INSPIRATION
Space Art: When a Hotel Meets an Artist
UH Continental × Artist X
editor_UJ
The veil has finally been lifted on UH Continental Seoul Center.
Nestled amidst the heavy, grounding energy of Seoul City Hall, this location marks the second "Continental" branch, seamlessly carrying forward the high-end sensibility of the UH brand following its success in Haeundae, Busan.
There is a subtle, hidden commonality that can only be discovered by those who have experienced both Continental locations in Seoul and Busan.
*UH Continental Centerpoint(Top), Seoulcenter(Bottom)
It is the traditional Korean furniture that holds down the center of the lobby. To be precise, it is a piece of art that reinterprets the essence of tradition through a modern lens.
Translucent furniture that subtly shifts the atmosphere of the room, as if its inner core is faintly visible yet hidden. Who is the mastermind behind this beautiful welcome?
©Maison Korea
Kim Hyun-hee: Modernism Sprouted from Tradition
Often referred to as a "furniture artist," Kim Hyun-hee is a rising artist who translates the values of tradition into a modern language.
After graduating from the Department of Woodworking and Furniture Design at Hongik University, she has been carving out her own distinctive artistic world, blurring the lines between furniture and art.
©Kim Hyun-hee's Portfolio
Hailing from Jeju Island, Kim Hyun-hee experienced the nostalgia of an outsider "belonging nowhere" while living in an unfamiliar city, capturing this feeling like the faint afterimage of a hazy fog.
Because her journey began from such deeply personal memories and longing, she chose "furniture"—the object most closely intertwined with our private lives—as the medium for her work.
©Kim Hyun-hee's Portfolio
Her signature work is the "Gyubang (Women's Quarters) Series." It draws motif from the furniture found in the Gyubang, the most private space for women during the Joseon Dynasty. Traditional pieces like Bandaji (blanket chest), Gwe (chest), and Meoritjang (bedside chest)—which might feel unfamiliar to some today—have been reborn with contemporary artistic flair through her fingertips.
What makes her work truly exceptional is the twist in materials. While preserving the sculptural beauty of traditional furniture rich with history and culture, she boldly incorporates entirely non-traditional materials like acrylic.
As a world of faint illusion layers itself over the distinct domain of "history," the lobby of UH Continental is similarly filled with an artistic atmosphere that is both profoundly modern and deeply resonant.
What It Means to Choose Artwork
In a hotel, not a single space exists for the owners or the staff. This is because even the smallest, empty corner is ultimately a space fully experienced by the guests.
Therefore, when curating a hotel space, a firm conviction and philosophy are required regarding "what kind of space will be filled, and with what mood and details."
This is precisely why UHC invests countless hours when selecting the artists and artworks to be placed within a space.
Going beyond merely exhibiting and showing off expensive art pieces, the brand relentlessly searches for artists and works that share the same "texture" as its own.
Here, "texture" refers to UHC’s unique standard, encompassing the thematic awareness, aesthetic sense, and philosophy that the space aspires to achieve.
UH Continental: Artistic Space, Spatial Art
The underlying aesthetic of the UH Continental space is the "Zen Style." However, it does not stop at consuming Eastern style superficially or visually.
From the minor details in the guest rooms to every delicate service, the brand deeply projects its core philosophy of "subtle and refined relaxation" and "the extraordinary found within the ordinary."
Not only Kim Hyun-hee’s artwork in the lobby, but the entire space of UH Continental wholly shares this overarching theme.
The pathways where your footsteps lead, the walls touched by soft lighting, and finally, the scenery you face upon opening your room door—everywhere the guest’s gaze rests is organically connected.
This is exactly where the space transcends being a hotel that simply "displays art" and instead transforms into one giant, collective masterpiece.
UH Continental, where hospitality and art flow together seamlessly. We invite you on a special journey that goes beyond a simple stay to experience the expansion of your senses.
Own the experience where every moment becomes art in a space where UHC’s philosophy is distilled.