I attended a Sotheby’s Contemporary Art auction on New Bond Street in 2010. I was captivated by the energy in the room—the excitement as the auctioneer and bidders competed for major contemporary artworks. While I was there, I picked up a leaflet and discovered that Sotheby’s Institute of Art offered short courses.

In the fall of 2010, I enrolled in Introduction to Contemporary Art. Although I had studied both Eastern and Western art history as part of my undergraduate degree, this course felt very different. It was closely connected to the art world and introduced me to the ideas and practices of artists today.

After completing the course, I knew I wanted to study contemporary art in more depth. Sotheby’s Institute offered exactly what I was looking for: a combination of rigorous academic study and direct exposure to the international art world.

Looking back, how did the MA in Contemporary Art program at Sotheby’s Institute equip you with the tools and knowledge to navigate the art world?

The MA in Contemporary Art gave me a solid foundation in post-war and contemporary art history while introducing me to the professional art world. Through gallery visits with my cohort, conversations with artists, curators, critics, and international study trips, I learned the importance of building meaningful relationships and understanding the many interconnected parts of the art ecosystem.

What were the most valuable skills you gained during the program, and how do you apply them in your career?

One of the most valuable skills I gained was learning how to conduct rigorous academic research and write a thesis. Developing object-based research methods and learning how to work with reliable primary and secondary sources have been invaluable in my research.

Can you describe your current role as Curator in Research and Publishing at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in Seoul?

I worked as a Curator in the Research Division at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), Korea, for five and a half years. During that time, I planned and edited six volumes of MMCA Studies, the museum’s annual academic journal, and organized many symposiums, forums, and seminars to foster critical discourse around contemporary art.

I also led the launch of MMCA Research Lab, the museum’s online platform featuring a chronology of Korean art since 1945. We brought together archival resources from the museum’s collection, along with images and data from other institutions, to create a comprehensive research resource.

Through the platform, we also developed a series of research projects titled Korean Art and Exhibition Histories, for which I contributed articles on the early editions of the Gwangju Biennale (1995–2002).

I currently work as a curator in the Learning Division, where I organize public lecture series on the history of contemporary Korean art. I recently completed the second season of MMCA Academy: Experiments, Reality and Hybridity of Korean Art, and I am currently preparing the third season, MMCA Academy: Globalism and Contemporary Korean Art.

I also organize a program called Art & Lunch, which explores the connections between artists and everyday life. The program aims to bring artists and the public together while introducing audiences to artistic ways of seeing, thinking, and expressing ideas.

How do your responsibilities at the museum reflect what you learned at Sotheby’s Institute?

My experience at Sotheby’s taught me not only art history but also the importance of engaging directly with the art world. Meeting artists, curators, critics, and other practitioners broadened my perspective, while studying critical theory encouraged me to approach contemporary art through a sociocultural lens.

That perspective became the foundation of my research and curatorial projects at the museum.

What emerging ideas, artists, or themes in contemporary art are most exciting to you right now?

I am particularly interested in the exhibition histories of Asia and how exhibitions have shaped artistic exchange across the region. It is an area I hope to continue researching in greater depth.

What advice would you give to someone in the early stages of their art world career?

Stay open-minded and take every opportunity to meet and learn from artists, curators, critics, and other practitioners. Equally important is curiosity about the world. My passion for art has always come from seeing it as a way to better understand society, culture, and the people around us.

What advice or tips would you give to Sotheby’s Institute applicants?

Build on your own strengths and embrace what makes your background unique. My background in fashion gave me a different perspective on visual culture before I transitioned into contemporary art, and I believe that interdisciplinary experience became one of my strengths.

Don’t feel that you need to fit a particular mold—your unique experiences can enrich both your studies and your contribution to the classroom.

Above all, genuine intellectual curiosity and a willingness to keep learning are what will take you far beyond the classroom.