When the rain falls and the conditions are not ideal for outdoor activities why don’t you visit the Kim Young-gap gallery?
Kim Young-gap settled down on Jeju after he was attracted by the island. His gallery has a healing feeling where his spirit lives on.
Shall we have a closer look?
The gallery is in the converted Samdal Elementary school, which is now officially called Kim Young-gap Dumoak Gallery. Dumoak is an old name for Halla Mountain.
Kim Young-gap kept the beauty of Jeju in his camera lens for 20 years. In his images he reveals oreums(extinct parasitic volcanoes), the middle-mountain area, old fishermen, haenyeo(women divers), clouds and silver grass.
This gallery can be called ‘real Jeju’ too.
It was actually designed by Kim Young-gap when he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Everywhere in the gallery was touch by him. Even the outdoor gardens where guests can have a rest and meditate.
Visitors can feel the healing here, especially if it is your first rest period for a while.
It is also well-worth coming with other friends in the future.
Included with the price of an entrance ticket is a small Kim Young-gap postcard. It would be nice to put them all together on a desk.
The person in this photograph below is Kim himself.
What is the reason he put all of his effort into making this gallery despite the increasing paralysis of his body? It is something to consider while appreciating this place.
This is where his office items are assembled and he really used this room.
When Kim couldn’t move his body due to the disease he thought about the happiness bought by clouds a lot. What is this happiness clouds bring to us? Everyone has a different point of view. What about freedom?
Many other visitors are attracted by Kim’s work. You can see their minds healing as they view. The video room has a interview of him from an earlier time when he was very engaged in his photography. All visitors were focused on it.
The Kim Young-gap gallery is also a good place to visit as a family unit, educational for kids, and you get to see photographs of Jeju nature you won’t find anywhere else.
Here are some of his images for readers to enjoy. How do they make you feel? Of course you can see the image, but seeing it in person gives something more.
Kim Young-gap died in 2005 and since 2006 this place has been designated a worthy location for Jeju visitors to stop by at on their Jeju Island trip.
Click here for further information including location
| Spring (March – June) | 9:30 – 18:00 |
| Summer (July – August) | 9:30 – 19:00 |
| Autumn (September – October) | 9:30 – 18:00 |
| Winter (November – February) | 9:30 – 17:00 |
| Adults | 3,000 WON |
| Youth/ Jeju Residents | 2,000 WON |
| Children / Over 65 | 1,000 WON |
| Under 7 / Disabled / Seongsan-eup Residents | FREE |
* Final admission is 30 minutes before closing
