Seoul brings 600 years of heritage, Han River noodle bars to Rome

Seoul’s 600 years of heritage are on display in Rome through the touring exhibition The Charm of Seoul: Pungryu, opened Thursday by the Seoul Museum of History and the Korean Cultural Center in Italy. The show connects Joseon Dynasty scholarship with modern city life using artifacts, media and food experiences. It runs through Dec. 4 with free admission at the Korean Cultural Center in Rome.

The exhibition follows a run in Warsaw, Poland, earlier this summer before opening in Rome.

It is supported by Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism under the Touring K-Arts initiative.

Historic items on view include Sangchun Yaeyondo, an 18th-century painting of scholars feasting under spring blossoms, and blue-and-white porcelain inkstones shaped like the Haechi.

The modern section highlights Eulji-ro, contemporary hanbok and reinterpretations of traditional furniture.

The exhibition includes an indoor park modeled after the banks of the Han River and an authentic tasting bar for Seoul Ramen.

Published Sep 18, 2026 3:02 pm KST

Updated Sep 18, 2026 3:03 pm KST

Visitors watch relics at a showroom during the "The Charm of Seoul — Pungryu: Vita, Eleganza e Libertà" event in Rome, Thursday. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

Long before Korean culture swept global airwaves through pop music and cinema, residents of Seoul perfected "pungryu" — a philosophy of refined leisure, artistic expression and communion with nature.

Now, that centuries-old ethos has arrived in Italy, bridging ancient Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) scholarship with the vibrant pulse of modern city life.

The Seoul Museum of History, in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Center in Italy, officially opened its touring international exhibition, "The Charm of Seoul: Pungryu," in Rome Thursday. Following a widely acclaimed run in Warsaw, Poland, earlier this summer, the showcase invites European audiences to experience 600 years of Seoul's aesthetic heritage through rare artifacts, immersive media and interactive culinary pop-ups.

Supported by Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism under its Touring K-Arts initiative, the exhibition uses the concept of pungryu to trace how Seoul’s citizens have cultivated joy across eras. The journey begins in the late Joseon Dynasty period, showcasing historic treasures such as "Sangchun Yaeyondo" — an 18th-century painting depicting elite scholars feasting under spring blossoms — alongside delicate blue-and-white porcelain inkstones shaped like the Haechi, a mythical horned creature that serves as Seoul's official mascot.

The narrative then shifts sharply into the present, capturing the "retro-cool" energy of Eulji-ro, a historic industrial zone in central Seoul that transformed into a trendy hub of youth culture. Amid neon fixtures and industrial art installations, visitors can view modern reinterpretations of traditional furniture and contemporary hanbok, or traditional Korean clothing.

To turn passive viewing into a sensory experience, organizers built an interactive indoor park modeled after the banks of the Han River, complete with four-cut photo booths and a giant inflatable Haechi balloon on the outdoor terrace. The main highlight for local visitors, however, is an authentic tasting bar where guests can cook and sample "Seoul Ramen," recreating the beloved local pastime of eating instant noodles outdoors by the river.

At the opening ceremony, Jeong Sang-hoon, acting first vice mayor of Seoul, joined diplomatic officials to celebrate the cultural bridge between the two capitals.

"This exhibition offers a fresh look at Seoul’s history and traditions through a modern lens," said Park Hyun-min, head of the museum’s communications division. "Following Warsaw, we hope sharing the cultural depth of Seoul here in Rome — the cradle of Western civilization — strengthens the bond between our cities."

The exhibition runs through Dec. 4 with free admission at the Korean Cultural Center in Rome, featuring companion workshops, tourism pop-ups and cultural lectures throughout its three-month stay.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

首尔600年的历史文化遗产正在罗马展出，巡回展览“首尔的魅力：丰流”于周四由首尔历史博物馆和韩国文化中心联合推出。展览运用文物、媒体和美食体验，将朝鲜王朝的学术研究与现代都市生活巧妙融合。展览将持续至12月4日，在罗马韩国文化中心免费入场。

此次展览此前于今年夏季早些时候在波兰华沙展出，之后在罗马开幕。

该项目由韩国文化体育观光部在“韩国艺术巡演”计划的支持下开展。

展出的历史文物包括《上春耶渊图》（18 世纪画作，描绘了文人在春花下宴饮的场景）和形似獬豉的青花瓷砚台。

现代展区重点展示了乙支路、现代韩服和对传统家具的重新诠释。

展览包括一个仿照汉江两岸建造的室内公园和一个正宗的首尔拉面品尝吧。

发布于2026年9月18日下午3:02（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年9月18日下午3:03（韩国标准时间）

周四，在罗马举行的“首尔的魅力——丰流：生活、优雅与自由”活动中，参观者在展厅内观看文物。图片由首尔市政府提供。

早在韩国文化通过流行音乐和电影席卷全球之前，首尔居民就已经完善了“风流”——一种精致的休闲、艺术表达和与自然交流的哲学。

如今，这种延续了几个世纪的精神已经传入意大利，将古代朝鲜王朝（1392-1910 年）的学术研究与现代都市生活的活力脉搏连接起来。

首尔历史博物馆与韩国文化中心意大利分部合作，于周四在罗马正式开启了其国际巡回展览“首尔的魅力：丰流”。此前，该展览于今年夏季早些时候在波兰华沙广受好评。此次展览将通过珍贵文物、沉浸式媒体和互动式美食体验，带领欧洲观众领略首尔600年的美学传承。

本次展览由韩国文化体育观光部“韩国艺术巡回展”项目支持，以“风流”为主题，追溯首尔市民在不同时代如何培养幸福感。展览从朝鲜王朝后期开始，展出了诸多历史珍宝，例如描绘文人雅士在春花下宴饮的十八世纪画作《上春夜言图》，以及造型精美的青花瓷砚台，砚台的造型酷似首尔的吉祥物——长着角的神话生物獬豉。

叙事节奏骤然切换到现代，展现了乙支路（Eulji-ro）的“复古酷炫”气息。乙支路曾是首尔市中心的工业区，如今已摇身一变，成为引领潮流的青年文化中心。霓虹灯和工业艺术装置交相辉映，游客可以欣赏到对传统家具的现代诠释以及当代韩服（韩国传统服饰）。

为了将被动的观赏体验转化为感官享受，主办方打造了一个仿照汉江两岸的互动式室内公园，配备了四格拍照亭，户外露台上还有一个巨大的充气獬豸气球。然而，对于当地游客来说，最大的亮点是一家正宗的“首尔拉面”体验吧，客人可以在这里亲手制作并品尝“首尔拉面”，重现当地人喜爱的在江边享用方便面的户外休闲活动。

在开幕式上，首尔代理第一副市长郑相勋与外交官员一起庆祝了两个首都之间建立的文化桥梁。

“本次展览以现代视角重新审视首尔的历史和传统，”博物馆传播部负责人朴贤敏表示，“继华沙之后，我们希望在西方文明的摇篮罗马分享首尔深厚的文化底蕴，能够加强我们两座城市之间的联系。”

展览在罗马韩国文化中心展出至 12 月 4 日，免费入场。展览期间，还将举办配套工作坊、旅游快闪活动和文化讲座，为期三个月。

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。