From Korea to the world: The Lee Kun-Hee Collection heads to London

1.
Korea on display
In full view

This October, Korea arrives at the British Museum for Europe’s first major exhibition of Korean art and culture in 40 years. Spanning more than two millennia, the exhibition brings together books, calligraphy, sculpture, ceramics, lacquerware, metalwork and paintings, revealing the richness of a culture shaped by craftsmanship, belief and exchange. At its heart is the Lee Kun-Hee Collection, one of the most significant holdings of Korean cultural heritage ever assembled. Presented to international audiences with support from Samsung and jointly organised by the National Museum of Korea, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, and the British Museum, the exhibition offers visitors a rare opportunity to encounter the richness and depth of Korea’s artistic legacy in one place.

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2.
Lasting legacy
Cultural champion

During his lifetime, Lee Kun-Hee, the late chairman of Samsung, assembled a remarkable collection spanning the prehistoric period to the early 21st century, with works of spiritual significance sitting alongside objects from everyday life. For Lee, this diversity was not simply the point of collecting but part of a bigger idea: that culture and its preservation were fundamental to the future. In 2021, his family donated about 23,000 works to the Republic of Korea, transforming a private collection into a shared cultural legacy.

Today, Korea’s cultural influence is everywhere, from film to pop music. This exhibition turns the lens back to the country’s foundations, tracing the culture that has shaped it for 2,000 years.

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3.
Across borders
Forging connections

The exhibition’s arrival in London marks the third and final stop of an international tour, following presentations at the Smithsonian in Washington DC and the Art Institute of Chicago. Each stop offered a new audience the opportunity to encounter Korea’s history through objects that have carried its traditions and artistry across generations. From this perspective, the collection represents another kind of cultural exchange: opening Korea’s heritage first to its own public and now to the world. Through its support of the exhibition, Samsung is continuing that exchange, creating new connections between Korea and visitors from across the globe.

Cultural heritage matters most when it remains part of contemporary life. That idea sits at the heart of Samsung’s support for Korea: preserving the past, while helping it to resonate with new generations. As the collection travels, it gives global audiences a deeper understanding of Korea and its cultural legacy. For Samsung, that connection between culture and progress is central – carrying Lee Kun-Hee’s belief that heritage shapes what comes next.

‘Korea’ runs from 1 October to 31 January 2027; britishmuseum.org

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