Set within the mountainous landscape of Hallasan, PODO Museum has become one of Jeju Island’s most distinctive cultural sites – a place where social enquiry, ecological awareness and artistic experimentation intersect. Since opening in 2021, the museum has carved out a role unlike any other on the island: a space committed to expanding empathy across social differences and rethinking the fragile relationship between human beings and the environments that sustain them. From its landscaped gardens to its carefully staged exhibitions, PODO Museum operates with a conviction that art can be both a site of reflection and a vehicle for mutual care.
The island of Jeju itself is central to this ethos. Shaped by volcanic terrain, strong winds, migration, labour histories and a local culture dedicated to tradition, the island is a place where survival has always depended on forms of coexistence – between people, between species, between the island’s rugged ecology and its human inhabitants. PODO Museum’s mission (which is guided by its executive director Chloe H. Kim) builds directly on these conditions, positioning the museum as a mediator between nature and society. Its grounds, for example, have recently been renewed to deepen this connection: walking paths, outdoor performance areas and sculptural installations by artists such as Ugo Rondinone, Robert Montgomery, Gimhongsok and SUPERFLEX are integrated into the coastal forest around the museum, introducing a dialogue between body, landscape and play.
