Modern Architecture in Korea: Travels through Terra Incognita

The lecture explores modern architecture in Korea, framed as a journey through "Terra Incognita" due to rapid changes and conceptual gaps between Western architectural ideas and Korean practices. It highlights the absence of a traditional concept of the "architect" before the modern era, contrasting it with the Western Renaissance ideal. The discussion covers the impact of Japanese colonial rule, the Korean War, and subsequent development, which led to a narrow, technically-focused definition of architecture. Key examples include Kim Joong-up's French embassy, blending Le Corbusier's style with Korean roof traditions, and controversies surrounding attempts to define "Koreanness" in architecture during the dictatorial period. The lecture concludes by noting a shift towards openness and new challenges like climate change, requiring new approaches to understanding Korean architecture within a global context.