Youn Bummo has been appointed president of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation, returning to the organization he helped launch in 1995. He previously served as director of South Korea's Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) from 2019 until his resignation in 2023, which was widely attributed to political pressure. The 16th edition of the Biennale in 2025 will be curated by Singaporean film artist Ho Tzu Nyen.
Youn's appointment comes at a pivotal moment as the Biennale seeks to define a distinctly 'Gwangju' identity after three decades of global alignment. Founded to commemorate Korea's 1980 pro-democracy uprising, the Biennale remains deeply tied to themes of democracy, human rights, and remembrance. Youn aims to balance critical discourse for arts professionals with community engagement, while building on the legacy of minjung misul (People's Art) to shape the next 30 years.