San Francisco's Asian Art Museum and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art will host major exhibitions of Korean art this fall. The Asian Art Museum will present the first North American museum retrospective of monochrome master Ha Chonghyun, featuring over 50 works spanning six decades. SFMOMA will debut a special exhibition showcasing the personal art collection of BTS leader RM, juxtaposing over 150 pieces from his holdings with works from the museum's own collection.
These exhibitions are timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between San Francisco and Seoul, positioning them as a significant cultural moment to promote Korean art globally. The Ha Chonghyun retrospective aims to introduce the depth and innovation of his work to American audiences, while the RM exhibition highlights the growing influence of contemporary Korean culture and the role of celebrity collectors in shaping art discourse.