Art Center Nabi, Korea's first media art institution, will reopen in a new location in Jongno District, central Seoul, on June 12 after being forced to leave its longtime home at the SK Group headquarters due to a legal dispute. The reopening will feature a solo exhibition by kinetic sculpture artist Han Jin-su titled "A Pregnant Pause," running through August 1. The center was founded by Roh Soh-yeong, former wife of SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, and had occupied the SK headquarters for over two decades before a court ruled in 2024 that it must vacate and pay approximately 1.045 billion won in back rent.
The move marks a significant fresh start for the institution, which now operates in an independent building functioning entirely as a museum space. This separation from SK Group allows Art Center Nabi to redefine itself as a future cultural arts platform exploring the intersection of technology, nature, art, and urban environments. The legal battle, stemming from the high-profile divorce between Roh and Chey, underscores the complex entanglements between corporate power and cultural institutions in South Korea, and the center's rebirth signals a new chapter for pioneering media art in the country.