An empty space for a different view
The National Folk Museum of Korea's 'ZERO: Encountering North Korea Through Folklore' invites visitors to set aside familiar assumptions and look at the cultural lives of people in northern regions of the Korean Peninsula. The museum describes 'zero' as a starting point for understanding, not a void. Its official description lists 316 sets comprising 346 objects.
A meal, a mask and an old landscape
The exhibition has three sections. 'Each Person's Memories' presents regional traditions from Hwanghae, Gaeseong, Pyeongan and Hamgyeong. 'Meeting Each Other' includes Bongsan and Gangnyeong masks, the Bukcheong lion dance, Haeju furniture and food traditions such as cold noodles and dumplings. 'One Shared Memory' turns to paintings, screens and photographs of Mount Geumgang, a long-standing subject of travel and artistic memory. The emphasis is on material and folk culture rather than political headlines.
When and where
The exhibition runs August 12, 2026–February 14, 2027 at Special Exhibition Gallery I, National Folk Museum of Korea, 37 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul. The museum lists separate guided-exhibition information. Exact daily opening hours, any ticket conditions and booking for a particular tour have not been confirmed from this exhibition page; consult the museum's current visitor guide.