The Universally Valid You – Sim Da-eun

Held from June 25, 2026, to April 11, 2027, at Lounge 2·3 in the unused-space area on the second floor of the Seoul Museum of Art Buk-Seoul Museum, 1238 Dongil-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, the exhibition is free to visit. I could not find confirmed information on whether advance reservations are required, so it is safest to check before departure by calling 02-2124-5248 or 02-2124-5249. Although the publicly available materials do not allow comparison with the previous edition, this presentation consists of three works: two made in 2026 and one made in 2025. Visiting hours are 10:00–20:00 Tuesday through Thursday, 10:00–21:00 on Friday, and 10:00–19:00 on weekends and public holidays.

Sim Idaeun’s Continuity Since 2023 and the Three-Work Presentation

The 2026 exhibition consists of three works categorized as sound, video, installation, and performance, by artist Sim Idaeun. Hosted by the Seoul Museum of Art, Sim Idaeun, born in 1995, has explored ecosystems and the environment in the “Universal Validity” series since 2023.

The central work of this exhibition, “Universal Validity: You,” is a real-time sound installation made in 2026, measuring 325 cm in diameter and 201 cm in height. It receives outdoor real-time field recordings and structural piezoelectric-sensor data as inputs and outputs them through eight-channel mono sound, so it is not a work that only plays a fixed audio source inside the exhibition space. The exhibition-linked workshop “Even If It May Have Already Disappeared from the World” took place on September 18, 2026.

Five Algorithms of Mr. Cat A Encountered in Lounges 2·3

In Lounge 3, the sounds from real-time audio-streaming devices installed around the Buk-Seoul Museum of Art are received through a structure. Mr. Cat A, mentioned in the 2026 exhibition guide, is an imaginary being; when the handle is turned, the friction sounds of gears and cotton fabric blend with real-time ambient sounds from the surrounding location.

The circular screen in Lounge 2 shows visitors’ movements overlaid with Mr. Cat A’s route. The work uses five algorithms that metaphorically represent a cat’s auditory system, and turning the handle lets visitors hear sounds broadcast in real time from various places in Nowon-gu.

The Structure of Three Works, Extending to the 62-Minute “Universal Validity: Forest”

“Universal Validity: Forest” is a single-channel mono-sound work made in 2025, with a running time of 62 minutes. It consists of a drawer structure measuring 79 cm in diameter and 115 cm in height, using natural objects collected in Nowon-gu in 2026.

Opening the drawers reveals materials that evoke Mr. Cat A’s travel route, such as the texture of soil, bird feathers, and small stones that once rolled along the water’s edge. Behind “Universal Validity: Forest,” a scene follows in which visitors’ routes are overlaid with the cat’s trajectory. “Field Tracker” is a single-channel real-time video installation made in 2026, measuring 120 cm in diameter and 19 cm in height; it visualizes sound data but produces no sound.

There is no docent for the 2026 exhibition. Accordingly, the main approach is to follow the connections between the works’ sound structures and screens directly, and the viewing experience may not be straightforward for travelers who prefer understanding works through docent explanations.

Friday Hours Until 21:00 and Monday Closure at the Seoul Museum of Art Buk-Seoul Museum

According to the 2026 guide, operating hours are 10:00–20:00 Tuesday through Thursday, 10:00–21:00 on Friday, and 10:00–19:00 on weekends and public holidays. Admission is available until one hour before closing, so visitors must enter by 20:00 on Fridays and by 18:00 on weekends and public holidays.

The museum is closed on Mondays and January 1, but it opens normally when a Monday is a public holiday. The confirmed guide does not provide information on public transportation routes, nearby stations and exits, travel time from the station to the exhibition venue, or parking locations and fees. Entering the address—Seoul Museum of Art Buk-Seoul Museum, 1238 Dongil-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul—into a map app is currently the most reliable wayfinding method, and travelers staying in Seoul can make a same-day visit focused solely on the exhibition.

Confirmed materials also lack information on parking, restrooms, luggage storage, wheelchair and stroller accessibility, operation during rain, and English-language guidance. The conditions may not suit travelers who require English explanations, prefer only static exhibitions, or need to finalize their late-night return route in advance. Before visiting, check accessibility and return-route details by calling the Seoul Museum of Art Buk-Seoul Museum main number, 02-2124-8800, or the information desk at 02-2124-5248 or 02-2124-5249.

• What sounds do you hear when you turn the handle? — The friction sounds of gears and cotton fabric blend with real-time ambient sounds from around Nowon-gu.
• What can you see on the circular screen? — In Lounge 2, you see scenes in which visitors’ movements overlap with Mr. Cat A’s route.
• How long is “Universal Validity: Forest”? — It is a single-channel mono-sound work made in 2025, with a running time of 62 minutes.
• Can I see the exhibition if Monday is a public holiday? — The museum opens normally when Monday is a public holiday, but it is closed on January 1.